Farmhouse Facelift
Look familiar? There are thousands of homes in this style that dot the prairies, not to mention the thousands more in both urban and rural areas around North America. Their popularity was sparked by their simplicity and functionality. In a post war era where everyone dreamed of owning a home…
Energy Efficiency – How Does It Impact Me?
On January 1, 2019, Saskatchewan joined the rest of the country by adopting a new section of the National Building Code of Canada (NBC). Section 9.36 sets out new requirements for the energy efficiency and airtightness of houses. The first question most people ask is “How does it impact me?”…
Is it Time for an Electrical Upgrade?
Written by Rachael Newcombe of envisionup.com Let’s face it: your electrical panel and wiring isn’t the most exciting thing to talk about when creating your home or renovation plans. But you may get excited when you find out how convenient your day-to-day life would be if you made these electrical upgrades…
Should I Build A New Home or Renovate My Existing Home?
This question is asked with increasing frequency as people are reluctant to leave their more spacious backyard for a new house with next to no yard. Any renovation or addition to your home has to solve your space problems and suit your style but most of all also meet your…
If My Home Were A Car – Thoughts on Affordable Housing
If my house were a car, I think it would be a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air. Not huge, suitable for a small family, and modestly stylish for the time. At 1207 square feet, it was a common three bedroom bungalow with one bath, sitting on a bare sixty foot wide…
Is a Secondary Suite Worth It?
Many people are looking at secondary suites as a way to make a new home more affordable. There are many questions to consider. Do you really want to share your new house? What design issues do you need to consider when designing your home plans? Do the rewards outweigh the…
What is Craftsman Style?
In architecture a picture is worth a thousand words. In this case you can instantly see the style and appeal of a Craftsman home and understand why it has been such a popular choice since its debut in the early 1900’s. Craftsman Style Principles The Craftsman style originated at a…
10 Things I Learned Designing and Building a Tiny House
Surprising as it may seem, a tiny house can be built to a higher standard than conventional houses on foundations. These are some of the “tiny” lessons I learned in designing and building our first Tiny House: 1. Size matters – For portable tiny houses, regulations for height and width are…
Good-Bye Clothing Chaos
In today’s society people tend to have an abundance of clothing and they need a place to put all of these items. Properly organized closet space with storage solutions can turn a closet that looks like a tornado went through it into a masterfully organized showroom. Many master bedroom…
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Mary and I want to thank you for all of your help and patience as we progressed through the house design and building process. It is a dream come true. Throughout the process, I feel we have developed a unique working relationship, actually more of a friendship as we talked, emailed, faxed, and "FedExed" drawings and ideas back and forth. With your help we have a new cabin that fits the lot well and blends in with other cabins of varying ages and designs on our beach.
Doug & Mary
