Elevators have long been a sign of opulence rather than what they truly are… utility and practicality. 

When you’re building the custom home of your dreams you want to build for the long term, make it livable for you and your family into the future, an elevator can be a critical component for future proofing your investment.

Why would I put in an elevator?

Sometimes, a building lot constrains the option of putting all of the square footage on the main floor of a bungalow and you need to go up. Obviously, as we age, a bungalow with less stairs is the ideal, but if that’s not an option due to the constraints of your property, an elevator can be a great addition. The elevator will allow you to move yourself and “things” between floors easily, as if you didn’t have the stairset from the main to second floor allowing your home to be usable well into the future.

If you can build a bungalow but you still want to be able to use the basement regularly even if mobility becomes challenging, then an elevator is the way to go. It will allow you to easy access while maintaining a discreet profile and not having to rely on intrusive stair lifts or other options.

When should I put in an elevator?

The best answer is now, while you’re working through designing your new home, include it. Even if you don’t put it in today, having it planned as part of the building will allow you to more easily integrate it later on. If you choose to have an elevator be made part of your design but don’t want to install it, the hoist way can easily be made into a hallway closet on each floor until the time is right.

Of course, the sooner you put it in, the longer the cost is amortized over and the utility gained can be enjoyed over a greater period of time, they just make lugging stuff up and down so much easier. If you opt to put it in in the future, there will be a bit more work involved in deconstructing the closets in the hoistway and prepping everything for installation.

What does an elevator cost?

Honestly, they’re surprisingly affordable, a nice three stop (basement, main, second) elevator will run +- $ 30,000.00 installed and go up from there. When you consider potentially renting a stair lift in the future and not having the same utility then, or over time, it’s almost a no brainer when compared to the total cost of your new home.

Is an elevator right for my custom home?

Maybe… probably, you just need to weigh the pros and cons and at least consider it as an option. When you’re building your dream home you don’t want to leave any stones unturned, and this is one that can have big benefits for your lifestyle now, and tomorrow. 

The answer to this question is, as usual, “it depends”. What’s your style? What’s your budget? Do you want to maintain it?

Modern Style Siding

There are many options that fit into a modern aesthetic when it comes to siding for your new home or renovation project. Wood, steel, ACM, composite cement , composite plastic and stucco are all common options.

Wood

Wood is a great design choice for modern styled homes, it adds a softening affect that can make, what is sometimes a harsher style, more homey and comforting. The orientation of the siding vertically or horizontally can really impact the final look, even when using the same product in the same colour.

Standing Seam

Many people refer to standing seam as “metal siding”, it’s panels, usually 16”-22” wide with seams on either side that lock together. Standing seam can look very cool in a waterfall installation, where the roof panels cascade down and connect to the wall panels. Standing seam siding is a very intense and impactful look that can be used for the whole envelope or in specific areas.

ACM (Aluminum Composite Material)

ACM panels are really common in commercial and institutional applications, they’re very durable and don’t oil can like metal does. ACM panels are best utilized in areas where a flat surface that’s perfectly straight and smooth is the goal. It’s also a great product for large fascias and capping columns.

Composite Cement

Composite cement comes in many different profiles, the one most common for a modern look are panels that mount into a track system. It gives a similar appearance to ACM but at a lower price point.

Composite Plastic

These are products like NewTech, it’s a composite core with a plastic wrap on the outside. It’s great for achieving a “slat wall” look on the outside of a modern styled home and can add a hit of natural colour while still maintaining the design intent.

Stucco

Using stucco can also be a great choice for modern design. It can be installed with grooves to add some interest to the design. It also provides 2” of continuous foam insulation on the exterior of your home. This drastically improves the efficiency of your home vs. not having installed a continuous insulation.

What do the different siding options cost?

Again, that depends on the complexity and quantity, but we can give some direction on which is most and which is least expensive, below is a ranked list from least to most expensive for the different siding options for a modern style home.

1. Stucco
2. Composite cement
3. Wood
4. Standing seam
5. Composite plastic
6. ACM

What kind of maintenance should I expect with my siding?

Of all the options above, wood will be your most maintenance intensive option, and if you get a quality prefinished product, the maintenance is pretty minimal. Most wood siding finishes are going to be guaranteed for at least 12 years, after which time you may need to do some spot touch ups and eventually, if you want a new look, refinish the entire surface. The actual siding (not just the finish) will last at least 35 years with some lasting 50+ with proper attention. There’s lots of 100+ year old buildings out there with the original wood still on them!

Stucco will also need some maintenance at some point, the colour is painted on and inevitably over time it will tend to fade. Recolouring stucco is not intrusive, it’s just a matter of repainting it and you’re good to go!

The other options are zero maintenance, sure they will fade (slightly) over time, but that will be minimal, the only real maintenance is keeping it clean!