THE AGRITECT

Second dwellings are being encouraged by the Provincial government on all properties in Ontario to help with the housing crisis. This means farm properties, too, but with some caveats. The provincial planning act tries to help by encouraging all municipalities to allow second dwellings on all their property zones and types with fewer restrictions. In […]

Do you live in a barn? Or do you want to? It’s really important to realize that designing a barn conversion to a house (or other structures), is not at all the same as starting with a blank paper for a custom home. You have this amazing timber frame you need to work around to […]

Keep your kids busy with this house book Free Printable! Including lesson on architecture for kids!

Its -25 outside and the furnace in a passive house probably isn’t running! How is that possible? Careful thought at the very beginning of building design and some free heat from the sun!

A Search for the Perfect Barn Frame:What to look for in a timber frame VELD architect is embarking on a major bank barn reuse project! So in light of this journey we are going to shares its joys, challenges, and stories along the way. Hopefully providing you with information and confidence for you to consider […]

Well I managed to have a vacation last week with my 6-month old and husband. We stayed at a cottage near the beach in Ontario. And although I managed to avoid most work, I couldn’t help but notice the lack of design at the cottage we rented.  So here are some must-haves for your cottage […]

So you’ve decided you want to build a new farmhouse on your property. First you need to decide if the “Builder’s special” is the type of home you want or do you want something truly special. Check out this blog to help you decide if a custom home is right for you. Most of you […]

So you’ve decided to preserve a bit of rural history and renovate your brick farmhouse. Here are a few items that you should know. Yes, generally renovations cost more (approximately 5%). But the results are often more appreciated than building new and many of the large expenses are already taken care of such as exterior […]

My Dad, was born, raised, had his own kids, and will probably die in the same old red brick farmhouse. As you can imagine it needs some updating! My mother, like most farm wives has great visions of what the house should look like, but it is usually a lifelong project to update the house […]