FAQ.

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Custom Home Builder & Home Remodel Construction questions

There are common questions that typically arise from people looking into a new home build or some form of custom construction project. Such questions as our unique advantage using insulated concrete forms to our custom home building process, we answer your questions here.  


Please contact us with any additional questions you may have about our custom home and remodel and renovation services in the Niagara Region.

Common Questions

what's the difference between a custom home and a standard track home?

Durability, quality and flexibility of design.  In other words, your home will last longer, feel more comfortable and will be built with higher quality materials.  Most standard homes meet the minimum municipal code requirements as a baseline.  This is why many people have to do renovations to an existing regular standard home.  You will have more options for your materials and design such as architecture, stucco, siding, brick and flooring types

why is insulated concrete forms (icf) a better building material for custom home construction?

We do still use traditional stick frames for building some of our clients homes. 
Insulated concrete forms
(ICFs) are cast-in-place concrete walls that are sandwiched between two layers of insulation material, usually expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam insulation forms. The foam blocks are stacked as interlocking blocks, connected with steel reinforcing rods. They offer well-insulated, airtight, energy-efficient building enclosures. Also, ICFs are a great fit for regions prone to severe weather because of their system strength.  See image below:

Fire Protection ICF

what are some key differences between wood frames and icf frames?

The building perimeter walls made from ICF are not framed, therefore overall framing costs are reduced. Total home energy consumption is reduced, thereby not only reducing your energy bills, 60-70 percent, but also reducing the negative impact on the environment. One of the biggest benefits of using ICF is the continuous insulation on both sides of the wall that virtually eliminates thermal bridging and energy loss.

ICF building technology offers resilient buildings that withstand severe weather events like hurricanes, tornados and floods better than stick-built construction. Many new ICF homes include a safe room designed for emergency situations.

do insulated concrete forms cost more than standard materials?

It depends on the local market in terms of costs of material and labor, and experience of the contractors involved.  But that’s also the case with a wood-framed custom home as well.

Using ICF wall construction generally adds about 2% to 4% of the house construction cost. This is a rule of thumb only, actual prices are influenced by many factors, such as particular architectural features, site issues and are subject to local market demands as well. 

do you offer end-to-end project management?

Yes.  We believe this to be very important because we do not believe you can build a custom home in a vacuum.  We handle all aspects on your behalf as well as working together with your other professionals like architects and designers.  Anyone working on your project as a sub-contractor is pre-vetted by us and has worked with us over several years.  Here are some of the areas we manage the process for you:

  • Design
  • Permit application process
  • Financing
  • Construction and Post-Construction

is it better to buy on a new lot or build on an existing lot?

Simply put, it depends on your goals and budget.  In terms of cost, most people don't think about all the other soft costs like development cost, having to setup a new water and electrical source if none is available.  The benefit of building on an existing lot include having an existing sewer and water system, familiarity with the area and amenities and less soft costs. Regardless, your dream home should be in the location you choose and we can help you figure what's best.

how large of a home can i build on my proposed lot?

In general, local by-laws determine the dimensions of your home and can vary from municipality to municipality.  This information can usually be found by contacting the local urban planning and building department in that locale which is something we would do on your behalf.  In terms of rough numbers, bylaws in general suggest or require that the maximum square footage of property that your new build can occupy is on average 31% of your total property area.  

Let's assume your lot is 250 feet deep and 75 feet wide.  This means the total property area is 18,750 square feet.  Using our 31% suggested average, you are allowed to build a home that is 5,812 square feet (double that if you have a second storey), not including the lower level basement.  Are you curious if we are the best choice custom builder for your Niagara Region home?  Interested in knowing what size bedrooms, garages, home office you can build? Consult with us today:

how long does it typically take to build my custom home?

On average you can expect the whole process to last 12-18 months.  By process we mean permits, designs and adjustments and the execution of construction and building.  The planning phase (2 months) usually dictates the construction and building phase (8-12 months).  We generally don't think of the time to build in terms of size of the house because there are other factors that go into completing the home such as mechanical systems and time intensive finishes to kitchens or bathrooms.

Time may also be increased due to other extenuating circumstances or preferences such as building near a conservation area or height restrictions that you may be seeking exemptions for . Our advantage is that we use insulated concrete forms to build your custom home which allows us to build better and with less intermediate steps even during typical "slow winter months".

why build an icf concrete swimming pool (hot tubs, jacuzzi)

Pool walls built of Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) have better insulation on the interior and exterior sides of the formed shell. This dramatically reduces heat loss/transfer, gives you more flexibility in design and construction and most importantly,  savings on long-term operating costs.  An ICF concrete pool is essentially "forever" because of it's lifespan.

what is hardscaping?

Essentially the solid and 'hard' materials that make up your yard such as stone and interlocking.  We customize the hard landscape materials in the built environment structures that are incorporated into your property.  This includes features such as paved roads, walkways, retaining walls and water features.  This complements the exterior of your custom home adding to the long term value.

Outdoor jacuzzi

what sets authentic homes apart from other niagara custom home builders?

Our teams vision and passion for quality to deliver dreams. Beyond that, the most important thing to you is our experience, the quality of your build and consistency of your finished product as we use an in-house team for all projects.

what are typical projects you specialize in?

We specialize in new home build custom home, custom home renovations in part or as a whole, and home additions. We offer full design and end-to-end aspects of your custom home building projects having the manpower and expertise to bring your dream vision to life.

  • Custom Home Builder
  • Home Remodel & Renovation
  • Home Addition & Extension
  • Project Management
  • Custom Landscaping
  • Swimming Pool Construction

Why Homeowners in Niagara Region choose Authentic Homes Inc. 

We build all year round. Today’s construction technologies, such as the use of insulated concrete forms allows an uncompromised home building process which is mostly unaffected with our winter climate.

Faster Construction Times

Authentic Homes Inc. specializes in the use of insulated concrete forms (ICF) vs. the typical home which use wood-frame.  ICF is fire resistant and extreme weather optimized.  More importantly, you save 50-60% of your annual energy bills

Experience & Reputation

Building a custom home requires that your builder have a construction philosophy and convince you the consumer that it aligns with your goals.  Our experience has allowed us to see various types of projects and remodeling situations that require creativity as well as certainty.  Our 30 years of experience gives you certainty

Full End-to-End Project Management

Our experience has given us unique advantage in understanding and applying full service management of your new build.  This includes planning, design and working with other professionals like architects, demolition and custom landscaping.  This centralized way of working ensures that there are no delays or hiccups due to a drop in communication or flow of information