A Guide To Home Building In A Remote Location:
There are many things you consider when deciding to build your dream home, cottage, or auxiliary dwelling unit in a remote location. Building in a remote location can be more challenging than a traditional home build on a city lot with services already there. However, there is something to be said for someone who enjoys taking work away from the hustle and bustle of the city, or recently retired couples looking to enjoy the lush forests, beaches and privacy that come along with living in a remote location.
Pacific Homes and our team have been providing prefab building packages since 1980 and have dealt with the toughest remote building sites. The purpose of this article is to provide you with some insightful information on our experience with remote home builds. As you begin the research and planning process, we have outlined a few key factors to take into consideration.
-
Create a custom design that is unique to the property.
City bylaws can slow down the building process in the city. In some cities your neighbours can look at your plans and object to things about the house that you are proposing. In addition, many cities lots may have a certain design restriction. Remote building lots offer you the flexibility to create a custom plan that suits your property and gives you that creative freedom.
-
Benefits of using a prefab package for building in a remote location.
Getting to and from the property in a remote area can be a challenge. Especially if your land is located on British Columbia’s coast. A Prefab building package loaded with all your building supplies and prefabricated components offer many advantages which can help lower your build costs. The material for your build will be onsite and you won’t need numerous trips to the local hardware store. All the necessary supplies for your build are secured in a job box crate. This means your contractor has all the access to the supplies to erect your build.
-
Work with your resources on the property.
If you need to clear land for your foundation or possibly for an access road, consider getting a portable sawmill to mill some timber accents for your new home. If you plan to have an off-grid home, it is important to understand and evaluate your property to ensure how you plan to use natural resources. Take the time to understand the overall energy requirement of what you think will be needed to be self-sufficient. Learn more about an off-grid build from our build specialist Paul Latter here.
-
Protect Your Home from the Natural Elements.
This can be done in many ways, from the position in which you place your home on the land to the products you choose on the exterior of the home. Nature can aggressively work against you and what you build. It is important to take preventative measures to ensure your home will be protected. Working with a Pacific Homes build specialist will help you in this process. When working through product specifications our build specialists work with you to ensure the building materials you choose to hold up to your build site’s natural environment.
-
Go Green
Sustainability is an important factor in a remote build. A prefabricated building package reduces site waste which can be a real advantage in a remote location. There is no doubt an initial investment of going off-grid, but sometimes in some situations, it may cost the same to bring the electricity to the lot. There are various projects we have been a part of on the British Columbia coast that are off the grid. It is important to understand and adapt to the energy-efficient lifestyle so make sure to do your research. Our Pacific SmartWall® Technology can be used in a remote build which provides an energy-efficient wall system that will improve the exterior wall thermal envelope performance. Utilizing a higher performance window & door package helps ensure an energy-efficient building envelope.
-
Access to Trades
One of the major issues with remote builds is finding qualified and experienced tradespeople. For this reason, there are many of our customers that are owner builders. Not only carpenters, but plumbers, electricians, heating contractors, tile setters, and cabinet makers, might be in short supply, at a premium rate due to travel times or all be the same person. Jack of all trades, master of none! Get a leg up by determining who these people will be early on in the process. Your Pacific Homes Build Specialist can help guide you to ensure that the systems, finishes, and materials selected in design and specification process can be properly installed and finished within the expertise of whom you have available. We also have an expansive contractor network of qualified tradespeople that we can recommend.
The dream of building a home in a remote location can be irresistible for clients who wish for privacy and quiet. It can offer more room for gardens, landscaping, outdoor living areas, and possible accessory buildings to create spaces for your personal interests. It can be a challenge for builders as it comes with a laundry list of questions regarding building materials, site access, and scheduling trades. Pacific Homes and our dedicated team have 40 years of experience designing and supplying prefab building packages to remote sites. Our build specialists work with you through the planning stage and help identify issues that may need to be addressed in a remote build.