Cornerstone Graphic Systems Inc.
38 Elma St. W T1S 1J7 Okotoks, AB, Canada

Here's a great explanation of the budgeting for a home-building project, including the 'soft costs' of architectural design and engineering. This is why I've been offering conceptual construction costing as part of my services for the past several years. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZbd-S7WcwU

Baby, it's cold outside! Why is my furnace running all the time?

Entering the 21st century... my first 'business' Insta post .

I've become a big advocate for downsizing and living in smaller spaces. My wife and I moved from our 1800 sq.ft. house in late 2019 into a 450 sq.ft. suite, and then into a shared home with two of our grown boys that also houses my office and my son's business - so I'm living it! More than anything else, it's a change of mindset, and recognizing all of the things you've been tolerating that you didn't even think about. My business partner and I will very soon (weeks away!) be introducing a practical solution to this challenge that may help countless young people, seniors, and young families simplify their lives like this family has: https://www.younghouselove.com/what-is-it-like-to-downsize/

One of the impacts of the pandemic is that lumber prices have increased in cost significantly, and look to go higher as demand goes up. Don't count on 2019's pricing to be valid in 2021! https://www.todocanada.ca/wood-products-pricing-surge-expe/ This is why I've been exploring things like advanced framing techniques that reduce the amount of lumber framing material required, and also the use of light structural steel in place of wood.

I've been busy with a new 'project' for the past several weeks, more info to come soon! In the meantime, I want to point out something that came to light recently in a conversation with the contractor that's wrapping up work on our Prince George project from a couple of years ago. There were 8 wood posts installed to support the corners of the balconies and pergolas, and while they have concrete piles beneath them, the posts were set directly onto the concrete base. This is a... no-no, since concrete is porous and will absorb water, and the end of an untreated/unsealed wood post will be subject to a force called 'capillary action', which will in turn draw the water up into the wood. Over time this will cause the wood to rot, similar to the image below. Important safety tip! Install a moisture barrier between wood and concrete!

I've been a sponsor of the Okotoks Film Festival Society since it began, and I'm proud of the creativity and effort they've put into fulfilling on their mission during the last year. Their innovation is showing up again with their two-and-a-half hour mini-festival for Christmas, taking place online on Dec. 23rd at 7PM! Tickets are $5 per household and can be found at www.okotoksfilmfestival.ca.

I have 16 BUILDEX Alberta webinars and 2 hours of LEED training this week, so...

An interesting development at the provincial level. I have advocated for measures like this, it's my hope that something good comes from it. I have long felt that the current development approval process in most municipalities in Western Canada is too open-ended and a major deterrent to beneficial development. There are many US municipalities that have taken this approach and they've seen very positive results. https://calgaryherald.com//1a414c03-9605-4424-a118-0cb735e

Important news for anyone that works in or with construction-related trades. Subcontractors (ie. anyone involved in a construction project not working directly for the actual client) have always been on the short end of the stick in terms of payment, making it very hard to operate with predictable cashflow. I can't tell you how many projects I've personally financed because of the 'pay when paid' model. https://www.alberta.ca/introducing-prompt-payment-for-const

Sometimes you have to see what other people are putting up with before you appreciate what you have :-) Happy Canada Day! https://www.instagram.com/uglybelgianhouses/

Wow! A big step in the right direction. Ive often lamented the fact that we end up designing our architecture around cars rather than people (I can explain the math to you sometime, if you want), but the inclination among design advocates and many city planners across North America is that its time to stop making cars the priority. While towns like High River reduced or eliminated parking requirements in many areas, Edmonton is the first major city in Canada to make such a bold move. https://edmonton.ctvnews.ca//edmonton-to-eliminate-minimum

Apparently, I would be classified somewhat as a Modernist in that Im big on blurring the line between indoors and outdoors, and a close connection with natural spaces is important to me. Its interesting to read how past epidemics have influenced architectural design - theres a reason for just about everything. https://getpocket.com//how-the-tuberculosis-epidemic-influ

I can see the day coming when insurance companies will begin refusing to insure vinyl siding. https://calgaryherald.com//58f0b78e-2db7-4c58-9989-fea405/

Tomorrow evening is the premire of the 2020 Okotoks Film Festival! This years festival is being presented entirely online so you can watch from the comfort of your home. https://www.facebook.com/events/232839414721061 As a founding sponsor of this world-class event, I have access to a free pass for the entire festival, which runs through to Sunday, June 14th, and Im making it available for the first person that can name the feature film thats playing at 7:00pm on Thursday evening, and who the film is about!

We needed to communicate the interior feel of the space in a custom home that we recently designed, and it provided a perfect test case for our virtual reality prototyping.

A virtual reality walk-around of a concept project.

Ive posted about this town in South Australia before, but perhaps now, after 2 months of staying home, more of us could relate to living in this kind of home! You dont need to worry about your house burning down, for sure :-) https://www.msn.com//inside-coober-pedy-the-a/ss-BB13AeFh

Ive been busy doing bedroom renovations to my own home/office in Okotoks for the past few weeks, and were ready to start painting. It occurs to me that now is a good time to reshare this great resource on colour selection! https://www.coolors.co/

While everyones spending more time at home and thinking about what theyll do when things get back to normal, maybe its time to rethink the idea of a lawn. https://www.cnn.com//art/lawns-american-yard-us/index.html

Have you ever wondered how colour can affect a living space? Heres a great guide on how it works. https://www.archdaily.com//how-colors-change-the-perceptio

Planning on knocking down a few walls for that open concept kitchen? Not so fast! You might need a building permit.

Definitely a design problem! Who can tell me how this probably happened?

Its good to see that local Council is willing to take a step back to make sure they get it right, especially when it comes to making restrictions on use. https://www.okotokstoday.ca//okotoks-delays-decision-on-ru

If youre thinking about setting up shop in a new commercial location, either as a new business or a veteran thats just looking for more space, consider making your first step a brief consultation with us here. We can give you a heads-up on the challenges that you could be facing with regard to land use bylaws and building permits that are very much dependent on the location youre looking at, as well as the specific building youre thinking about buying or leasing. These is...sues too often become show-stoppers, and usually only after a great deal of time & money has already been committed. We hate being the bearers of bad news when an early consultation could have avoided all of it. Armed with the right information, youll be able to make the best choice for your business and your budget when you finally make a decision on where to set up shop. Contact us now to set up an appointment to discuss your plans.

So... the existential question. If its 100% politically correct but no one can afford to build/buy it, should you do it anyway? This is an early example of the escalating challenges that the building industry and potential homeowners will face as national building regulations continue to become stricter every year with regard to energy conservation. https://www.msn.com//first-net-zero-energy-hom/ar-BBZIgTj

Its important that everyone understands how the accelerated changes to the energy conservation components of the building code are out-running the affordable technological developments that can support it. tl;dr - the costs to build a home are being pushed higher, faster by hurried changes to the building code.

Another great application for the Tiny Home concept! Im glad that this project is catching on and being duplicated elsewhere. https://www.msn.com//a-roof-over-my-head-tiny-/ar-BBZAT63|1

Ive had people ask what the point of the tiny homes concept is, heres a fantastic application that will make a real difference for an increasingly vulnerable segment of the population. https://spotlightstories.co/tiny-homes-built-homeless-teen/

As you may have guessed by now, Im an advocate for simpler, smaller living. In the spirit of that philosophy, my wife and I recently relocated from our 1800 sq.ft. home of 30 years into a 430 sq.ft. suite in a small home. Our transition was made easier due to the fact that our son and daughter-in-law are now living in our house, and we were able to leave a lot of our stuff there for future disposition. There is clearly a reluctance for the next generation to want the material belongings that our generation has accumulated, partly because they simply dont have any place to put it! Im experiencing that myself, my wife and I are very careful what we buy because space is limited, and I frankly dont want the burden of managing these things anymore. https://www.npr.org//the-best-thing-you-can-do-is-not-buy-

Im holding a little contest today! If you can be the first to name the Monthly Movie that the Okotoks Film Festival Society is screening this month, youll win this pass for two to the Oscar Nominated Short Films screening on Feb. 1st and 2nd!

The City of Calgary is selling city-owned land at below-market prices to assist non-profit affordable housing agencies in their efforts to address the shortage of adequate and affordable housing. https://www.msn.com//up-to-200-new-affordable-/ar-BBYZkdn The Town of Okotoks recently announced its plan to partner with Westwinds Communities and Rowan House in a similar manner, only via a long-term beneficial lease-to-own rather than through a direct purchase. The town will be... reimbursed 100% of the land costs for all market-value rental units, and up to 50% of the land value for the below-market units. Im glad to see that the Town is stepping up to their social responsibility to the citizens of the town, a healthy society is not just about the financials.

Part of the reason that I volunteered for the Okotoks Affordable Housing Task Force, almost two years ago!

A concrete step forward on the way to addressing the lack of affordable housing in Okotoks! The next step is to try and build a valid business case for developers to build purpose-built rental units, of which none have been built in Okotoks in almost 20 years. Typically, the rent for purpose-built (primary market) units is around 20%-30% lower than those in the secondary market, which comprises the vast majority of Okotoks rentals.

The newer your home is, the more airtight the seal and the higher the risk of carbon-monoxide poisoning if you have a faulty gas-burning appliance, a wood-stove/fireplace, or a poor seal around your door to your garage. Older homes have plenty of air leaks that help to mitigate it, but theyre also at risk if the source is bad enough.

These researchers worked with local, First Nation communities in Northern Manitoba to develop housing designs that address their lifestyle & cultural needs. Learn more about the research project!

What do you do with your home once the family youve raised in it has moved on, but you still want to stay where you are? As a fellow empty-nester Im familiar with the feeling of rattling around in a home that seems too big and ill-suited to a lifestyle that no longer revolves around kids (small & big) and their activities. You may also find that mobility issues are beginning to show up, or situations in your home that youve tolerated for years are no longer tolerable.... This doesnt have to mean moving to a new place, you could find that reconfiguring what you already have may be a good solution for you. https://nationalpost.com//once-the-kids-grow-up-and-leave-

Im working on a custom home for a client, this one is done completely from scratch. Once the floor plan has been defined, I develop the structure and begin to figure out how we want the home to look. The first step is to develop a massing model that shows the basic shape and profile. We do this as a 3D model when we have complex rooflines, and heres a short video that gives a pretty clear idea of what it will look like.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you from Shawn, Ian, and Dan!

Have you ever wondered how much electricity different things use in your home? You might want to be aware, you might be surprised! Did you also know that electrical appliances can cost 3-4x as much to operate as natural gas appliances? (I moved recently and Im missing my gas range...)

We are aware of a phishing scam from individuals claiming that we are providing free grants through the National Housing Strategy. The phishing scam is generall...y delivered via Facebook Messenger. Protect yourself against fraud by checking out resources and tools from The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC): http://ow.ly/Ffcp50xCBqc

As you may know, Im an advocate for building simpler, smarter, and sooner, and it looks like theres a shift beginning in how homes get built. My venture partners and I have plans of our own on how were going to take this on, and as mentioned in the article, there is no silver bullet to the affordable housing challenge but there can be a comprehensive toolkit available to address it. https://www.fastcompany.com//the-worlds-first-3d-printed-n

We like to think that what we do is part science, part art, and in this case, the science literally becomes art :-). Theres nothing so satisfying as seeing our clients visions become reality.

Have you ever thought about downsizing your living accommodations? Im a longtime advocate of smaller, more efficient housing, and after having recently moved out of our 30-year home of 1,800 sq.ft. into a 430 sq.ft. suite in an older home, my wife and I are learning first-hand what it requires of us. Even though were only two weeks in, we had a few months of mental preparation, and I can testify to the accuracy of this couples experience.... https://www.farmers.com//real-stor/living-in-a-tiny-house/

An indoor childrens play-place that feels like its outside! We went on a field trip to visit Sara at The Park Okotoks this morning, Dan and Ian worked on this plan with me and this is the first time theyve been able to see the outcome of their drawing work! Its a great motivator :-) Congratulations, Gavin & Sara, you did a great job with the place!

A tragic outcome to a situation caused by a couple of simple maintenance issues. All fuel-fired appliances (furnaces, boilers, hot-water tanks, etc.) need adequate intake air to compensate for the hot air thats being vented from the combustion process. If there isnt enough fresh air to make up for the vented air, this will create a low-pressure situation in the home that will act like a vacuum and pull that vented air back into the home. This vented air contains all of the ...products of combustion, including carbon monoxide, which the human body seems to be quite happy to substitute for oxygen, to deadly effects. https://www.msn.com//pet-hair-caused-fatal-co-/ar-BBXSkZD

When a project is completed, its very fulfilling to see how my clients use their new space to make a real difference in their community!