Custom Homes

Your Dream, Your Way

At B.K. Cornerstone our goal is to make your home-building experience both enjoyable and memorable. With over 20 years of experience building quality homes in the Essex County area we remain customer-focused and are interested in developing long lasting relationships with our homeowners.

Getting Started with Building a Custom Home

Building a new custom home can seem a little daunting. We’ve been building dream homes for our clients for over twenty years, so you can trust us to walk you through the process to make sure the end result is everything you imagined.

• First, determine a realistic budget and consult a financial institution for pre-approval of financing.
• Decide on the location of your new home, considering such things as local taxes and proximity to schools, parks, work, church, shopping and recreation.
• Choose a style of home that fits your lifestyle.
• Make notes of special details, features, and ideas that you would like incorporated into your new home.

Once we have secured your building permit you will meet with the builder to confirm the final layout of your floor plans. During this meeting we will also confirm the location of your house on the lot and review the window/door quotation to verify your window size, function (i.e. fixed, slider, casement), design and colour. With approved floor plans, construction of your new home can begin!.

With construction underway, now is a good time to start narrowing your thoughts on the finishes and materials that will complete your new home. For the exterior, you’ll have to think about the brick, stone, siding, soffit, fascia, gutter and garage door colours and styles. Interior consideration should be given to types of flooring, paint, countertops, cabinet styles, plumbing fixtures, lighting and trim. This is a lot to consider, but definitely not cause for panic! We’ll guide you through each step of the process.

Early in the building process you will be contacted by our Project Manager to discuss your exterior and interior finish selections. Now is the time to bring up any reference addresses, ideas and/or samples of what you would like for your interior finishes, if you have them.

This on-site meeting occurs once your home is framed. Together we will determine where your mechanical and electrical systems will be installed. This includes:

• Electrical layout – extra plugs, recessed lighting, etc.
• Plumbing layout – exterior hose bibs, water heater location, manifold, etc.
• Telephone and Cable TV jack layout
• Central vacuum outlets (if applicable)
• Location of central air conditioner unit
• Location of HRV (if applicable) and furnace
• Additional gas lines (if required)

You will also layout your kitchen, bath and laundry room cabinets. You will need to know the sizes of your appliances for this meeting.

Light fixtures purchased at our designated vendors will be delivered to the job site for you. If you have purchased light fixtures elsewhere, please have these delivered 1 week prior to closing – properly labeled and complete with bulbs. 75% of bulbs must be CFL and any ceiling fan must be EnergyStar rated.

Presenting you with the final product before you take possession is the meeting that we look forward to the most. This on-site final inspection meeting begins with a room-by-room walk through of your home. Using a Final Inspection Checklist, we ensure that even the smallest of details are taken care of. The completed checklist will be waiting for you at this meeting for your review.

Attention to detail and after-sale service is what sets us apart from other builders. We take great pride in having established this checklist and will gladly review it with you upon request. The final walk-through also allows us to take you through the home and demonstrate the operation of the mechanical systems and appliance maintenance including:

• Explanation and orientation on all mechanical and electrical items including furnace, fireplace, air conditioner, hot water tank, HRV, water supply system, sump pump, whirlpools, electrical panel, etc.
• Details of the Ontario New Home Warranty Program, along with warranties for windows, heating & cooling, and any other warrantable items.
• A complete telephone number list for all trades that were involved in the construction of your home.
• Explain how we schedule for any after-sale service that may be required.

We understand that moving day can be stressful. To help make the day as easy as possible, please note the following:

• We will unlock the doors for you in the morning so that you can start moving-in right away. However, we cannot give you the keys to the house until our lawyer has informed us that the deal has closed.
• We do not move-in or install appliances other than over-the-range microwaves (see above). You are also responsible for connection of your gas appliances, including the supply of the flexible connection hoses.
• We are responsible for connecting the telephone lines from inside your house to the demarcation box outside. Bell Canada is responsible for bringing service lines to your house and connecting them at the demarcation box.
• We cannot allow you to move items into your house before moving day. Our insurance will not cover these items in the event they are stolen or damaged.

Once your new home is completed, our relationship does not end there. We have several systems in place to ensure each home is built to our high standards:

• Employing the same dedicated and knowledgeable trades people we have for years. These trades and staff members have proven themselves time and time again, ensuring they are meeting our expectations of superior quality.
• Our Warranty and Repair Program. Request for a repair is made with office staff who book timely appointments for the appropriate repair work. You can also expect a courtesy follow-up phone call to ensure the requested work has been completed to your expectations.
• Lastly, all new homes are provided warranty coverage guaranteed through the Ontario New home Warranty Program for up to seven years.