Last Monday, I posted this messsage on my personal blog from one of our many satisfied customers )

Good Afternoon,

We recently purchased one of your designs and are currently in the process of having these plans approved by our local building inspector.  We thought we would share some comments he had about your design. 

We are going to be doing our own construction and we were very impressed by the detail provided in your plans.  Our building inspector indicated that he has never seen such complete and detailed plans and that it was a pleasure to review.  Your plans will not only be a hugh benefit to us as we begin to build but it obviously has facilitated the approval process.

Thank-you

Linda Lindsay, Flinton, ON

(original content posted on www.yvescarignan.com)

Considering the fact that the Ontario Building code is very strict, including the BCIN, we are very pleased with that kind of comments from our customers.  So, Ontario customers, get the peace of mind with Drummond’s plans !

Read the rest of this entry (No Comments »)

A Definition

The bi-generation house is the type of construction sometimes considered to facilitate access to property for young adults ready to assume responsibility, or oftentimes by parents or grand-parents who are in need of assistance (loss of autonomy or other reasons). Whatever the situation, this type of construction allows each to preserve their way of living and conserve a certain intimacy, all the while enjoying the advantages of co-ownership and the close proximity of family members.

The particularity of bi-generation homes is the combination of the practical aspect of two homes to appear as one single-family or conventional home.  This permits integration of this type of construction in sectors where conventional multi-family units are not permitted.

The main challenge in this type of design is to bring together two independent interior layouts to look like one single conventional home where both layouts need to be private and functional, while respecting the needs of all the occupants.  As we will see later, municipal regulations are also an important element with which people must deal, but the first thing to do is determine the needs which brought us to consider this type of construction.

Style and Design

The design of a single family home is a procedure which requires a lot of attention and comprehension on the part of the home owners as well as the designer who will accompany them in their project.  This step is even more important and the challenge greater when combining the needs of two families, including one or more family members with restrained mobility or loss of autonomy.

When considering such a construction, it is of prime importance to take the time to evaluate your requirements and to consider these from the family viewpoint as well as those of parents or grand-parents.  We must also take into account the years to come and possible future needs.  Aging home owners or those in need of assistance should evaluate what their situation may be in years to come and foresee now what type of layout will best suit their lifestyle for both today and future.  It is at this step that we must consider all the elements which will make this home a comfortable, peaceful and pleasing haven for its occupants.

The choice of a trusted professional is also a key element to success in this type of design.  You should ensure that all the needs of the future occupants are taken into consideration and that satisfactory solutions are put forth for each.  A good designer must equally be able to offer judicious advice to a future home owner while remaining within a pre-established budget.

Another of the many advantages is that even though it is a bi-generation home with the look of a conventional single-family home, it can be harmonized with a sought-after style.  Amateurs of Victorian-, manor- or contemporary-style homes, it is certainly possible to adapt this type of home to one’s preferences, to get away from the multi-family unit options which the future home owners may possibly have already considered.

Pooling together both families’ resources greatly facilitates the purchases and maintenance of such a home and the bi-generation home offers without a doubt tranquil proximity, security and well being, including the joys of family life.
 

Read the rest of this entry (7 Comments »)