Getting an RTM Home Ready for Seasonal Changes.

At B&B Homes, we are so excited for our in house-designer Katia who will be celebrating her upcoming wedding. She will taking some holidays during this special time and will be away until October 11th. When she is back, she will be able to take on the post harvest designs for future RTM homeowners that are ready for their new digs spring 2017.

Maintaining an RTM home, like any other home, requires some upkeep to prevent damages, safety concerns and overall protection from wear and tear of the life of the home. As we head into fall, there are a few areas to consider for some home chore duties to catch up on before winter creeps in.

Maintaining Your Windows for Energy Efficiency

Maintaining your windows is critical to maintaining the longevity of your RTM home investment, while decreasing the need for repairs down the road. As the seasons change, you will want to check and make sure your windows are functioning properly by checking the sealing and examining for them for moisture damage. In triple or double pane windows you should check for water condensation. Maintaining the sealing procedure is inexpensive and key to maintaining your home’s energy efficiency when done regularly.

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Guarding Your RTM Home Against Humidity

Whether you have lived in an RTM home for a few years or have only recently moved or are planning for an RTM, you need to be careful of this time of year when it comes to dealing with humidity as the seasons change. Moisture and humidity problems are classified as regular maintenance issues and are not covered by B&B Home’s or any of our third parties’ warranties. It is super important that you are aware of the dangers to prevent damages so you can take the appropriate steps to avoid incurring costly repairs. You may need to contact a company like onehourmagic.com who can help with ONE HOUR HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING services to see how they can help reduce humidity in your home during high heat seasons, preventing maintenance problems.To learn more about this topic visit below.

Read More: RTM Maintenance: Protecting Your Home From Humidity and Moisture

Tuning Up the Fireplace

Keeping your home warm during the harsh winters is key to staying comfortable during the cold months while saving on the energy bills. Before the cold season creeps in and you decide to turn on your fireplace, ensure that you schedule your maintenance and safety inspection for wood-burning fireplaces. This may result in a cleaning recommendation, depending on how much you use it. If you have an electric or gas fireplace, you have less to concern yourself with. We recommend cleaning the fireplace glass at least twice a year (spring/fall) with a proper fireplace glass cleaner since the materials from other chemical-based cleaning products may not preserve the look at of the glass.

mountain view fireplace RTM

Replacing Furnace Filters for Optimal Performance

Fall is the best time to give your furnace a tune-up. We recommend hiring a professional (like https://valleyservice.net/fargo-services/furnace-repair, for instance) to come and inspect every two years. If you notice that your furnace isn’t working as it should, it may need a repair. A company like Energy Pro Heating & Cooling (check it out here!), will be happy to come and inspect your furnace to see if there are any issues with it. It’s so important to make sure your furnace is working properly by getting it regularly maintained too. On those cold winter nights, a furnace is often essential. To keep yours functioning, it’s so important to get your heater maintained by a company that can offer top ranking furnace repair services. That should prevent the heater from breaking, ensuring all necessary repairs are completed. If your house has a lot of dust, pets, or any smokers, you will want to change your filter more often. A simple eye test to see how clean the filter is will help you gauge if it is time to change your filter and to keep your furnace running optimally. If there is a lot of hair and dust particles surrounding the filter, bring out the vacuum before making the switch and clean the area. Filter lifespans depend on the quality of the filter you purchase and your family’s lifestyle, your furnace filter should be changed every 1-6 months accordingly.

By creating a routine every fall, you can get in a home maintenance flow that won’t take much time each year and will prevent future problems.

Considerations for a Two Story RTM Home

Lately, we have had a lot of people reach out that are considering an RTM home. With all of the different tastes and preferences out there, the possibilities continue to be endless for each individual family planning their dream home via an RTM.

Still surprisingly to us, a lot of people out there still do not know that a two story RTM is even a consideration.

Well good news, it is! Here are some considerations you should make before deciding to go this route for an RTM project.

How Big Can an RTM Home Be?

RTM homes can be over 2400 sq ft. The average size is 38 ft. at the eaves and roughly 50 ft. long. You can go larger than this if you wish. Contact us to get an estimate of what it will cost you to move the home you have in mind and any potential dimension limitation that may exist on the route to your land.

Considerations for a Two Story RTM Home

Where the Two Story RTM Moves to Determines the Feasibility

As with any RTM project, the final destination and the route of the roads to get there, will impact the feasibility of any RTM project. Regulations, size and power lines can impact this special delivery from arriving to your town, acreage, or farm. Ask us about your land location and we can tell you what your options are. In most cases, this is a non-issue.

Considerations for a Two Story RTM Home

Potential Extra Costs of a Two Story RTM

If the community the RTM is moving to has low power lines, they will need to be temporarily cut at the home owners expense. The regulations and flexibility vary with each local municipality. Our moving company we work with takes care of all permits, great or small so do you don’t have to worry about it.

Big Families Usually Want Big Square Footage with Custom Design Options

A number of families we talk to have more than two kids. As the headcount of the household expands, so does the need for extra square footage. Having separate floors leaves room to create space for privacy for everyone when they need it. Or in a lot of cases, an RTM home will be passed down to future generations of the family, so there is no holding back on this major decision with decades of family history to be lived inside.

If you have any questions about moving an RTM home to your location or wish to discuss a two story or any other RTM option, please contact bbhomes.ca today!

Book a site visit to tour our current projects here.

Hiring One Company for a Seamless Project, from Start to Finish

After coming off a bad experience with another builder, the Kernahan’s mortgage broker Cari Skjerven, suggested they build with B&B Homes.  After going on B&B’s website and finding their dream home design and receiving some helpful advice when calling in, it sealed the deal for them to work with B&B Homes. Now the rest is history!

Mike and Jennifer worked with B&B Homes for their entire project from start to finish, from the foundation pour to the RTM build, and the onsite build of a three car garage. See how this home transformed into a dinner party hosting haven with the help of B&B Home’s onsite designer.

Finding Their Dream Home by Customizing the Willowdale Design Plan

“We finalized our plan with Katia and picked out our selections for our house and got updates through their easy to use co-construct program to manage the project as the house was being built. The selections you can choose to customize your home are endless and co-construct made the project a breeze!”

-Jennifer Kernahan

Creating a Cooking Oasis and Dinner Party Hosting Haven

dinner party hosting haven

Since Jennifer and Mike both spend a lot of time cooking in the kitchen and are very social, designing a kitchen that met these needs was one of the most important aspects of their home. Mike and Jennifer had a lot of fun working with B&B’s on-site designer Katia to make their dream kitchen come to life!

“We love the big Island, we get lots of compliments on this kitchen. Thanks Katia for adding the extra touches! We love our kitchen!  Even cooking up leftovers is fun!  Everyone that comes over to our place loves our open concept kitchen dining living room.  We entertained last month with 20 people in the house and it was so much fun.  Nobody was left out of the conversations at any time.”

-Jennifer Kernahan

Stress-free with B&B’s Co-Construct Project Management Tool

As they live far away, it was nice to see the progress of the house being built and to communicate through co-construct on any issues that needed to be addressed, as their house was being built.  It was also a major selling feature to not have to worry about looking for other contractors to do the eaves troughs, basement cement work or garage doors.

“Everything about the build from start to finish went so smooth and stress free.

-Jennifer Kernahan

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Impressed with Punctual After Care Service Work in the Warranty

Since the garage was built on site and the shingles put on in the late fall, due to the late timing they didn’t get a chance to tab down properly. After two weeks of windy weather and one day of extreme winds, a small part of the shingles started lifting and a few started to come off. After they assessed the damage they contacted Darwin at B&B.  In less than a week, B&B’s service team came out and repaired the missing shingles and went over the whole roof and tabbed down anything that was slightly loose.

The Kernahans were really impressed on the speed of which their claim was dealt with. Especially for the distance they are from the B&B site just outside of Delisle, that this was dealt with in a speedy manner.

“It is hard to find any company to deal with a claim that fast. Just shows B&B Homes takes pride in what they build and they really do care about their customers.”

-Mike Kernahan

Working with our on-site designer can help you bring a vision to life that you didn’t know was possible for a new RTM home. Contact B&B Homes today to coordinate a complimentary consultation with our designer here.

Building A Custom RTM For A Family

A home that can weather the enthusiasm of children, entertain guests, and provide sanctuary in a quiet study or den are all considerations and part of the fun in building a custom home for a family. Each home we make at B&B is made for individual families’ unique lifestyles and tastes. We really enjoy helping guide future custom RTM homeowners through the design process to create a home that is completely suited for them.

Bedrooms and the Floor Plan

Big family or small family? Empty Nester’s? The importance of easy access to the kids’ rooms by grouping them together may vary in importance if you are raising infants or moody teenagers. Perhaps a basement is a good long term investment for future needs. Just make sure you choose the right layout for your needs.

Flooring

Easy to clean? Sometimes dark woods are less forgiving of dust and pet hair than other alternatives. Be honest with yourself, are you on top of your cleaning? But if this is not an option for you then we have lots of laminate, vinyl, tile, and carpet selections to meet your budget and personal priorities for which areas you prefer to accentuate in the home.

Big Kitchens for Big Families and Entertaining

Does your family sit down together for each meal? Big islands in the kitchen are often convenient to grab a bite on the go and offer plenty of space to prepare meals. For those that are really serious in the kitchen, having two sinks may be a convenient feature to add.

Do You Entertain?

The kitchen is the focal point when hosting guests. It is also a place where discerning homeowners can add a few upgrades that will make life more enjoyable. Keeping the design plan open with high vaulted ceilings creates an inviting space to enjoy and relax in.

Creating Ambiance to Last a Lifetime

If you plan to build a custom home that you will be living in for most of your life, in the long run, it’s worth it to upgrade to finishes and materials that make your home a sanctuary to relax in. Quartz and tile finishes add a natural feel and glamorous look. Since you spend a lot of time in the bathroom, customizing with his and her vanities can help you stay comfortable sharing the space.

Working with our designer can help you bring a vision to life you didn’t know was possible for your family. Contact B&B Homes today to coordinate a complimentary consultation with our on-site designer here.

Designing a Luxury RTM Dream Home

Designing a custom home is an experience most will only have once in their lifetime. There are considerations to be made when determining what type of home best suites your needs, lifestyle and budget. Every detail matters, like for instance, you might want a custom skylight in your living room  But is different for everyone. The first step in the process is creating the design of a future home. This planning stage sets the tone for the whole project and requires time, planning and ideas to blueprint a custom build road map.

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1. Get Creative

Take an inventory of the necessities of how you already live and think about what areas you may be able to enhance from your current standard. Whether it is additional storage or a fireplace near the bathtub, the possibilities are endless when you design a home from scratch. Watching home shows on the TLC channel or getting inspired with ideas on Pinterest can help you generate additional ideas.

DreamRTM1

2. Decide on Size and Location

Decide on an estimate of the size of the home that will suite your needs accordingly. Are you a downsizing empty nester and need less or a growing family? Knowing the amount of space you will need both now and in the future will help you determine the location and floor plan for a new home build.

DreamRTM2

3. Budget

When building a custom home the possibilities are endless. Most of us are on a budget so deciding on must-have and nice-to-have will help you determine what areas to splurge and where to be conservative. Drafting a design plan is the first step in the journey of creating your ideal living space. The process will provide a road map of costs and considerations.

dreamRTM

4. Lighting, Functions, Features

Assess your lifestyle and ideal environment. Knowing what features are essential will assist in decision making and planning. Whether it is the amount of natural light coming in from a vaulted ceiling skylight or heated flooring and towel racks in the bathroom, know what comforts are a priority.

Taking your ideas and turning them into a reality is possible with the assistance of a professional designer. This crucial, yet exciting first step can take you on the path to living in your dream home.

If you would like to brainstorm and draw out some of your ideas for a new home, please contact our in-house designer and take advantage of our offer to receive a free initial consultation.

Planning a Basement for an RTM Home

basement
Planning a basement for an RTM home requires both lifestyle, function and budget considerations. What is the space going to be used for? Home office, kids play room, bar, home theater? Once the purpose of the space is decided, it’s time to start planning the layout. Maybe you don’t need a basement and a crawl space is suffice. The possibilities in this process allow you to customize your home based on your individual requirements. Knowing the size you want to have, materials to use and your personal style help navigate this planning process.

Crawl Space or Full Basement?

An RTM Home can be placed on a crawl space or on a full basement. Depending on your budget and needs, a crawl space may be an appropriate choice for you. Consider the soil and lot size. There are a lot of options when it comes to planning a basement. You can decide if you want an additional guest room, laundry facilities or another bathroom downstairs. If you are a DIY family, you can plan renovations in the future, yourself. Otherwise, you’ll be wanting to research on what to do, as well as what you’re able to do with your local plumbing, electrical, and construction contractors, etc.

ICF, Wood or Concrete?

The choice is yours. Insulated concrete forms (ICF) homes are becoming more common in energy-saving and green building homes. It does cost slightly more than a traditional wood-frame but the long term return on investment outperforms both concrete and wood in value. ICF material provides good insulation and does not rot or decay with strong resistance to water.

Style and Features

Once you have decided the size, materials and function of the basement, it is time for the fun part of picking your own style and features for the space. Whether you want to plan for a comfy home theater or additional closets and storage space, the possibilities are endless. You can dress up anything however you wish! If you have windows and don’t fancy the usual curtains, why not try shutters or blinds?

For more information on B&B Homes RTM dream homes contact us here.