5 Steps To A Forever Home
STORY RACHAEL HAVENS
PHOTOGRAPHY SANDY MACKAY
FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS COLLINGWOOD FLOWERS & HOME DECOR
A forever home sounds like a big commitment, with a good deal of pressure to get it just right. This was certainly the case for Valerie and Mike Butler when they considered building in Thornbury. With the help of Kevin and Laurie Blair of Alair Homes, the Butlers got the home of their dreams.
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION
Valerie and Mike bought their original weekend home in Thornbury in 2010. They considered many options – from airstreams to cabins to tiny homes – around Southern Ontario. They finally landed on a townhouse in Thornbury, and quickly fell in love with the lifestyle and the area. Valerie remembers, “Eventually we decided we wanted to be here all the time.”
Valerie and Mike knew they wanted to start from scratch with their next home, and had envisioned exactly what they wanted. The next step was bringing that vision to life.
Alair Homes builders Kevin and Laurie Blair are much like their clients. They would spend weekends in Collingwood and The Blue Mountains but “always had a dream to one day live, work and play in the area.” Kevin says, “When we found the Alair franchise model and heard they were looking to expand into the area, we jumped in with both feet and have never looked back.”
DREAM TEAM
The two couples initially connected to take a closer look at the lot the Butlers had their eyes on. After determining the property was a diamond in the rough, they bought it and their partnership with Alair began.
The team had a strong working relationship from the very beginning. Valerie remembers, “Kevin is very responsive and fair, and takes ownership of everything he does.”
Kevin is quick to point out that the working relationship between a homeowner and builder is paramount. He shares advice for anyone considering a custom build: Do your homework up front and interview more
than one builder.
COMMUNICATION IS KEY
Alair works differently than a typical builder, with a business model based on the ideal of transparency. This model was perfect for Valerie because she wanted to be hands-on throughout the process.
A hallmark of the Alair model is, “When you engage with Alair, you get full access to our software system that allows our clients to review and make selection options, follow the online schedule, see budget item costs in real time and follow along with actual costs against the budget.”
This concept was key for the Butlers, who were still living in Etobicoke during construction. They had debated waiting until they both retired to start building, but ultimately wanted to get
a head start on their forever home. Alair began construction in May 2017, and the couple moved in nine months later, in January 2018
LOCAL TALENT
Kevin brought on board a wide array of talented trades and suppliers from around Southern Georgian Bay. Valerie started with a sample plan for the exterior, andAdam Vokes of Mountainside Design helped bring the interior to life.
The building process began with excavation and service connections by Dale Ottewell Construction & Logging Ltd. McKeough Supply handled the plumbing fixtures, Barrie Trim & Mouldings supplied white oak stairs and railings, and HomeBridge Canada Inc. managed the HVAC design and install. The windows and doors are by Cedarport Window & Door Centre Inc. Osprey Millworks crafted built-ins in the basement, including a hideaway play area under the stairs for the grandkids. Karen James at Ashtons handled the window coverings in the home. Karen has provided blinds for the Butlers’ two previous homes.
Valerie trusted her own design instincts. For important decisions such as the brick, exterior and interior paint colours and grout selection, Valerie consulted Sharon Allan of Van Allan Design Centre to confirm her choices.
Kevin emphasizes the exceptional space that encompasses the kitchen and great room, which features cabinetry by Infinite Design & Interiors and Cambria countertops from Elegant Solutions. But, he says, “The real key is the vision our client brought to us for the design.”
A SENSE OF COMMUNITY
It’s the community that drew Mike and Valerie to Southern Georgian Bay. Even their kids have followed them to the area, moving here full time. Valerie jokingly laments that the guest bedrooms in the home turned out not to be necessary, with their grandkids so close by.
The couple can’t say enough about their neighbourhood. When they moved in, one neighbour brought over an apple pie fresh from the oven along with a photo album featuring photos of their build, knowing Mike and Valerie were not always able to be there themselves. “It was such a lovely and thoughtful gesture,” Valerie recalls.
The couple are embracing Thornbury as emphatically as it is embracing them. There is not the slightest shadow of a doubt when Valerie states with a smile “This is our forever home.” Mike concurs, “It’s a keeper!” OH
