About us

• A Well-built home combines art and science. Aesthetically pleasing and is well-built from the inside out. It’s not just about having nice finishings.
• To build an energy saving,  healthy long lasting Custom Home providing maximum thermal comfort to the occupants, the Building Envelope is very important too.
• Safety and Structural Integrity are paramount and should not be compromised to save money. When homeowners don’t understand the difference in quality, most would compare prices, but when homeowners throughly understand the importance of quality, most would choose the most suitable solution for their project (and that means not cutting corners). Example: Using questionable concrete supply.
• Builders must be experienced and motivated to continuously learn and update their knowledge to build the best homes. When hiring a builder (even one with many years of experience) who doesn’t seek to keep up to date with building science, the homeowner is hiring someone to build them a home from yesterday. This type of home will result in costly energy bills, unhealthy home (example: molds), a home that ages faster, uncomfortable cold and hot spots etc.
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The Higher the Standards, the more planning is needed:

• Custom Homes built above and beyond the current requirements of the building code standards
• High-Performance Homes, such as Net Zero Homes or Passive Homes
• Traditional Homes
• Modern Architectural Homes
• Character Retention Projects
• High-Quality Spec Homes

We focus intently on the intricacy of every project from inception to completion.

Some Homeowners rush to hire an Architect or Home Designer to design their homes before even talking to a Builder. 

The design is fundamental to the success of the project. Poorly designed homes are not an excellent experience for the end-user, the Homeowners who occupy the home. 

Not all Architects and Home Designers are created equal. Some plans are over-simplistic and only contain a few pages, while others have dozens of pages and a ton of information specifying the details. 

Talking to a Builder first is an excellent idea because Home Builders have worked with many professionals and can help guide you in the right direction. 

We are open to working with professionals we have never worked with and are not set on who Homeowners should hire. We work in the Homeowner’s best interest. The question we always consider is who is the most suitable person to hire for your project. 

We have purposefully chosen not to become a Design Build Firm for this very same reason. We are focused on managing custom home projects very well because we are hired to do that, and when you hire us, you don’t need to worry about any parts of that. 

We are not trying to get all the business we can and are not biased on who you should hire to design your home. An Architect or Home Designer is an artist. Each artist has their style. We work well and enjoy building homes designed by different Architects or Home Designers. 

A few things to consider when hiring an Architect or Home Designer. :

1. What TYPE of Home does this Architect or Home Designer specialize in?
2. What STYLE of Home does this Architect or Home Designer specialize in? Do you like what you see in their portfolio?
3. Does this Architect or Home Designer have TIME and is patient with clients?
4. Do I want or NEED to build a customized or more typical home?
5. Do I want to incorporate special features such as Swimming Pools, Spa-like Bathrooms, Roof Top Decks, Elevators, High-tech Home Automations, Fancy Kitchens, Spacious Walk-in Closet, Admirable Garden etc? The best is to have a clear idea of what you want from the beginning. Altering or adding features aftermath is not the most cost-effective or time-effective solution. 
6. Is this Architect or Home Designer EFFICIENT and FAMILIAR with the city by-laws and regulations?
7. Is this Architect or Home Designer CAPABLE and WILLING to “fight” with the city to achieve what I want?

The Architect or Home Designer plays an essential role in the Home Building Process and should be carefully vetted. 

We take pride in being efficient, but if the rest of the team is inefficient and incapable of doing their jobs right, there is only so much we, as your selected Builder and Project Management Team, can do to make things go forward more smoothly, efficiently and cost-effectively. 

• • Well-built Homes do take time to Build. 
  • How long it takes depends on the size and complexity of the project.
  • Building a Custom Home requires the Home Builder to choreograph the entire process very well. Every step of the way, the right crew of people is scheduled to show up just in time for the next step.  
  • Being efficiently organized with the construction schedule is one thing, and rushing to complete the house is another.
  • Most of the time, homes built at high speed are low-quality. It’s like eating fast food; fast, cheap, mass-produced is not the best for your health.
  • High-Quality Homes start with good design and an experienced and knowledgeable executor. The Architectural Design is well-planned; the aesthetics, material, and attention to detail are thoroughly considered. The Builder is involved early in the design process because they are directly responsible for making this concept a reality through meticulously planning, communicating with professionals, executing precisely, coordinating the schedule etc.

Are you still stuck in the past with Custom Home Construction Costs (The same Price per Square Foot from a couple of years ago)? Inflation is a reality we all face, from labour to material costs to city permit fees. How is it possible that prices are the same as before?

Some Homeowners have a specific range (Price per Square Foot) they think current custom home construction should cost.

A Custom Home is fully customized to the individual family’s needs and wants. Each Custom Home is different. If it was similar to other homes, it is a Spec Home, not a Custom Home. Each Custom Home is:

• Located in different areas: Depending on where your lot is, you can spend more or less building your brand-new custom home there.
• Different types: What type of Home do you want to build?
  • Is it a Single Family Home or a Duplex?
  • Do you want to build a Laneway House?
  • Do you want to build a Net-Zero Home or a Passive House?
• Different in size and configurations:
  • A Larger Home will have a lower price per square foot.
  • A Smaller Home will have a higher price per square foot.
• Designed by different Architect/ Home Designer/ Interior Designer:
  • The Specifications of each design can vary widely. Some Architects/ Home Designers,/ Interior Designers’ plans are complicated, while others can be simplistic.
• What type of finishings (material and craftsmanship) do you want?
  • Depending on what you or your designer choose and what you want to spend. This category can vary widely from Home to Home.
• Do you want any special features?
  • Such as a pool, sauna, elevator, roof top deck, home automation, fancy home appliances, solar panels with Tesla Powerwall etc.
• Are you going to hire a Building Envelope Engineer?
• Are you going to hire a Mechanical Engineer?
• Are you going to hire a Landscape Designer?
• As you can see, the list of questions can go on, how much it costs to build a Custom Home depends on what you want to build.

A Custom Home can be built to barely pass the city building code standards to super high standards (getting close to perfection). There isn’t a set price per square foot for high-end homes, and the construction cost depends on: 

1. What the Homeowner can afford?
2. What the Homeowner want to spend?
3. What level of quality the Homeowner  is expecting to see?

From the beginning, an open and honest discussion with the Builder and Project Management Team is needed for the Homeowner to be on the right path to success. 

The critical question is: Did the homeowner hire an ethical Builder and Project Management Team that will honestly and efficiently utilize this targeted construction budget to build the best house for them?

When you hire the right people, they will work in your best interest. If you treat people well, people will work even harder for you. 

Other questions Homeowners want to consider:

• What is the Difference between Soft Costs and Hard Costs? And why this is important for you to understand before popping the question: How much is the price per square foot
• Before comparing the price, you need to know the context of what you are comparing to.
• Why do project management fees vary widely in the Home Construction Industry? What consequences exist for the Homeowner when a Builder and Project Management Team is chosen solely based on price?
• What is the Current Market Price for Material and Labour for the long list of things in the home Building process? Are you comparing Apple to Apple? Who are you getting your information from? Are they an amateur or professional in the building industry?  It’s good to be vigilant but at the same time you need to trust your Builder. You hired them because they know what they are doing. If you do not trust the Builder, do not hire them, you need to work with them on an ongoing basis often for more than a year depending on the complexity of your project.
• Vancouver has made significant changes to the building by-laws to work towards building a greener future. How Does This Affect Your Construction Costs?
• A newly built home similar to other typical homes on the market is called a Spec Home. These types of homes are usually built to sell and are for investment purposes. Therefore the overall quality and Construction Costs are lower. 
• If you do not like most of the homes you see on the market and wonder why their quality is mediocre at its best. Then you truly want a custom home or a higher quality spec home.
• Why do the costs of some professionals/vendors/ tradespeople range so much(from cheap to affordable to expensive)? Other than the level of expertise, experience and branding, the amount of time, detail and services they offer vary widely. Always compare apple to apple. 
• If a professional/ vendor/ tradespeople charges more, is it worth it? What consequences exist when a quotation is chosen solely based on price?
• It depends on the budget and quality of the home you want to build; to be successful in your Home Building Project you need to set clear goals and expectations and work with the right team of people right from the start. Examples:
  • • • If you hire a renowned architect to design your luxury custom home, you should hire an experienced and knowledgeable home builder, plumber, electrician etc. Since you have paid a premium price for the building plans, a professional team with proper training and technical know-how will do a much better job of turning the high-level concept into a reality. However, some homeowners hire an inexperienced home builder, plumber, electrician etc., to build the custom home. It does not make sense, but it does happen.
      • If you have a more restrictive home construction budget, you should hire a team who could help you maximize savings right from the start. 

Not all Builders are created equal. A GOOD Builder can help you save money, avoid costly mistakes and make the entire Home Building Process Blissful.

Especially Homeowners who have had custom home-building experience in the past would know what I am talking about. Usually, a First Time Custom Homeowner would hire a more economical Builder because why pay more when you can spend less? Then experience the pain of making the wrong decision – hiring the wrong Builder.

The Lucky ones can build a second custom home and hire a better Builder the next time.

However, most people can only afford to build one custom home in their lifetime.

Good Trades are essential to building a GREAT home because:

1. They are well-trained-KNOWLEDGABLE
2. They do things properly-SAFETY
3. They do not waste material-COST EFFECTIVE
4. They know what the city inspectors are looking for-EFFICIENT
5. They are good at scheduling and do not waste time-EFFICIENT
6. They are cooperative-BUILDING A GREAT HOME is TEAMWORK
7. They are willing to come up with creative solutions if needed-MAKING THINGS WORK FOR YOU
8. They come back to service when needed-NO HEADACHE

Again, this is just a small list of benefits of hiring good trades. 

It is not a good idea to cheap out on hiring good trades because you will get none of the benefits above. 

Building a Custom Home can easily cost over a million dollars on a standard lot in Vancouver. However, we still hear many “nightmare” home-building experience stories from homeowners who have been through it or are going through it and are seeking help. Here are some common mistakes to avoid:

• • • • Misled by low to impossible preliminary construction cost estimates. These numbers are usually the price per square foot that homeowners want to hear. Inflation is happening all around us. How is the price per square foot possibly still the same as a couple of years ago?
      • Misled by incorrect or outdated custom home-related information by “Professionals” that claim to “know it all.” Each profession takes a lot of dedication to master, and we respect that. Hiring or trusting the “know-it-alls” just because it’s more economical or because you “like” that person may not be a wise decision. 
      • Hiring a nice person referred by a friend or relative without critically evaluating competence may turn out to be a million dollar plus mistake. This is an obvious one but it happens all the time. 
      • Hiring based on popularity, for example:
        • Construction companies with a lot of on-going projects. They could be really good at what they do or just very good at marketing, sales and closing the deal.
        • “Social influencers” with impressive-looking portfolios ( filled with photos of other people’s projects). 
      • Falling for the sales pitch from a charming salesperson. The Sales pitch is one thing, but if the salesperson is different from the person you will work with. Are the people you will be working with within the team any good?
      • In 2023, there are more than 8000 licenced builders in BC, and each month there are only roughly 40-50 single-family homes + duplexes + laneway homes building permits issued in Vancouver. The competition is very high especially in the economical custom home-building market. Some people will say just about anything to get your business. 
      • Listening to random advice from amateurs (friends, relatives, neighbours, co-workers, “know it alls,” self-claimed “Experts”…) who have or do not have home-building experience. Even the ones that have built several homes. For example, If surgery is needed, would you trust someone:
        • With no experience, 
        • With some experience (operated on one person), 
        • With some more experience (operated on three or four people),
        • An expert who has done it so many times they can do it blindfolded? (you get the point)