Before the initial new home planning meeting with your builder, think about the features and location you want for your home.
“We begin by asking our clients lifestyle questions such as ‘What are you looking for in a neighbourhood and how do you want to use your new living space?’ ,” says Lawrence Peters, owner of Keystone Contractors & Builders.
“The answers to those questions can define where you will consider buying land and what style and size of home will suit your needs.”
• Do you want to be near schools, parks and recreation areas, bus stops, or other amenities?
• Consider the size and type of a lot you want to buy.
• Decisions about how many rooms you need, their size and location are easier to make if you have chosen the type (bungalow, bi-level, cab over, two storey, etc.) of home you want to live in.
“The design of the house will depend on how the rooms are used,” Lawrence says.
Is your kitchen is the centre for the family’s daily living?
A builder can also offer advice on features that add value and convenience to the home.
“Which way an appliance door opens is a small thing to consider when planning a whole house,” says Lawrence. “But it becomes a big issue if the doors don’t work with the flow of the room.”
The practical functions of a home’s design can be influenced by the degree of the builder’s attention to detail.
Canada Mortgage and Housing research shows that heating and ventilating components (HVAC) in new Canadian houses don’t always function as intended because of bad design, inappropriate equipment selection, mediocre installation, and indifferent inspection.
“Heat loss-heat gain calculations have to be performed so that the furnace and air volumes can be calculated, and then heat ducts can be sized to adequately heat and cool the home,” says Bob Peters, Controller/Systems Analylist for KC&B and its sister company, Concept Design Plus.
The following details need to be considered and planned for:
• Insulation factors
• Directional position, number, size and type of windows
• Internal heat gains from lights, appliances or occupants
All too often an installer chooses a system’s size (heating and/or cooling output) according to the home’s square footage; this ‘rule of thumb’ approach commonly leads to improper sizing.
The ability to retain heat produced by the heating system varies with every home.
An oversized furnace cannot reach the steady operating rate it was designed for, so it is less energy efficient, costs more to operate and can create uneven temperatures throughout the house.
Incorporating energy efficient techniques, products and technologies into your home not only lowers energy costs, but also increases your comfort, indoor air quality and resale value.
“We embrace discussions around green factors, specifically geothermal heating and cooling,” says Lawrence.
“Many home-owners and prospective clients are unaware of the high return on investment of geothermal systems.”
When you have a new home custom-built or have renovations done to your current home, clear communication between you and your builder is essential.
Don’t be reluctant to ask questions as helps you better understand the process.
Builders have knowledge and experience in their field which their clients don’t often have, so it’s helpful if you get answers to questions you don’t know to ask.
“Our role is to mentor our clients,” says Lawrence. “A builder should give them as much information as possible so they can make informed decisions.
A new home is often one of the larger investments people will make. They deserve to know.”
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