New way to build a home
August 2015, Niagara Falls Review
It’s the first home of this kind to be built in the Niagara Region and it’s being constructed on waterfront property in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
It is using Bone Structure technology, something that was inspired from a combination of LEGO and Meccano, where pieces are simply snapped together.
Instead of a traditional wood frame, it makes use of a lightweight, recycled steel frame. That allows a homeowner to take advantage of having more open space without intermediate beams or load-bearing walls.
“From a builder’s point of view, there are a lot of advantages doing it this way,” said Shawn Ryan, the owner of Konsept, who designs and builds custom homes, and is located at 131 Dieppe Rd., in St. Catharines.
“This is the way to go. If I don’t have to build another house out of wood, I’m good with that, this is a fantastic way to go,” said Ryan.
The cost of the home, and the identity of the owner, are being kept confidential.
The new home is under construction at 127 Front St, next to the Niagara-on-the-Lake Golf Club. They are holding an open house from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Aug.6-9. Registration is required. To register for the open house visit: www.BONEstructure.ca/en/events
“There are also many advantages for the homeowner. This is a super insulated home so it’s fantastic all year round,” said Ryan.
While the steel that is used costs more than than wood, this type of a home is quicker to build so there is a saving on labour costs and there is relatively no waste of material.
Ryan said the cost is roughly in the $250-sq. foot mark, but a great deal depends on what ends up going into the house. For example, the outside can have stone, wood, or siding which all have different costs.
The two-storey home that is going up in Niagara-on-the-Lake will have an elevator and the bedrooms are on the first floor. The living room and dining room and a fireplace are all on the second floor because it offers the better view of Lake Ontario. There is also an external balcony.
“We basically flipped the floor plans upside down. You can sit in your dining room, enjoy a cup of coffee, and what a wonderful place to do it with such a beautiful view.”
Ryan said the design for this home was almost complete when he read an article about this new Bone Structure technology. The owner of the property read the same article so they decided to find out more about the process. They were both sold on the new idea so they adjusted their plans.
“It’s very efficient. Everything is sealed,” said Ryan. “Everything is clipped in which makes it easy if it needs to be taken apart. We are also able to get some nice height with our ceiling. To do this the conventional way would be nearly impossible.”
Bone Structure was founded in 2005 by Marc Bovet and Michelle Tremblay. They will both be in Niagara-on-the-Lake on Thursday, Aug. 6, for the open house.
“This is a new technology and it’s a significant different way of looking at housing,” said Bovet, who claims he has no talent when it comes to building things, and his interest in all of this started after taking on a major renovation project.
He decided there must be a better way of doing things. He began his research and traveled the world trying to find it. He wanted to find a way to build a house and yet be able to control costs. He hired people from the automotive and aerospace industry because he wanted people who were not involved in the house building industry.
“We were trying to come up with a better process,” said Bovet. “We now have patents in 42 countries and we are helping communities through its local builders to adopt a better way to assemble, not build, but assemble homes.”
This technology, he adds, will change the building industry the way cars changed the horse and buggy era.
“There is no cutting, no piercing, no welding. These are buildings that can happen in a shorter time frame. The customer gets a better quality home,” said Bovet. “We are in nine out of the 10 provinces and we are also in California. Houses are an expensive product, yet they have not evolved like other industries. This is just a better way to do it.”
August 2015, Niagara Falls Review | Read the article
