Custom Designed,
Energy Efficient
& Healthy Homes
John & Judy Froats - Bancroft Cottage
July 21, 2011
Pat, Dave, TJ, Kent, Jeff,
Judy and I want to thank you for your great work on the timber frame. We are really impressed with the talent and craftsmanship of the Team. We have looked at dozens (maybe hundreds!) of timber frame buildings over the years and we think yours (ours) is the best. After we stopped by to see you on our way to Ottawa on Tuesday, the conversation all the way to Ottawa was abuzz with sharing details of what we had seen in your work. The joinery is somewhere between precise and a work of art. The attention to details in the selection of oak and maple splines will be a talking point for years to come. The bracing and sizing of the timbers all work well. The rounded beams in the ends to frame the front window are great.
We realize there is still much to come but wanted to let you all know how much we are impressed and excited about your Teams work. The design looks like it will surpass our expectations. The craftsmanship is something to show off. All we can say is so far well done guys. The place felt perfect as we stood looking at the layout and the structure. You must feel very proud of your completed timber frame. You done good!
So don't let it go to your heads - we'll expect the same degree of excellence on the rest of the project! Just kidding - we are delighted and know that we picked the right team to work with.
We have been dreaming of owning a timber frame cottage for a long time. Thanks for making a dream come true.
Best regards,
Judy & John
________________________________________________________________________
Glenn & Nancy Keating - Bancroft
HavenCraft Homes
Re: Construction of new Home
778 Maxwell Settlement Road
Bancroft, Ontario
Dear Pat and Sherri
It is my sincere pleasure to provide this letter to you and your team in reference to the DREAM HOME you have built for us.
I have been through the difficult process of building a home before, but have never experienced the detail and concern to build it right that you have provided to me. Of course there are trying times during any project of this size, but when we look at the final product, it is amazing how issues and concerns are things of the past and we are left with the home of our dreams.
Your leadership and team management was great. You were able to keep your crew moving forward, while looking ahead, at what seemed at the time, an impossible mountain to climb.
We made reference a number of times during the project that it was a "Havencraft detail", and all I can say now is thank goodness for this detail. It truly has made the difference in making our house much more than a house, you have built us a home to cherish and for this I am sincerely grateful.
Cheers to you, Sherri and the guys.........
Glenn and Nancy Keating
_____________________________________________________________________
Kandi Wood - Orillia
(Visit Kandi’s blog at http://orilliastrawbale.blogspot.com/)
Kandi wrote a great book about her experience - find it here.
“To My Crew:
And so it comes to pass, my new family leaves me and moves on. You leave behind your own legacy, in my home.
You are a credit to your trade - diligent, hardworking, persevering, craftsmen and women.
This journey we have traveled together has not happened by chance. I truly believe that the right people were here on this project. You all came together for a reason - perhaps that reason is already known, or still to be known. I will remember you all, for many reasons as you each brought your own style and individuality to the project.
Dan: your ‘lead workhorse’ character always leading the team, with your experience and craftsmanship - I will remember you always when I am pottering at my workbench in the garage! Saskatchewan will gain and Ontario will lose a talented carpenter!
Jenn: your smile that shines every time you use it and your laugh - infectious and uplifting, it will echo for a long time in my house! Your input, inspiration and hard work was always a welcome breath of fresh air! May you have every success in all that you pursue!
Dierdre: even though you joined us later in the project, I always felt like you had been there from the start (as though we were holding a spot for the fourth crew member (you) all along!) - what a gift to have had two women on my crew - balancing the male/female talents! What a career you will have ahead of you with your talent in the straw bale field - all the best with your business endeavors!
Nate: your gentle spirit and depth of soul touched me from the start - you have abundance within you that radiates through - it was always a pleasure to see your smiling face and have you share your talents on my project! Your totem pole will hold a place of honour in my house!
And finally Pat: I knew when I met you at the Ecology Retreat Centre two years ago, that you and I were meant to walk a path together for a while - your gentle nature and extensive knowledge of your trade impressed me without you even trying. Your craftsmanship, diligence, attention to detail and professionalism will take you far in your business. It has been my pleasure to work with you and I believe this will not be the last time we ‘walk together’ on a project. I cannot leave Sherri out of this either - my gratitude to her for ‘sharing’ you for this time and supporting you through all the stressful times along the way.
My fondest wishes go with all of you and I hope to see you back when we do Phase II!
Kandi Wood - April 2007
________________________________________________________________________
Gus & Mayah Sevink - Bobcaygeon
“We are very pleased to offer this recommendation for Havencraft Homes. We have lived with our new addition for about a year, and it is just great. From the beginning, our experience has been a positive one.
Having built our own home in the past, we had experienced the building process and the many challenges that can come up. We were also interested in trying something “new” by incorporating straw bale into the existing house.
We contacted several builders and knew early on that Havencraft was the builder we wanted. Pat and Sherri met with us a number of times and, with their experience, helped develop the final plan with care, creativity and cost consciousness. They worked well with the designer and suggested a number of helpful revisions.
The project got started early with a crew of highly experienced trades people, some of them local. The work pace was steady, never demented, and there was always time for a friendly exchange. We were able to participate as much or as little as we wanted.
Craftsmanship became apparent from the foundation upwards, beginning with the in floor heating system. The straw bale was expertly installed and beautifully finished. At Pat’s suggestion, a number of trees, included the two cut down to make room for the addition, were dramatically incorporated into the living space.
While the project took longer than anticipated (and what building project doesn’t), things were manageable. Small problems encountered along the way were quickly solved.
All in all, our experience was a positive one, and we are very pleased with the results.”
________________________________________________________________________
Emil & Kris Gadjanski - Coe Hill
Thanks again for the beautiful quality of workmanship. Our cottage is more amazing than we dreamed it would be.
- The Gadjanski Family