Newsletter Jan-Mar 2008

Tucked in among the trees by the Wilson Falls nature trail, and looking down through the trees to the Muskoka River, it’s hard to believe that this 1,455 sq.ft 2 storey home is really

right IN town!

The walkout basement backs onto the ravine portion of the 1 acre lot. The exterior has been selected from the green shades of nature.

Inside you will find all the details of a comfortable life - big window views in the cathedral ceilinged living room, a loft with full bathroom, a gas fireplace for winter evenings, the deck for summer days, and a richly stained alder kitchen that invites your guests or family to join in while sitting at the breakfast bar.

If real beauty is from within, then this house is truly gorgeous. It is ENERGY STAR certified. The windows are Low-E, argon filled glass with warm edge spacers. The double core Heat Recovery Ventilator, high efficiency gas furnace, and the on-demand gas hot water heater combine with our careful attention to air barrier and insulation will provide an energy efficient home that will save your energy dollars for many years.

Sander Drive is a cul de sac just off of Pine Street in Bracebridge in a low traffic residential area. It is conveniently located near shopping, schools, and recreation and entertainment facilities, plus - it has easy access to Hwy #11.

CUSTOMER COMMENTS

This is an excerpt from a letter we received January 28, 2008from the Spiller’s.

“Thank you again for the great job you did in building a beautiful home for me and my family. I was worried that we would not be able to move in on time since there was only 3 months allowed to build the house, due to my time table, but it all worked out.

Your follow up program for finishing touch ups is great and a very realistic approach to building a new home. When my wife and I saw manufacturing defects in some of our windows you replaced the windows without any hesitation. One of the benefits that your customers get is, because you have been around long enough and are large enough you have “pull” with your suppliers.

Respectfully

Doug Spiller

THE STONEBROOK

9 STONEHENGE COURT, BRACEBRIDGE

R-2000 Built & Certified

1188 sq ft bungalow plus double car garage

Welcoming covered porch at front entry

Maintenance-free “Cedar Blend” premium vinyl siding, complemented by ”Century Tumbled” stone

Cedar gable bracket accents

Family access from garage to the house

Garage ceiling has R20 insulation & drywall

Open concept living

Spacious custom kitchen includes island with seating

Convenient main floor laundry

Ceramic tile flooring in foyer & kitchen

Gas fireplace complete with electronic ignition,

custom facade and mantle

2½” diameter deciduous tree in front yard

Granite boulder accent in front yard

Paved asphalt driveway

Still time to personalize this new

home - select your cabinets, paint

and flooring - and still move in

by May 31st, 2008.

W e can all do our part to participate in the One-Ton Challenge. Here are some

things we can do around our homes to “go green” for the environment - and for

our wallets!

Light Years Ahead

Compact fluorescent lights (CFL’s) have come a long, long way in ten years. The screw in CFL is now available at reasonable prices in all of the major retailers in Muskoka. Now you can even replace your chandelier bulbs, pot-lite floods, and vanity lamps. They will use about 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs. Each CFL bulbs that you put in will save you an average of $60.00 in its lifetime.

Here Comes The Sun

During cooler months, keep your blinds or drapes open throughout the day to let in natural solar heat. This simple trick can reduce your heating bills by 10 percent. Blocking out sunlight with exterior blinds or shutters during the summer can also cut your utilities by up to 33 percent.

Feel the Heat

Keep your furnace and HRV filters clean - they run more efficiently. Have your furnace checked yearly to make sure it’s running properly and efficiently; and tuned every two years. Not only will you save 10 percent on your heating bills, but you’ll also save approximately 2,500 pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.

Take It Down a Degree. According to the Alliance to Save Energy, you can subtract 5 percent from your utility bill for every degree you lower your home’s temperature. Be sure to add layers of clothing or put on a sweater during the cooler months! If you have a two-stage furnace, or a variable speed motor on your furnace, you can maintain an even temperature through your house, and cycle your furnace motor on and off less often by leaving your fan running on low speed. As an added bonus, that increases the benefits of your HRV, helping you to an even more healthy and energy efficient home.

Control The Flow

Consider a water saving shower head. The aeration makes less water feel like a full 2.5 gallon per minute. It’s also nice that most of them feature a variety of massage, pulse, regular, and soft spray options.

By switching from a bath to a shower, you not only save time, but also money. A typical ten minute bath requires 30 - 70 gallons of water versus 25 gallons under a 2.5 gpm showerhead.

Turn the tap OFF when you are not using the water while shaving or brushing your teeth.

Keep a jug of drinking water in the fridge rather than run the tap for cold water.

Although it doesn’t put green in your pocket, you can contribute to the green outdoors by doing your part to

-recycle as much as you possibly can

-buy a “green bin” and start composting. You can make your own nutrient rich soil for your flower beds.

-take your re-useable shopping bags back out to your car right away, so you’ll have them for even quickie stops

-consider the packaging before you buy

-use re-useable containers

-walk, bicycle, skateboard, in-line skate, pogo stick (ok, maybe that’s a stretch!!) -leave the car parked as often as possible. You’ll put money in your pocket, and be healthier as well.

Follow these tips and you’ll be on the right track for a “green” New Year!

In the last week of January the Town of Huntsville issued Bert French & Son Limited a building permit for this 4-unit townhouse project at 1 Sabrina Park Drive.

Each unit will be 1,120 sq.ft. on two finished floors, plus a full unfinished basement.

Open concept living room, dining room, kitchen and breakfast nook on the main floor creates a spacious feeling. A powder room adds convenience. The family entrance from the attached garage opens beside the kitchen.

Upstairs there are three bedrooms with a full bath, and the master bedroom has a walk-in closet. The plan can easily be adapted for two larger bedrooms.

Once again, we are able to offer affordable housing for Muskoka without sacrificing any of our energy efficiency focus. These ENERGY STAR homes have high efficiency gas furnaces, HRVs, ENERGY STAR labelled windows, full height basement insulation and - as always - superior attention to thermal and moisture barriers. All town services are supplied to this attractively styled group of townhouses.

From the corner of Shay Road and Sabrina Park Drive, it’s an easy walk to downtown Huntsville for shopping and recreation. Book now to select your own colours and cabinets because we’re very excited to announce that these homes will be ready for the end of June - in lots of time to plant your flower beds.

Jeff Foxworthy's take on Muskoka, Here is what Jeff Foxworthy has to say about Muskoka...... If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September through May, you live in Muskoka If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you live in Muskoka If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you live in Muskoka. If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you live in Muskoka. If 'Vacation' means going anywhere south of Barrie for the weekend, you live in Muskoka. If you measure distance in hours, you live in Muskoka. If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you live in Muskoka. If you have switched from 'heat' to 'A/C' in the same day and back again, you live in Muskoka. If you can drive 110 kph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you live in Muskoka. If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you live in Muskoka. If you carry jumpers in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you live in Muskoka. If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you live in Muskoka. If the speed limit on the highway is 90 km and you're going 110 and everybody is passing you, you live in Muskoka. If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you live in Muskoka. If you know the 4 seasons as “almost winter”, “winter”, “mud” and “road construction” season, you live in Muskoka. If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you live in Muskoka. If you find -10 degrees 'a little chilly', you live in Muskoka. If you actually understand these jokes, and forward them to all your Muskoka friends & others, you live in Muskoka..

A MECHANICAL GENIUS

Our very own DAVE RODWELL

Don’t you think that having 6 trades licences, and a pilots licence puts you pretty well up there in the mechanical genius category? Well, Dave has all that, so we’re proud to be working with him.

Dave started cottaging in Muskoka back in 1973. He must have liked it because he moved to Bracebridge from Toronto in 1981. He has been in the business for the past 20 years. When he started out he kept himself busy working in Bracebridge only. One Christmas (1999) he noticed French’s were doing a new home on Killdeer Crescent in Bracebridge. So “cold turkey” he sent Larry a quote to do the HVAC system and over the holidays followed up with a call. Larry accepted his quote and the rest is history. One of his next jobs was on Stephenson Road 1East. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to travel that far - it seemed like the ends of the earth!!. His work for Bert French & Son takes him from Emsdale to Rama, and from Dorset to Parry Sound. Now he knows where the ends of the earth really are!! Dave is certainly qualified for the job. He is a gas fitter, electrician, millwright, refrigeration guy, stationary engineer and sheet metal worker.

Dave has some cool interests that keep him living life to the fullest. Riding his motorbike in the summer and flying his float plane are two of his favorite summer pastimes. Then in the winter he holidays on St. Maarten in the Carribean. He would love to buy some retirement property in Florida within 10 years.

Nineteen years ago, in the hot tub at Muskoka Sands Resort (Taboo), Dave met Heidi Robertson. They have 4 children: Sheila, Caroline, Jana and Brent. Caroline had a baby girl - Aleeya - on April 14, 2007 making them happy grandparents. Heidi owns a very successful store in Gravenhurst - Robertson’s Apparel (believe me, it’s worth checking out!!)

Not only does Dave work for French’s, but French’s has worked for Dave a number of times. We built their house, did some apartment renovations, a gazebo and a facade on Heidi’s store. He and Larry are conjuring up some more plans as well. Very tall, very quiet, soft spoken - oh, maybe that’s because this one-man team is so busy traveling to the ends of the earth he

has no time for talking! We’re very happy to have Dave on our team.