Truly Custom H a b i t a t S t u d i o N e v e r B u i l d s t h e S a m e H o u s e Tw i c e By Nerissa McNaughton
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n 1992, Bruce Watt was a home designer and Vince Campbell was a carpenter. Both men had one thing in common: a passion for client-specific, unique, custom homes. This dream, and their compatibility in working together, led them to found Habitat Studio.
There are many custom home builders in Edmonton. What makes Habitat Studio different? “A lot of companies say they are custom builders, but then they invite you to pick a plan that they “customize.” Habitat Studio designs from scratch. We build from a blank piece of paper. We don’t have specs. We choose everything together with the client, and you won’t find anyone that can build a more energy efficient home in Canada,” says Trevor Hoover, president, director and senior designer. Hoover joined the company shortly after the two founders retired, and he wakes up every day eager to go to a job where creativity, customer service and environmental responsibly are so highly valued. “When you go to another builder, they will show you their products. We don’t have a product. We don’t build a house. We build a home and provide a service while doing so. That’s what makes us stand out. We provide true designs, true builds, and are truly transparent. Our clients see where every penny they spend goes. There is no guessing. Everything is transparent month to month and week to week.” He pauses to smile about another advantage Habitat clients enjoy. “The energy efficiency aspect really pushes us over the top.” When Peter Amerongen joined the company in the mid-90s, he knew that energy efficiency in homes would become increasingly important, and he spearheaded the initiative for Habitat Studio to incorporate as many green elements into their designs as possible. Habitat’s green building leadership has earned it many awards from the Net-Zero Energy Home Coalition, along with environmental awards from the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, for more than five consecutive years.
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