Notes from rural Ontario builds — what we learn from the township engineer, the trades, and the land. Written for owners who want to know what they're getting into.
The line items most owners don't know to ask about — septic engineering, hydro setbacks, three-phase service drops, frost depth, well capacity. Where the budget tends to grow and where it doesn't.
Why the working shop, the equipment storage, and the guest cottage almost always belong in their own buildings. What the principal residence loses when you try to combine them.
Cedar, charred shou-sugi-ban, and rough-sawn pine — what each looks like at year one, year five, and year fifteen. How to think about the build at the year-thirty mark.
What gets approved fast, what gets stuck, and what we've learned about three Ontario townships' particular preferences after thirty-three years of working in them.
Occasional. Long-form. Never frequent. Written by Caleb and Jordan.