When planning a custom RTM, an important component of the overall design is planning for natural and artificial lighting in the home that reflects the lifestyle and personality of your family.

One of the great things about working with B&B Homes on a brand new custom RTM, is that we have an on-site designer to walk you through the planning stages of this process to help you uncover the ambiance you wish to achieve through lighting. Below are the three main types of lighting:

Accent lighting: creates the mood/atmosphere of a room
Task lighting: highlights a specific function of a room (Eg: home office area or in the kitchen)
Ambient lighting: provides the general illumination of a room

Window Positioning With Natural Light Considerations in Mind

For example, the south will allow for the most natural light so you may want to position your living room windows in this direction but perhaps not the bedrooms. Other things to consider include: What kind of lighting do you like and are naturally drawn to? What do you want to see when you look out your windows? Are you considering using solar energy?

Incorporating Contrast Between Rooms

Contrasting light to dark between rooms sets the tone for each transition as you move throughout the home. Do you want more drama between high and low contrast? Or another way of putting it, do you want strong or soft lighting in different rooms? Contrast will set the energy of a space, whether you want it to be more low key or exciting depends on what you plan to do in that area of the home.

Knowing the function and mood you want to create in each room will help you create a lighting scheme you will love over the course of the lifetime of your home.

Work with B&B Home’s designer Katia and plan a lighting scheme within your budget for your once in a lifetime investment to enhance your everyday living. Contact us to get started planning.

One of the most popular rooms to design and plan in a custom RTM project is the ensuite. Considering you will be using this space daily, carefully planning what you want for features, function and layout will allow you to create a space made specifically for your lifestyle with a little luxury added in.

Below are a few considerations that will help you decide your ensuite “must haves” for you and your spouse:

Do you like to take baths to unwind after a long day or is a double shower more practical for your daily routine? Heated floors will keep you cosy but may not make the budget, making heated towel racks a great substitute.

Having different low level lighting options is something to think about if you or your partner have different work schedules. Alternatively you can brighten up a designated makeup area if you don’t value the function of having two sinks.

Deciding on a short list of requirements will help you narrow down the endless options of what you will want to incorporate from the wide range of materials at your disposal for this special room. Don’t worry though, you don’t need to figure this all out yourself if you are working with the right design team.

The ensuite is a space you can customize to your preferences with different features and materials to showcase your personal style in a space you will be using every single day.

One of the perks of planning a custom RTM over a home that is ready made, are the endless options you have at your disposal to create your own sanctuary made exclusively for you.

Custom shelving allows you to make smart use of your space with practical storage for organizing your toiletries and linens.

Working with our on-site designer Katia will help you to discover your style and feature preferences so you end up with a dream ensuite, without the pressure of having to figure it all out on your own, or settle for something you don’t love.

Contact B&B Homes today and start planning your own daily ritual oasis!

Little known fact: The start of your custom home project is not when you break ground for the first time. It’s all figured out on paper first.

Be prepared to review, revise, and repeat to get everything within your budget and style. Make sure to allow enough time for planning and building to achieve your desired delivery date.

So what are the steps you need to take to get your RTM project plan together?

Do Not Fear Disclosing Your Budget

One big, and necessary, step is discussing what you hope your overall project will cost. At B&B, we have compiled an entire list of the expenses associated with building a home – reaching past the costs related to the RTM alone, including site prep, hookups and foundations.

Discussing your budget with our on-site designer and estimator gives them the ability to design and quote your home project using materials and function that will fit within your overall budget while allowing enough room for other expenditures and features.

To ensure that you do not encounter any surprises along the way that can suddenly hinder you from achieving your dream—or will require last minute split decisions—our estimator at B&B Homes is equipped to provide you with detailed quotes based on your budget parameters. From your RTM home costs to your on-site garage, foundation, hookups and deck, as well as any other required on-site elements that may come up.

Be Prepared to Review, Revise, and Repeat

There are a couple steps involved in this process. First, designing your custom home. This involves everything from the style and materials chosen, to the layout and function of the home that fits your family’s lifestyle. All of these parts are taken into consideration and reviewed to make sure they are fitting your overall vision.

The next step is estimating the cost of the design. In this phase you will be given quotes that include everything discussed during the design process. Once the first vision of your home is quoted, and you have a concrete idea of all the costs involved, it can be necessary to go back and revise some of the options chosen, or remove some features.

Do not fear this step. Request changes or revisions to get the project to a stage you are comfortable with.

This is a natural progression point in all major projects. More often than not, there is another material available, or another timeline to consider – like saving the decks or garage for a project the following year – that will make achieving your exact vision a reality (without depleting the quality of your home).

So What Now?

The biggest feeling may be to give up. We get it, we’ve all been there. At B&B, we want to be there for you helping you through this stage. We understand this last step is full of very personal decisions, and requires thoughtful deliberation of answering the questions like “What do you most want to get out of your home?” and “What are the top 5 priorities?”. Once you feel you have those questions and thoughts answered, approach the drawing board again with our team of professionals.

Be Involved

Ask all your questions, state your ideas, and display any concerns or fears you may have. B&B Homes wants to build you a home that we ourselves would live in. That requires perseverance, flexibility, and honesty from both sides. Believe us when we say all the hard work at this stage, makes the reward at the end even better.

B&B Homes has earned the reputation for providing excellent quality RTM homes and prides itself on delivering superior customer service throughout the process. If you are ready to start planning a 2019 RTM project, reach out to us here for more information.