All houses are constructed to the R-2000 standard and accordingly are certified by the R-2000 program.

Upon acceptance of the design and price, every customer's contract includes a customized list of detailed specifications to their own home.

The following are standard features in our homes.

Foundations & Foundation Walls | Floors | Walls | Roofs | Windows & Doors | Garages

Sofit & Fascia | Decks, Patios & Sun Rooms | Electrical Service

Heating Ventilation & Air Conditioning | Drywall & Trim

Painting | Plumbing & Fixtures | Landscaping | Allowances

Foundations and Foundation Walls

Footings are normally 6" deep concrete unless required otherwise. Widths vary depending on the loads carried.

Basement homes have poured 8" walls that are insulated with minimum R-20 full height on the inside (building code is R-12, partial height) and clad with drywall and 1 coat of drywall compound. The exterior of the basement foundation is completely encircled with 4" drainage pipe covered with stone. The basement walls are tarred both inside and outside and the exterior is clad with ¾" drain board to provide a vertical drainage plane for ground water and to protect the foundation wall from the pressure and lift effects of frost.

No-basement homes are constructed in such a way that the resulting home has no basement and no crawl space. The construction technique utilises a frost protected footing and insulated exterior support walls. The result is a house where the finished flooring rests upon a concrete slab insulated from below and the exterior by 2" of Styrofoam insulation. The slab is reinforced each way with 10mm re-bar.

These homes are excellent choices for those with mobility problems and wheel chair accessibility needs. The addition of our optional hydraulically heated slab is easily added before the concrete is poured and provides a rich warming comfort for your toes. With no lower level to heat and no sump pump to maintain, these homes provide peace of mind. A mechanical room on the main floor for the heating and ventilation equipment is added to the home. In addition, increased storage closets and a storage area above the garage are also included.

Floors

Wood floor systems in our homes are constructed of manufactured joists such as Truss Joist MacMillan or Open Joists 2000. Manufactured joists have the advantage of saving on trees, being stable and strong (more level and less deflection and shake). Sub-flooring is a minimum of 5/8" tongue and groove spruce plywood (no OSB or chipboard is used). Plywood is glued to the joists and power nailed to eliminate squeaks.

Walls

Exterior main walls are constructed of minimum 2" x 6" spruce that is filled with R-20 Johns Manville insulation. These walls are clad with 1" extruded polystyrene providing an additional R-5 insulation. This results in a total wall insulation value of R-25 (building code in Ontario is R-18). Interior walls are a combination of wood and steel - 2" x 4" spruce for load bearing walls and steel studding for non-load bearing.

Walls are normally 8 feet, although 9 foot, vaulted and coffered ceilings, crown moldings and other design features can be incorporated into the overall design.

Floor perimeters and exterior walls are carefully sealed using Tyvek around the rim joist and 6 mil polyethylene air-vapour barrier on the inside of the walls to prevent air infiltration and exfiltration. Great care is taken to provide a drainage plane on the exterior of the building wall to make sure that exterior moisture from rain, sleet or snow cannot enter into the wall cavity. Exacting R-2000 standards eliminate drafts and condensation problems resulting in more comfortable living and reduced heating costs (when compared to conventional building methods).

Roofs

Roofing system is framed with engineered raised heeled trusses. The use of raised or cantilevered trusses allows for 10" of insulation over the exterior rim plate. Insulation stops from the outside of the rim plate up to within 2" of the underside of the roof plywood hold the insulation in place and prevent wind penetration on top of the plate. This method of construction compared to the usual method of using common trusses (that allow as little as 2" of insulation above the plate) has the benefit of preventing cold interior surfaces at the intersection of walls and ceilings that can cause condensation and possible mould growths and reduces the possibility of ice dams. There is an added benefit derived from using raised heel trusses. Bricks are laid in the resulting space between the windows and the underside of the soffit. The bricks above the window provide a much more attractive exterior appearance.

Trusses are sheathed with ½" spruce plywood. Again, no OSB chipboard is used. Standard shingle is 25-year asphalt.

Six mil polyethelyne vapour barrier is applied to the underside of the trusses and carefully sealed to provide the air-vapour barrier. Resilient channel is secured under this to the underside of the trusses onto which the drywall is screwed. This is installed to prevent the effect of truss uplift, a common problem experienced in our climate with engineered trusses in which the center of the truss ceiling chord will move upward in winter and come back down in warm weather. Installing resilient channel between the truss chords and the drywall eliminates the problem of cracks or spaces appearing between the wall and ceiling drywall and also provides a smoother ceiling.

Windows and Doors

Gordon Tobey Developments Ltd. is proud to use Northstar vinyl windows in our homes. White, vinyl framed, thermally insulated double glazed glass Low -E windows are used. Low-E Argon gas between the glazing's and a low emissivity coating on one of the glazing's, increases the resistance to heat loss through the glass. This feature together with a non-metallic spacer bar between the glazing's reduces heat loss and permits a higher level of humidity in the house in winter without causing condensation. Higher humidity yields more comfort in winter, is better for the skin and throat and reduces drying out of the house structure and furniture.

Windows can be single or double hung, casement, sliders or awning - with or without mullions. All windows come with Active self-cleaning glass - a special coating designed to break down and wash away any organic dirt deposits, by means of rain water as it sheets down the glass.

Exterior doors are white factory enameled steel with vinyl clad frames. Patio or garden doors can be either sliding or hinged to suit the customer's preference.

Garages

All our homes have a minimum 20' x 20' - 2-car garage The garage width ensures that people can disembark their vehicle inside the garage. Garages have either one or two doors. Doors are factory white enameled, paneled, steel, and insulated and have automatic ½ hp openers installed.

The 5" thick concrete steel reinforced floor is sloped to the large garage door to drain the water that falls from the car. High strength concrete is used with air entrainment to prevent spalling (peeling of the surface). The floor is sawed into sections with a concrete saw to induce cracking at the saw lines. Floor surface is swirl finished which results in a stronger and slip free surface.

A white 36" exterior factory enameled side entry door is standard in our garages unless grade does not permit installation. Entry to the house from the garage is standard - usually to a laundry or mechanical room. This entry door has an automatic closure device. There is a drywall vapour seal between the house and the garage.

Soffit and Fascia

White aluminum soffit and fascia with continuous run eavestrough is standard. Décor coloured aluminum is optional.

Decks, Patios and Sun Rooms

Basement homes include a pressure treated wood deck (12' x 14').

No-basement homes come with a 5" thick steel reinforced concrete slab patio (12' x 14').

Porches and screened sunroom are options.

Electrical Service

The electrical service panel is 200 amp. with breakers. Wiring is all copper with ample outlets in each room. Computer and telephone wiring is Cat 5 wire and installed in 5 locations. There are 3 cable TV locations. Smoke/carbon dioxide detector is also included. Items such as spotlights, shower lights, stereo speaker wiring and eaves lighting are all options. Roughed in Central Vac is included. Security system is an option.

Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning

All our homes use a combo system, the heat being supplied by a natural gas powered water heater to an air handler which delivers the warmed air to each room via a sealed high velocity ducted system. Air handlers come with 2-stage fan controllers for warmair destratifcation and fresh air redistribution. The water heater provides the energy to heat domestic hot water and to heat the house. The water heater fired with natural gas is rented from Union Energy. This results in no furnace or water heater for the owner to maintain.

The Van EE (Gold Series) Recovery Ventilator provides fresh air continually to each room and controls house moisture during the heating season. It recovers energy from the exhausted air and uses it to pre-heat the incoming fresh air.

Air conditioning is standard in our homes and each unit is computer sized for each home.

A natural gas fireplace is standard. Customer has choice of fireplace façade, hearth and mantel.

Drywall and Trim

All main floor drywall is finished. Exterior walls of basements are drywalled with one coat of compound. Garage partition walls adjacent to the house are drywalled with one coat of compound. Drywalling and finishing the entire garage interior is an option.

All ceilings are smooth finished and painted.

Trim is Colonial. Doors are 6 panel - 800 series, casing is 2 ¾", base is 5/16" x 4-1/8". Interior door hardware is Weiser (Fairfax) spherical passage and bath sets. Exterior door passage and deadbolts are brilliance (non-tarnishing).

Pocket door(s) with heavy-duty hardware is an option.

Painting

All interior drywall and trim are painted with top quality Glidden Deluxe 2000 paint. The doors and trim are painted with white-semi gloss. All walls use an eggshell finish and customers can select up to 3 colours - additional colour(s) subject to additional dollars. Ceilings are white with a flat finish. Painting of garage is an option.

Exterior of the home is maintenance free as doorjambs are vinyl clad, brick lintels are aluminum clad and exterior doors are factory enameled. Railings and architectural posts are vinyl or aluminum.

Plumbing and Fixtures

The following plumbing fixtures are standard:

vanity sinks - white china Toto toilets - white Toto - 6 litre flush showers - white acrylic 3' x 4' one piece with seat - Longevity tubs - white acrylic one piece - Longevity
bathroom sink saucets - Moen tub/shower faucets - Moen pressure balance kitchen sink - Steelqueen two compartment stainless with ledge
kitchen faucets - Moen single handle, washerless in chrome laundry tub - single compartment with Moen faucets. Tub has hook up for automatic washer. other - two outside unfreeze faucets, submersible sump if required

Landscaping

On town serviced lots, agreed upon trees are removed, the lot is graded and complete lot sodded. Concrete front walkway, gravel driveway, and either a concrete patio or pressure treated wood deck (according to grade) are included.

For country homes built on rural lots we install gravel driveways and culverts, remove trees, install septic systems, and bring services to the lot from the nearest location. Wells are not part of the contract, but we will negotiate with a well-driller on behalf of the customer.

Routine landscaping is part of the contract. But where comprehensive landscaping is required, the Company will arrange to have a landscaper design and install as an option.

Allowances

Since each customer's requirements and desires vary, a dollar allowance is included in the contract for the following items:

• kitchen and bathroom cabinets and counters
• flooring materials - hardwood, laminate, ceramic, carpet, tile
• lighting fixtures - interior and exterior (plus door bell and chimes)
• bathroom towel/grab bars and toilet roll holders
• fireplace hearth, face and mantel

Expenditures over or under allowances are itemised (charged or rebated) and reflected in the final closing cost reconciliation.

Call toll free 1-800-544-0535

Specifications are subject to change at anytime.

For a complete contract list of specifications, contact a representative of Gordon Tobey Developments Ltd.