Same Design, Two Totally Different Homes.

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The Redburn is one of B&B Homes most popular designs that we have built many variations of over the years. When reviewing floor plans, the colours and features that make a home are not yet quite clear.

In this short series, we want to showcase the differences that style and features can make in a home that may otherwise appear the same when reviewing the floorplan.

The Redburn Floor Plan Features Include:

  • 1668 Square Feet
  • 3 Bedrooms
  • 2 ½ Baths
  • Vaulted ceiling in kitchen, dining, & living room
  • Main floor laundry
  • Swinging closet doors
  • Walk-in kitchen corner pantry
  • Island seating
  • Walk-in closet in master bedroom
  • Front deck overhang

See how one Redburn in a transitional style with light color tones throughout compares to one in a rustic style with warm earthy tones in these similarly customized floor plans below.

Here is an overall view of the open concept living, dining and kitchen areas in each style. Optional features that can be incorporated into any home include fireplaces, window coverings and appliances.

Simple shaker cabinet doors vs rustic hickory cabinetry that were made uniquely for each home.

Simple and elegant materials such as minimal patterned tile with chrome finishes can be found in a transitional style vs dark natural materials such as wood and stone used in a rustic style.

Modifications can be made to any floor plan in a custom RTM project based on each families preferences for storage and natural light.

For more information on the process or to get started planning your own custom floor plan, reach out to B&B at any time. Schedule a site visit for a one-on-one consultation and to tour our current projects.

 

 

Incorporating Concrete Into Your Design Features

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Concrete like tile, is a diverse material that can be used in various applications of a home. Not only can concrete be used for foundations and ensuring structural stability, but it can also add modern design elements to suit your style and preferences.

Here are some uses for concrete in a home:

  • Countertops
  • Countertops with integrated sinks
  • Backsplash (either as one ‘piece’ or multiple tile like pieces)
  • Showers (same as backsplash)
  • Fireplace mantles
  • Custom furniture tops – ie. coffee tables, end tables, dining tables, benches

*Please note: Concrete that is used for any surface exposed to liquid would need to be sealed once a year like granite because it’s a naturally porous material. This includes all of the items above except fireplaces, mantles and furniture.

Did you know that concrete can be mixed to create any color? It can also have a smooth, glossy, matte or exposed aggregate finish. It is even possible for concrete to have a wood grain texture.

See these different examples of concrete home finishes from Stoneflow Concrete Designs, a supplier that works with B&B Homes.

For more information on the process or to get started planning feel free to reach out to B&B at any time. Book a site visit for a one-on-one consultation and to tour our current projects.

Planning Artificial and Natural Light Through Design for an RTM Home

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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.

 

 

Foundation options for an RTM home.

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An important decision to make when planning a new home is deciding what type of foundation to place the RTM onto. Whether you want a crawl space to keep the costs down or want to invest in a basement down the road, this decision will impact your budget and project planning. B&B collaborates with third party contractors and also provides foundations services as well. Below are a few considerations for this choice:

*Planning Tip: the foundation needs to be completed three weeks before the RTM move date.

Crawl Space of 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 out there 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 the development in the future yourself. With enough square footage on the main floor of the home, you may decide that the basement is an unnecessary function for your family’s needs.

Planning Tip: Generally speaking, it is more economical to finish a basement than it is to expand the main floor for materials costs.

Planning a Basement for an RTM Home

Planning a basement for an RTM home requires lifestyle, function and budget considerations. What is the space going to be used for? Home office, kids play room, bar, storage or home theater? The possibilities in this process allow you to customize your home based on your individual requirements. Depending on your land, you may want to invest in a walk-out basement. Knowing the size of home you want to have and your lifestyle preferences will help you navigate this stage of the planning process. Looking into companies such as Sheet Piling (UK) Ltd that can help you build your basement could be a good help.

ICF, Wood or Concrete

The choice is yours. Insulated concrete form (ICF) foundations are common due to their energy saving effencies. B&B Homes recommends ICF as a primary option for this reason and also because we can take this style of basement to dry wall ready. 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 and has strong resistance to water.

Contact us today for more information on foundations or to discuss getting a project started.

Planning a Dream Ensuite for an RTM

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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.

RTM Ensuite

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.

The Churchbridge RTM

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.

RTM Homes Saskatchewan

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

The Hudson RTM

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!

 

 

 

 

Planning a Mudroom for an RTM Home.

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The mudroom is a common design element that farmers and ranchers incorporate into their RTM homes as this side entrance is a popular entryway point into the home.

With smart planning and design, you can keep these areas neat, organized and styled to your lifestyle. Whether you want to put the laundry in this area with a sink for a double function, or a convenient half bath, the mudroom area can help the rest of your home stay clean and organized.

planning a mudroom for an RTM                                                    Tile floors keep the area easy to clean and maintain.

RTM Mudroom

Lockers, drawers, hooks and benches are also commonly found to help keep everyone’ outerwear and accessories tidy.

laundry-ironstone

If you do not want to commit to a half bath in this area of your home, you can always add a sink to a connected laundry area to clean up in after working outside.

To start planning your own RTM mudroom in your design, contact B&B Homes.

Features that Add Value to Your Home

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Your home is not just your personal sanctuary, it is also an investment! Whether you are planning your own custom home or preparing to sell your existing residence, there are some upgrades that will appreciate the price of your home when you are ready to sell. Below are a few ideas:

  • Upgrading flooring in bedrooms from carpet to laminate
  • Tile showers, as well as tile flooring in bathrooms
  • Upgrading your countertop from laminate to quartz or granite
  • Adding a fireplace (gas or wood burning)
  • Installing LED pot lights throughout the home
  • Using vinyl siding to fiber cement board siding and/or adding stone to your exterior
  • Upgrading from stipple ceiling to either painted or pine

Whether it is your forever home or you know you will sell down the road, it is important to consider how the home will maintain it’s value over the long run.

 

How to Utilize Professionals to Keep Your Project Within Budget.

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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.

RTM design budget

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.

Keep Cozy in the Winters: Explore these Popular RTM Fireplace Options

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There is no doubt about it that the prairies have some of the harshest winters out there. But there is a silver lining, and that is keeping cozy by the fire in the bitter cold months in the comfort of your own home.

There is no shortage of different options to customize a fireplace with lots of options available for aesthetic and function. Three popular options for B&B Homes clients are traditional wood burning, gas and electric fireplaces.

RTM fireplace

Wood burning fireplaces are a traditional option that have been heating homes naturally for decades. This tried and true style of fireplace requires a little more upkeep than more modern gas and electric options and is not as efficient at producing heat. But if the scent and ambiance of the burning logs is what you are after, the additional maintenance can be considered a labour of love when maintaining your wood supply and cleaning your chimney seasonally. Want to try something entirely different? Why not consider using Fireglass pebbles.

RTM gas fireplace

Gas fireplaces are a stylish, modern option that provide flexible heat and aesthetic options by efficiently burning natural gas or propane instead of wood. There are a number of options for gas logs that create the ambiance of your flame. Gas fireplaces are also enclosed, providing safety from embers without requiring any chimney maintenance. Gas fireplaces also provide an alternate heat source for the home. If you opt for ethanol, it is imperative that you take ethanol fireplace safety seriously. They are very safe when used correctly.

RTM electric fireplace

Electric fireplaces allow you to have the visual of a fire without having to produce any actual heat allowing for use all year round to create a relaxing ambiance at your leisure. You could even get a tv stand with electric fire place built into it. This gives an extra level of aesthetic appeal. Most electric models B&B sources do give you the option for both flame and heat or just the flame. An environmentally conscious option, electric fireplaces do not use any gas or produce any emissions.

Do you want to warm up by your own brand new fireplace next winter? Are you ready to start planning your own custom RTM dream home with B&B’s Dream It, Build It, Move It process? Contact Suzanne directly at suzanne@bbhomes.ca to get started.

What’s Trending at B&B Homes

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Here at B&B we have been seeing a big demand for cozy, rustic style homes.

The Redburn RTM

Warm brown tones, paired with distressed wood features and dark metal accents create this well sought after look.

The Redburn RTM

Adding in a stone clad fireplace and pine ceiling is another way to develop the rustic style.

Pine Ceiling

Features

And finally complete the look with the little details.

Ensuite features

Features

Features

Whatever your style may be, the B&B team has the knowledge and expertise to pull it off. Visit our Facebook page, Instagram, and website to see more inspiring pictures. Contact B&B Homes to get started on your own custom home build.