Builders Blog

Most homeowners will never see the foundation drainage system once their house is finished. That is exactly how it should be, because the drains, waterproofing and below-grade work are supposed to sit quietly underground and keep water from becoming something the...

Most homeowners know they should look at a builder's portfolio and ask for a price. Those are both useful, but they do not tell you very much about what the next year or two will actually be like once the drawings become a construction site. Residential construction...

When we’re building a high-performance home, the details of the building envelope matter. Airtightness, moisture management, insulation, windows, and rain control all work together to create a home that is comfortable, efficient, and durable. I’m here on the front...

Landscaping is often one of the final stages of a custom home project, but the preparation for it needs to happen much earlier. At Clay Construction, we believe good coordination between trades can save time, reduce costs, and prevent unnecessary work later. On a...

When we talk about building a high-performance home, we often focus on things like energy efficiency, airtightness, comfort, and better building practices. But for our clients, performance is only part of the equation. They also want a home that looks beautiful. They...

When people tour a home under construction, they often focus on the big milestones—framing, roofing, or drywall. But experienced builders know that the true quality of a project is often revealed in the small details. On a recent project in Burnaby, we had just passed...

There are plenty of reasons to renovate a home instead of moving. Maybe you love the neighbourhood but the house no longer works for your family. Maybe the kitchen is too small, the main floor feels closed off, or an older renovation has left you with a layout that...

Building a custom home in Vancouver is an opportunity to create a home around the way you actually want to live, but a successful custom home begins long before excavation starts. It’s important that the property, zoning, design, budget, engineering, permits,...

A dry basement starts with how the foundation is protected from water. One of the most important decisions happens during backfilling, when the space around the foundation is filled after the foundation walls are complete. On a recent project in Burnaby, we chose not...

When you look at a foundation being poured, it can be easy to see it as simply a large amount of concrete going into the ground. But there is much more happening beneath the surface. Every part of a home's structure needs to work together to safely transfer the weight...