Sylvan Lake Home Builders

Material Choices

Using the right materials

will make a big difference in getting a successful outcome in construction. There are many different materials available with varying performance and appearance characteristics. It is important to be able to make the right choices when selecting building components, as this will affect the overall quality and look of the finished home. The objective is to make sure your home is built structurally right and the finished result gives you the best possible value.

Building a custom home means that a variety of components will have to be ordered well in advance of construction. Deposits will be required on items that are not in stock or need to be specially ordered. Quality levels of materials can vary significantly, so it is important to choose carefully.

When selecting materials for your project you should consider:

• Appearance and Function
• Performance and Quality
• Building Material Choices
• Efficient Delivery Methods
• Best Price and Value
• Meaningful Warranty

Sylvan Lake Home Builders works with building material suppliers who offer national brand names. These suppliers give us extended price protection on a wide range of structural components.

Appearance and Function

Your choice of material and components will play a major role in how the home will look both inside and outside. Building a custom home gives you the opportunity to create a unique living space and incorporate the features that give you the look and feel you want.

There are a number of different ways to achieve the right result. For example, you may want vaulted ceilings with exposed timbers, windows that provide an abundance of natural light and the ambiance of natural wood inside and out. Others may value a more traditional look and choose different building materials to get the appearance and function they want.

The choice of windows, doors and wood components used in the structure of the home will greatly influence the look of the finished home. There are many different alternatives for the shape and size of windows and how they open and close. Similarly, there are many options for doors. Timbers can be sourced in different species with variable structural load characteristics and offer a variety of finishing options.

For this reason, many of the items you may want are not usually in the inventory of local suppliers. We can help you select and source the right kinds of materials that give you the appearance and function you want for your project.

Performance and Quality

The performance and quality levels of materials used in custom home building vary significantly. The choices made not only affect appearance but also structural integrity, installation costs and ongoing maintenance. We recommend the use of premium products for a variety of different reasons.

We can help you strike the right balance between performance, quality and price. For example, the use of straight dry framing lumber may have a slightly higher up-front cost but it makes building faster, saves on finishing costs and reduces waste. Higher quality windows and doors will save on energy costs, operate more smoothly, provide better protection against water infiltration and require less maintenance. Exposed structural beams need to have the capability to carry the right loads and should also resist warping and checking. Natural siding needs to offer the best protection against weather and remain stable over time while providing a pleasing appearance.

Sylvan Lake Home Builders can advise you in selecting the kinds of material that will perform well over time. The use of higher quality material generally gives you a better finished result and often saves money in the building process.

Building Material Choices

Sylvan Lake Home Builders helps you make informed decisions on the many building material components and options available. We can supply you with a full range of the structural materials you need to get your project to the lock-up stage where the home is secure and weatherproof.

• Framing lumber
• Sheathing
• Floor system
• Roof system
• Windows and doors
• Siding and roofing materials

Other options include laminated or solid timber structural beams and posts. We also offer solid logs in a number of different species, each having their unique characteristics. Log accents are also available. They can be used in conjunction with standard framing materials.

In addition to a solid wood joist system, we also offer a silent floor system using engineered wood joists which are designed to stay strong, stable and quiet for the life of your home. Decking material is available in a variety of options. Tight knot dried cedar is the best natural alternative for handrails and decking. We can provide you with cedar and spruce-pine interior paneling and roof boards. Typically cedar provides a richer look while pine gives a lighter appearance when stained. These products are often used in vaulted areas where there is an abundance of natural light.

There are lots of product choices to be made when it comes to finishing the inside of your home. Some homeowners want to play a major role in finishing work while others like to use the services of an interior designer. Whatever option you may choose, we are pleased to work with you to get your home completed.

Efficient Delivery Methods

The most efficient way of getting building materials delivered to your building site is to consolidate them and then ship them in fully loaded trucks. Having materials shipped on an as-needed basis is not a cost-effective way to get them to the site. Suppliers will charge each time a delivery is made and these costs can add up very quickly.

For more complex homes, it is not always easy to estimate the quantity of materials needed to complete the home. Some components may need to be specially ordered and take longer to be manufactured. Sylvan Lake Home Builders works with suppliers who can accurately calculate the amount of material required and then consolidate and deliver them to your building site in fully loaded trucks or containers.

This type of efficient shipping can significantly reduce your delivery costs. It also has the advantage of ensuring that materials are available on site when needed.

The Best Price and Value

Sylvan Lake Home Builders can give you the best price on the major components required to construct your home. Best price refers to the price paid for equal quality material. Lower quality materials may be available at a lower price; however, this will be reflected in the overall result. Sylvan Lake Home Builders can help you select the right materials to get the best possible value for your money.

The cost of design and lock-up materials represent about one third of the total construction cost of a typical custom home. If desired, Sylvan Lake Home Builders can offer you extended price protection on these materials through its suppliers.

The length of the price protection is based on the individual project and building timeframe. This gives you the ability to fix a significant portion of your construction budget. This type of price protection is not available from traditional lumberyards or is only good for a very limited period of time.

Meaningful Warranty

Product warranties must be meaningful in order to protect the investment in your home. Generally, the marketplace warranties are only as good as the strength of the companies who supply them. Some suppliers only offer limited warranties, which do not cover many of the most common problem areas. This especially important for:

• Windows
• Exterior doors
• Roofing installation

Sylvan Lake Home Builders only works with suppliers who offer comprehensive warranties and have the ability to service their products in the field.