Solar panels have a high start-up cost, but in the end will reduce or eliminate energy costs. Plus, they contribute to a healthy environment. Photograph: Courtesy of Muskoka Renewable Energy

We’re back with segment eight in our year-long journey to building our dream home!
With the completion of all framing and the subsequent inspection, installation of the mechanical systems begins. Rough-ins, as they are generally referred to, consist of heating and cooling, plumbing and electrical systems. Not one of them is a stand-alone system; each must connect with the others. Installations are coordinated starting with heating.

Heating
“We’re involved in the planning stage before they dig the hole under the new building permit system,” states Dale Tebby of Tebby Air Conditioning and Heating.
Qualified heating contractors are responsible for the design calculations and installation of all ducts, ventilation, furnaces, boilers etc. throughout the home. They must ensure quiet, efficient, even-heated spaces; not an easy task in large, open layouts, cathedral ceilings and multilevel designs.
Duct sizing and layout is critical and must begin ahead of plumbing and electrical. There can be no compromises, the ducts must deliver and return air in the right volumes quietly and efficiently.
Many larger homes require more than one furnace and need to be properly zoned.
“The size and number of furnaces is determined by the calculation of heat loss and partially depends on the square footage of the home,” explains Bruce Fraser of Muskoka Mechanical Service.
“Affecting the heat loss statement are things such as insulation values and quality and quantity of windows,” he continues. “The more windows, the more heat loss. Glass, as compared to the rest of the home, has a poor ‘R’ insulation value.”
Chip Loughhead of Gravenhurst Plumbing Heating and Electrical says: “Examine the capital costs of various systems. Imagine the power of having a radiant system, which we know is 30 per cent more efficient than forced air, and then powering that by geo thermal. Now you have the most efficient heating system in the world. 
“Examine the capital requirements against the annual fuel usage by system type, determine the pay-back and see where the best investment dollars would be for your project.”

A wood fire gives that special warmth that penetrates and soothes. Photograph: Courtesy of Pete’s Heat

Joe DaCosta of Edenlane Homes says, “Heating systems chosen by our clients range from radiant in-floor heat and forced air furnaces to ground source systems utilizing the heat in the ground.
“Radiant in-floor systems are very popular right now, but the main system continues to be high-efficiency propane furnaces.”
Ground source heating is somewhat site dependent, has high start-up costs, but can be the most economical for heating over the long run.
“We focus on the energy efficiency of the building envelope,” adds Ross Defina of Viceroy Homes. “Our clients select their preferred type of heating system. There are so many options depending on lifestyle and location.
“A forced-air system can use propane, natural gas, hydro or oil. One option is a new product on the market, a warm board, which is hydroponic tubing in plywood flooring.
“The tubes are incased in lightweight cement. Engineered flooring is suited to this system. Once the choice is made by the homeowner, the home is designed with the specific requirements.”

In- floor heating
In-floor heating in lower levels with 10-foot ceilings is almost a must do. It’s so comfortable when feet are warm and the heat radiates upwards.
“We specialize in radiant in-floor heating,” says Jed Preston of Preston Mechanical. “A forced air system delivers heat, which quickly rises to the ceiling – a radiant floor heating system radiates heat from the floor and delivers the heat evenly throughout the room.”
Loughead adds, “A regular forced air furnace has a temperature swing throughout the room of about four degrees and people can feel one to two degrees easily. You can save up to 20 to 30 per cent of your energy bill by installing in-floor heating.
“Once the framing is complete, the roof on and the basement poured,” continues Preston, “we begin prepping the floor with piping, insulation and mesh. Later in the building process, we come back to do duct and furnace work.”
In-floor heating is a number one priority, according to Fraser. “It gives people quality living space for walk-out or regular basements and throughout the home, and it can be custom controlled for each room.”
Henry Blanchard of Austin Plumbing and Electric explains, “The heat under ceramic, slate, marble and stone floors is mostly electric heat in the form of a thin blanket with patterns of wire inserted.”

In-floor radiant heating systems disperse heat by forcing a heated medium (electric, air or liquid) beneath the floor paneling. Photograph: Courtesy of Brian Hoar Inc.

Electric, gas or oil
Each fuel type will deliver high efficiency heat. Heating with electricity is sometimes the only practical way. Consider high-efficiency heat pumps with this system.
“Hydro is safe and 100 per cent efficient, with no loss through the chimney,” states Chris Litschko of Lakeland Power.
“Complimenting electric heat with thermo recovery ventilation, ground source heating or solar can be a good idea,” he continues. “Look at what your needs are, as a family. 
“Before purchasing a lot that does not currently have hydro access, it’s important to check the availability of hydro and what it would cost to bring in service.”
Natural gas is an option if service is installed in the area. “Let us know where you are planning to move,” says Keith Boulton of Union Gas, “and we’ll tell you if natural gas is available, or, if there are current plans to bring gas to that location.
“Natural gas is the cleanest burning fossil fuel available,” he continues. “A centralized forced air furnace allows for both a heating and cooling system.”
Propane and oil require large storage tanks. Both systems are practical if refilling can take place year-round. Steep, icy grades would prohibit either of these options.
“Propane can supply about 90 per cent of your needs when it comes to heat, hot water, the BBQ, cooking, the clothes dryer and hot water,” says Jack Larocque of Superior
Propane.

“The storage tank is positioned a minimum of 10 feet from the house,” he explains. “Once the walls and insulation are up, the furnace, dryer, and fireplace are installed running the gas lines in the basement.”
“We do a site inspection to determine placement of the tank,” says Rick Heyder of Budget Propane and Oil. “The homeowner may want it 120 feet down the road. I give them a heads-up as to what needs to be done.”
Renee Mungall-Brethour of Value Propane offers a complete line of propane services from fuel delivery to installations and recommendations.
“We help our customers source a contractor in their area who does exceptional workmanship and meets all technical standards and safety codes,” she begins, “and we assist in making everything in our customers’ homes as efficient as possible.
“People are moving into the area and utilizing their cottages and homes more. With propane, customers from Toronto experience the same type of heating source they’re accustomed to in the city because natural gas and propane are almost identical.”
Stephen Leeder of Leeder Fuels says, “Oil tanks can be located inside or outside the home. However, an inside tank can cut costs. Insurance companies will typically allow up to 20-25 years for an inside tank, as opposed to 15 years, and the oil is lower in cost.”
When temperatures drop, regular furnace oil will thicken and congeal, calling for a lower-pour rating oil which costs slightly more.
“New in Canada this year is an ultra low sulphur product,” Leeder adds, “and by 2010/11 all oil companies will have this on stream. It reduces harmful emissions; the furnace runs cleaner and requires less maintenance.”
“Oil and propane, with price and efficiency considered, are basically the same,” concludes Heyder.

A high-efficiency forced air gas furnace provides duct work for both heating and cooling. Photograph: Courtesy of Union Gas

Wood fired radiant heating
Ron Karson of Muskoka Masonry Heat builds wood-fired radiant heating systems. The large masonry mass, usually located in the centre of the structure, resembles a giant radiator.
Generally used by people who are energy and environmentally conscious, this system radiates outward, uses a small charge of wood, burns as cleanly as we know how to burn wood and can heat a 2,000-square-foot modern home with 40 lbs. or four pieces of wood per day.
Radiant heat is also used for ovens – wood fired ovens! These ovens radiate inward. Bread, pizza and chicken all taste amazing, according to Karson.
“People are skeptical at first,” he says, “but once they taste the food they have to have one! Wood-fired ovens have become mainstream for people who love food.”
Alternative energy
Floris van Ooyen of Enviroharvest Inc. installs and manages solar, wind turbine and generator energy systems.
Utilizing alternative energy, most people can reduce their hydro bill substantially. Some have no hydro costs! 
“Alternative energy is not for everyone,” says van Ooyen. “It’s important that people understand it and do it for the right reasons.”
After consulting with customers, Floris van Ooyen sometimes delivers unwanted news. “Unfortunately my advice, in certain circumstances, is, ‘This won’t work for you. Stick with what you’re doing.’”
One available option to consider is an on-demand hot water heater. Popular in Europe for over 50 years, where utility costs are twice as high as in North America, these stand-by water heaters can save a substantial amount of energy.
Rather than heating the water which then stands-by waiting to be used, the water heats only when needed – on demand. Couple this technology with a solar hot water heater and save more.
Peter Ayles, of Muskoka Renewable Energy, an approved contractor for solar energy on the Ontario hydro website, provides alternative energy and wiring of upscale energy efficient homes.
Ayles first performs an energy audit with prospective clients. “I want to see where they are now and how we can improve their energy efficiency,” he explains.
Many people, he adds, are choosing to generate some of there own electricity. A small solar system will lower hydro costs. A larger system may turn the meter backwards so that during the day excess power is sold back to Ontario hydro.
Another plus is storing back-up energy. The system can maintain a battery reservoir as well as provide energy for the home. When grid power fails, back up power is available, automatically.

Back-up generator
Power outages are common in severe storms. “The chance of the power coming back on quickly, especially in rural areas, is becoming less and less,” states Tom Morrow of Morrow Electric. “So much is invested in these custom homes – back-up power is a necessity. Wood stoves can keep you warm, if you are present to build the fire, but they can’t keep food frozen or even cold. Bursting pipes is a major concern and while you can flush the toilet with a pail of water, the sewage pump won’t be working.
“Permanently installed back-up generators are automatic,” Morrow continues. “They come on when the power goes out and go off when the power comes back on!”
Various sizes of back-up generators are available. Mungall-Brethour explains: “A propane back-up generator can run just the fridge and furnace or all the way to running the furnace, air conditioner, fridge, freezers, every single light – so that you don’t even know there has been an hydro outage.
“The automatic switch means that as soon as the hydro has been out for five minutes, the generator starts and when it is no longer needed it switches off.  You don’t have to be there. Those who reside in Toronto may not know an outage has occurred.
“Without a generator hydro goes out, pipes freeze, hydro kicks back on, furnace comes back on, the pipes thaw and you have water damage.”

Sub-Zero integrated drawers bring refrigeration where it’s needed. Fresh greens in the kitchen island, soda in the media room. Photograph: Courtesy of Brown’s Appliances

Warm and cozy
Shelley Wallace of Fireplace and Leisure Centre, provides warm heat and ambiance with wood, natural gas and propane fireplaces and freestanding units, as well as pellet stoves, which burn bagged condensed sawdust.
“Dealing with the contractor and the homeowner, we enter the process anywhere from ‘There’s nothing-on-the-lot,’ to everything is finished and ‘Oh I forgot this!’ We start with what the customer wants and needs, and then, marry the two. We try to complete the entire ‘look’ with items such as a hearth board, cultured stone and a myriad of complimentary accessories.”
Pete Singer of Pete’s Heat, Efficient Wood & Gas says, “While it has been a popular year for wood, it does require work. Propane and natural gas, don’t require the same effort or involvement.
“Some become tired of bringing in the wood and taking out ash and they often move to a gas unit,” he says.
Susan Lepard of Muskoka Fireside Shop advises, “If you want to prepare and store wood and you want that type of intense heat, you would have a wood stove. If you want something easy, nice to look at, thermostatically controlled, then you would go with natural gas or propane.”
Singer adds, “We used to say, ‘If the hydro goes out’ and now we say, ‘When the hydro goes out.’ A furnace requires electricity. These units will function without electricity.
“Many use their wood burning and gas stoves or fireplaces as zone heat. To conserve energy, the temperature in the rest of the home is turned down and a specific area is heated.”
“To enhance or supplement your main heating source,” says Lepard, “I first ask how your home is currently heated. If you have central air and want to cut down on fuel consumption with a wood burning unit, I would suggest using the cold air return and fan system to push the wood burning heat throughout the house.
“With baseboard heating, I would suggest a natural gas, propane or wood burning unit for zone heating.”
Singer adds, “Some high-efficiency wood burning fireplaces have a ‘central heat option.’ The heat is distributed through duct work to a lower level from a fireplace on the main floor.”

Indoor Air Quality
“We build our homes so tight now that the home isn’t breathing and when the home doesn’t breathe it collects contaminates and toxins,” begins Chris Loughead. “Our homes today are built to keep fresh air out, all in the name of energy efficiency. Indoor air quality has deteriorated and that makes the home environmentally unhealthy.”
Dale Tebby adds, “Generally, the best way to have cleaner air inside the home is to bring the outside air in with a heat recovery ventilation system. Air is exhausted from washrooms, kitchens and laundry areas and run through a core that recovers the heat. The outside air comes in through the core and the heat is put back into the air stream.”
Wayne Fischer of Lifebreath Indoor Air Systems adds, “Instead of having a bathroom fan that takes the steam and humidity straight outside, we recover 90 per cent of the energy before the air is exhausted outside.”
Loughead says, “The air inside our homes contains toxins from chemicals in the paint, flooring, varnishes, furniture and carpeting and we breathe it.
“In 1952, there were 2,000 chemicals in a typical home. In Canada today there are 62,000.”

Plumbing
Plumbing is the next rough-in to begin.
Kitchens, bathrooms, the laundry, ice-makers, wet bars, exterior faucets, as well as hot water tanks, boilers and furnace humidifiers all need water service. 
Water drawn from lakes, rivers and wells may need filtration and purifiers; heated lines for winter may also be required.
Jim Steele of Jim’s Pump Shop, installs pre-manufactured equipment to purify river and lake water, meeting the high standards of commercial governmental regulations.
“If you’re on a well and the water is tasty and tests zero bacteria count, you don’t need a purification system,” states Steele. “However, the water should be tested every six months.”
“The septic installer will decide, in the pre-building stage, the best location for the septic system and that determines how the plumber will proceed with the drainage,” states David Knowles of Knowles Plumbing. “The plumber needs to know where the fresh water is coming from and where the discharge water is going.”
“When floor plans are extensive, with multileveled bathrooms, laundry and kitchen areas, it’s necessary to install recirculating systems,” says Blanchard. “This ensures hot water is available in a timely fashion any place in the home, no matter how far away from the hot water tank.”
Pumps must be calculated, and supply lines sized, to deliver constant volume and pressure everywhere, regardless of other demands placed on the system at the same time.

Ultimate in luxury and relaxation is this hot tub with seating for eight, 81 therapeutic jets, “Snorkel-free seating,” three powerful jet pumps and options including an audio system. Photograph: Courtesy of Hot Tub Warehouse

Waiting five minutes for hot water to arrive at the end bathroom is unacceptable. Showers that turn cold and dribble when the kitchen tap is turned on – sound familiar? – indicates bad design, pure and simple.
Once the fresh water is in the house and the distribution and waste water systems are in place and inspected, the dry walling can proceed.
Keith Boulton of Union Gas suggests placing the water heater on an outside wall. “The water heater can be vented through a chimney but an outside wall is more convenient,” he says.
From a recovery perspective, natural gas heats water quickly, benefitting families using a lot of hot water.
“When shopping for plumbing and fixtures the homeowner should have the finalized plans in hand,” says Knowles.
Cheryl Board of Bathworks agrees, suggesting homeowners stop by when they’re breaking ground.
“Ordering product ahead helps to maintain a smooth flow on the construction site. Some items may take six to eight weeks and having them sooner than later is better,” she adds.
Modern multi-head showers, whirlpools, air pools, double vanities are expectations in custom homes and have a major impact on supply design. The sky is the limit on fixture selection.
A simple bathtub at $300 is perfectly adequate to bathe and keep clean, but that’s not what people select.
“Tubs are available with a purge feature,” explains Board. “When you’re finished with the tub, it kicks on and blows out the excess water from the lines, reducing bacteria growth.”
Whirlpool tubs may cost $5,000 but they set the tone for all the other upgrades. The $49 faucets are just not going to cut it now. These are all personal choices, the additional costs are self-inflicted and that’s okay.
“The larger fixture items including tubs and showers are chosen first so that the walls can be closed in around them,” explains Knowles. “Should someone change their mind at a later date, there are sectional tubs and showers, but ideally it should be determined beforehand.”

The set up for a solar system, including batteries for back up power, takes surprisingly little space. Photograph: Courtesy of Muskoka Renewable Energy

Electrical System
The electrical system is just as demanding as the others. Location of pot lights and sconce lighting must be carefully planned around furniture layouts ahead of time – the same for switches and receptacles at bedside night tables. Three and four-way switches need to be determined.
“Before installing the electrical work, we walk through the home with the owner,” says Tom Morrow of Morrow Electric. “Up to now plans have been viewed on paper only. After experiencing the actual home, changes are sometimes requested.
“Increased automation is the trend,” adds Morrow. “Burglar alarm systems are more and more common because of the high property values.”
Media rooms and home offices
“With the growing popularity of home offices and media rooms, new design considerations comes into play”, says Don McLean of Woodsmiths of Muskoka.
These areas have special needs. Appliances, sound systems, computer stations, fax, flat-screen built-in TVs, phones, intercoms and speaker systems all require feeds be in place in the right location. Extension cords running all over the place in a new home would be a sure sign of bad planning!
“Not only do they need to be wired for optimal usability and convenience, the layout and design of cabinetry, computer desks and equipment must be ergonomically sound,” he adds.
Personal lighting choices, dimmer switches, dial up activation, are usually determined in consultations with clients, interior designers and the decorating team. The size of the electrical service will be determined by all of these needs plus the electric heat, if that is the choice. Don’t forget exterior lighting including the path and driveway, say the pros.

Creative kitchen designs require special attention as the venting, plumbing and wiring are installed. Photograph: Courtesy of Woodsmiths of Muskoka

Kitchens
As soon as the initial building plans are completed, homeowners begin to research the myriad of kitchen options, says Reno ReCoutt of Northern Buildall’s Kitchen Centre. They look at functionality, style and space.
“Once the home is framed,” adds McLean, “we meet with the electrician and plumber.” Kitchen site measurements are taken so that plumbing, electrical and venting requirements can be properly installed.  
Jennifer Gardiner of Brown’s Appliances says, “Co-ordinating and communicating with the builder, electricians, plumbers, duct men and cabinetmaker is vital. The specific kitchen components chosen, based on the architect’s design, determine the subsequent wiring and plumbing.”
She says other considerations include air clearance to allow products to breathe, the depth of space required for a fridge to fit flush and the venting of gas products.
“If the ventilation for gas is roof mounted, a blower is needed,” adds David Grigg, also of Brown’s Appliances. “Builders call ahead to schedule delivery of the blower. It could be months before the hood, which accompanies it, is needed.”
Gardiner adds, “Stainless steel for appliances is still very big. The glass-front look, as well as wall ovens with a microwave stacked above, are among products high in demand. As we age, we don’t want to bend over,” she adds with a smile. “Dishwashers are in drawers at counter height, freezers are on the bottom with the fridge on top. Everything we want, the majority of the time, is at eye level.”
A large pot-filler tap installed behind the stove lets you fill a large pan with water without having to carrying it across floor – an amazing idea!
“From a kitchen layout perspective, custom homebuilders have several different options,” suggests Boulton of Union Gas. “Consider a natural gas range, dryer, grill or BBQ. Running all gas lines at the time of construction, as opposed to later, is more cost effective and convenient.”

Food warming drawers keep food warm for hours at the perfect temperature and moisture level, until you decide to serve. Photograph: Courtesy of Brown’s Appliances

Conclusion
The scheduling, and orchestration, of rough-ins should be handled by builders with experience at this level. So many details, nothing can be missed, so many people involved. It’s very time-consuming but extremely rewarding when it all comes together. It cannot be over emphasized that everyone must work together as a team.
Tebby concludes, “The best advice I can give is, ‘Don’t be price driven. Rather than five quotes get five references. Doing it for less means you will end up with less and you may not know it for years.”

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