News Archive

Lower-level living:
Opt for a finished basement to save time, money and stress

Most people love the idea of living in a home with a finished basement, but renovating the lower level can be a source of a lot of stress and expense. We've all heard horror stories of basement projects turning into sloppily done nightmares that end up costing far more than the estimate. One way to avoid this is to buy a new home that comes complete with a finished basement or purchase the ... [read more]

MIKEYS OFFER A SECOND CHANCE WHEN SCA STRIKES IN OSHAWA

OSHAWA - Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) can strike anyone, anywhere, at any age, and the use of a defibrillator is the only definitive treatment that can offer victims a second chance at life – particularly during the first few minutes after the heart stops. ... [read more]

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK PARTNERS WITH THE MIKEY NETWORK TO SAVE LIVES

Two Men and a Truck® Canada has partnered with The Mikey Network to place public-access defibrillators called MIKEYs in high-risk locations. The international moving company pledged to donate a percentage of each of its Canadian moves annually, and recently presented a cheque representing the past year to help in the Network’s goal of saving lives. The shock from a MIKEY can increase a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) ... [read more]

TWO MEN AND A TRUCK DONATES A MIKEY TO THE OSHAWA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT

“Two Men and A Truck” recently donated a MIKEY public-access defibrillator to the Oshawa Municipal Airport through The Mikey Network. The Oshawa franchisee Steve deBoer and Canadian Vice President ... [read more]

Small town, big lifestyle

Just as the characters in Aesop’s fable “The City Mouse and the Country Mouse” discovered, when it comes to choosing a place to live, people look for different things. Toronto is one of the greatest cities in the world and offers an exciting, convenient urban lifestyle. As the city has grown and land for residential development has become scarce, however, new-home builders have spread out to the suburbs and small towns to find locations for our communities. This is a winwin situation, because although urban living is popular, many people see moving to a small town as ... [read more]

DRHBA DONATES MIKEYS
TO OSHAWA SENIOR CITIZENS CENTRES

The Oshawa Senior Citizens Centre has received a special gift in celebration of its 40th Anniversary. Through The Mikey Network, the Durham Region Home Builders’ Association (DRHBA) recently donated a public-access defibrillator called a MIKEY, to the Centre to be used in its Mobile Transportation program. DRHBA President Scott Jeffery and Past President Kathy Chateauvert met with Gloria Goard, Director of the Oshawa Senior Citizens Centres, at the John Street Branch as Hugh Heron, President of Heathwood Homes and Chairman/Co-founder of The Mikey Network made the presentation... [read more]

Better built:
New homes change with the times, tastes of buyers

Some clichés just never go away. “They don't build ’em like they used to” is an example. Every time I hear that phrase, I think: We sure don’t – and isn’t it great?

I’m talking about new homes, of course, and I remind people often that materials and construction techniques improve ... [read more]

ESTABLISHING MODEL TRADITIONS IN MILTON

Four model homes showcase the opportunity to come Home At Last to Traditions in Milton. Here, exteriors pay tribute to Milton’s old Ontario feeling, and open-concept interior spaces surround owners with luxurious features and finishes. Plus, every home is ENERGY STAR® qualified. Housing choices include townhomes, semi-detached and singles, and Heathwood enlisted renowned designer Bryon Patton of Bryon Patton and Associates to appoint the models. “We created environments that reflect the mosaic ... [read more]

The countdown to closing is on

Things are really hopping at the job site now, as the trades essentially finish the home. There are many tradespeople going in and out, some working simultaneously, and scheduling is critical. Certainly, it benefits everyone involved to multi-task – but there’s an order that has to be followed. The kitchen, for example, needs cabinetry installed before the counter can go in and before the sinks can be set. Much of this work creates dust, so we can’t have the painter working in the kitchen while cabinet ... [read more]

Precision work required

As great as the new home looks at this point, what comes next takes the house a giant step from the “construction” to the “finished” stage. I’m always amazed at how much of a difference the following procedures make in the overall appearance and performance of a home.

At the end of the last column, the garage door was installed. To finish off this area, we drywall the inside ... [read more]

The walls go up

The house looks beautiful on the outside. Now it’s time to step inside again to begin the insulation and drywall processes. Things are really taking shape now, and excitement is building as construction progresses. Insulation involves two types – foam in the garage, and Fiberglas inside. Once these materials are installed, the vapour barrier is added. This clear plastic sheet nailed to the studs surrounding the insulation is a critical component of ... [read more]

Building walls as in ancient times

As I mentioned in last week’s column, it’s necessary to work on the exterior skin of the home before putting up the drywall on the inside. Laying brick and/or stone and installing siding requires a lot of pounding that can cause nail pops in drywall if this step is done first. Of course, the materials for the exterior of a home can vary greatly; for this column, we’ll ... [read more]

‘Chasing down’ pipes, wires, ducts

Once a new home under construction is totally closed in, the rooms framed and the interior partitions up, the heating and plumbing contractors can come in and do their work. For the plumbers, this includes roughins for bathtubs and other fixtures, as well as installing piping. For the heating contractors, this means installing the ductwork. These tradespeople start from the top of the house, cut the appropriate holes in the flooring and work ... [read more]

A home takes shape

Even after more than 40 years in this industry I still find home building fascinating, particularly the large-scale teamwork that happens on job sites every day. Each trade has to work efficiently to make sure a job is completed so the next trade can begin work. And the next stage in the home we're looking at involves rough carpentry. This is always an exciting time ... [read more]

Making the foundations

Once the building permit is obtained for a home, things really start to advance with the actual construction. I always find it interesting that, as many new tools and technological advancements as we have in the industry, building the actual home is still the fairly low-tech yet high-skilled work of craftsmen and ... [read more]

Homes from the ground up

When new-home buyers sign an Agreement of Purchase and Sale, it's the beginning of an exciting time in their lives. For the builder, it's a step in an ongoing journey that started years before.

A developer begins the entire new-home-community process by purchasing parcels of land that are ... [read more]

Brand Spanking New

How do you benefit from buying a new home?  Let me count the ways.  And believe me, there are plenty.  The amount of choice across the Greater Toronto area is amazing, and there is a new home, townhome or condominium suite out there to satisfy every taste and pocketbook.
When you buy new, you start fresh in a home that’s completely clean.  Its like buying a new car and slipping into a cocoon that is blemish free, immaculate and gleaming.  ... [read more]

Heathwood Offers Three Opportunities to Come Home at Last ^® in the West GTA Home!

You can always count on Heathwood Homes for a fabulous selection of beautifully designed homes in desirable communities. If your new home destination is the western part of the GTA, take a look at three very special Heathwood collections that epitomize the company’s penchant for accommodating a variety of purchaser needs and tastes. Come “Home at Last”, and do it in style! ... [read more]

Unique Lots and a One-Of-A-Kind Setting Come Home At Last ^® to a beautiful Heathwood home at Country Lane in Uxbridge

Now under construction in the historic Town of Uxbridge, Country Lane offers detached homes close to the picturesque Uxbridge Countryside Preserve and a wealth of amenities.  Heathwood Homes’ exclusive community of just 59 homes embodies the perfect blend of small town charm and big city amenities.  Choose from a fabulous selection of heritage-inspired homes on unique pool-size lots that are a minimum of 50 feet wide and vary up to 300 feet in depth.  These pie-shaped, walkout and treed lots defy the concept of cookie-cutter.  Each home here is ENERGY STAR® qualified, making your Country Lane home not only beautiful, but energy efficient as well. ... [read more]

Location draws buyers

Terracotta Village is Heathwood Homes’ new community of condominium townhomes at Mavis Road and Highway 407-a convenient GTA locale.  The community has already had an overwhelming response for that reason and the fact that these townhomes come completely finished.  With prices starting at only $298,900, this community offers
attractive value ... [read more]

Tour some of the GTA’s hottest models

The expansive 2,782-square-foot four-bedroom Buckingham at Heathwood’s Country Lane community in Uxbridge combines the beauty of the area’s countryside with an eclectic blend of traditional and contemporary décor treatments. ... [read more]

Home Builder Focus: Holiday visits sparkled at Traditions

In December, visitors to Heathwood Homes’ fabulous master-planned community at the west end of Old Main Street in Milton celebrated “Traditions” in more ways than one.
... [read more]

Registrants Win Big at Terracotta Village

For Justyna Boba and Caezar Hojilla, registering to preview Terracotta Village was a win-win decision on their part. In addition to being among the first to explore all that Heathwood Homes’ new community at Mavis Road and Hwy. 407 has to offer, their names were entered in a draw for a $2,500 gift certificate redeemable at The Brick
– And they won! ... [read more]