Made to Last Blog

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A good Builder on Vancouver Island

Home Builder Ripping You Off? Here’s How to Spot the Signs

We’ve been in the custom home building game for a while now, and let’s just say—we’ve seen things. From clients who needed us to fix someone else’s mess to those who came to us mid-project after being let down, it’s clear: not all builders are created equal. So, how can you tell if your home […]

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Yellow modern farmhouse front exterior from side

JOB POSTING – BOOKKEEPER

Made to Last is offering a challenging and rewarding career opportunity for an experienced Bookkeeper. Made to Last Custom Homes Ltd. is a growing residential construction company, located in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, BC.  Our company has been in operation since 2011, and primarily builds quality custom homes.  Read more about our company […]

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two workers looking at construction plans inside home foundation

What is the Cost Per Square Foot to Build a Custom Home?

One of the most common questions we hear as home builders is “What does it cost per square foot to build a home?” With many builders, such as those developing spec homes, you are dealing with fixed plans. Many choices are not offered to the homeowner. Made to Last builds custom homes. This means the […]

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exterior framing windows and deck

BuildBook: The Best Software For Your Homebuilding Experience

We live in a digital world. Everything is connected, accessible, and easily stored. Your custom home building or remodelling experience should be just as effortless. The best contractors use digital tools and platforms to keep your project running smoothly, on time and budget. The industry gold standard among these home building management tools is BuildBook. […]

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Kitchen facing ocean views in Cowichan Valley home

Why Are Building Material Prices Increasing?

If you are considering building a home, you may have heard about the increasing cost of building materials. While the price of lumber catches most of the headlines, and thankfully has dropped quite a bit recently, costs are very fluid and rising in other categories. The rate of change that the construction industry is currently […]

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Metal roof on custom home in Duncan

Time for Some Home Maintenance and Improvement

As we reach Spring on Vancouver Island, it’s always a good time to look around the house and think about home maintenance.  Perhaps you hope to host family and friends at your home in the coming months. Or maybe you are considering selling your home. Regardless, home maintenance is an important thing to keep up […]

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Modern farmhouse roof view solar panels

The High Performance Custom Home: Building Beyond the Standard

Renovation to oceanfront custom home

Bare Point Custom Home Renovation

When Bare Point Custom Home began construction in 2018, the homeowners always planned to complete a future project. The goal was to add to the home and renovate a portion of the existing home after a few years. The original build focused on affordability. But, an addition that would include a secondary suite and garage […]

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Quamichan Net Zero Awards

Quamichan Net Zero – A National Finalist

Made to Last Custom Homes is excited to announce that one of our projects is a finalist for the 2023 Canadian Home Builders’ Association’s (CHBA) National Awards for Housing Excellence. The CHBA National Awards are the premiere competition for new homes and renovations in Canada. Quamichan Net Zero is a finalist for Best Custom Net Zero Home. […]

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Quamichan Net Zero Home front exterior

Net Zero Home Building & Design – Do They Save You Money?

Made to Last Custom Homes built the Quamichan Net Zero Home on the shores of Quamichan Lake in Duncan. This is the Cowichan Valley’s first officially labelled Net Zero Home. “Net Zero” means that this home produces as much energy as it is consuming. This is partially thanks to the solar panels on the roof.  But […]

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