We, at Capital Building Services Inc., are qualified and registered designers as required by the Ontario Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing; BCIN # 27412. The owner, Thom Fuller, has been in the residential construction industry since 1992 and is a certified technician with the Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians & Technologists (OACETT). In the past seven years we have produced house plans for over 250 homes in the greater Ottawa area. We are always looking forward to the next opportunity to exceed our customer’s expectations.

We are NOT licensed architects. If you are planning a particularly large or elaborate home or are seeking detailed advice on particular architectural details and material selection you should contact a licensed architect...we won't be offended.

At Capital Building Services Inc. our philosophy is to design a beautiful, practical and energy efficient home that functions and flows as each homeowner desires. Simplicity of design usually produces the most visually appealing, efficient and cost effective home possible. What's very important is to keep the roof design simple yet architecturally pleasing. Unnecessarily complex roof structures lead to added cost, time to build, and possibility of mistakes.

Also, the Ottawa climate dictates that we take into consideration ice & snow build-up and how the roof will drain water. The last thing anyone wants is a half-million dollar home with a persistant ceiling leak that could have been prevented by simplifying the roof design.

Exterior Wall Rigid Foam Insulation

Wood framing members such as wall studs, window and door frames, etc. make up about 25% of the wall surface in a typical home, so when only the spaces between framing members are insulated, 25% of the wall surface is left uninsulated. When installed directly over OSB or plywood sheathing, 1" rigid foam insulation provides continuous coverage and reduces the potential for condensation and moisture problems and adds R5 insulation value. When all the seams are taped it also acts as an air barrier eliminating the need for building wrap paper.

 Basement Slab Insulation

Whether you are planning radiant heating in your basement slab or not, it is a great idea to insulate under the concrete slab with a rigid foam product or a roll-out, tarp type insulating membrane. Many of these products are made from recycled EPS foam.

Stair Access to Basement from Garage

We often recommend a utility stairwell from an attached garage to the basement. It is ideal for moving large objects and for accessing the furnace and other mechanical components without having to go through the finished areas of the home. It is especially handy if you're planning a basement wood furnace, stove or pellet stove.

Tankless On-Demand Hot Water

Today's tankless water heaters are much more powerful and capable of handling the demands of a whole household. Since the water heater only runs for a few minutes a day as opposed to cycling on and off all day like a traditional water heater, a 30-50% reduction in energy costs can be achieved. Tankless water heaters are available using natural gas, propane or electricity. For more information check out  www.gotankless.com.

Residential Fire Sprinklers

Although not currently required by the Ontario Building Code, we recommend the installation of a residential fire sprinkler system in your new home when water is supplied by the municipality. Smoke alarms are required but are not always effective in evacuating all the occupants of a home and do nothing to suppress the fire. The Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition says that having a working smoke alarm and sprinkler system increases your family's chances of a safe escape in the event of a fire by 82% over not having the sprinklers. Presently the cost of installing these systems is about $ 1.50 - $ 2.00 per square foot. There is consensus in the industry that home insurance rates may be reduced up to 15% where a sprinkler system is installed.

 Basement Ceiling Drywall

Where water supply is from a private well, additional fire protection may be achieved by drywalling the entire basement ceiling or installing fire rated dropped ceiling tiles. This slows down the progression of fire and allows occupants a few more seconds to get out safely.