Our System
Design
We recognize that no two sites are identical, nor are the requirements of any two home owners. Therefore, all of our standard designs allow a degree of change and adaptation. In addition, we can generate customized versions of all of our systems, as well as multi-family versions of any of them.
Kit of Parts
The basic kit that Jenesys delivers to you is essentially an unfinished shell, and it includes the following prefabricated parts:
- Insulated exterior wall panels, precut for windows and doors
- Insulated roof panels and/or uninsulated trusses (varies with system chosen)
- Interior partitions, floor systems, roof joists and/or trusses, together with structural beams and posts as required
- Stairs, plates, joist hangers, specialty hardware, panel sealants, and building wrap
Optional additional elements include:
- Windows and exterior doors
- Wardrobes
- Kitchen cabinets
Delivery
We ship our kits to your site by flat bed truck, and usually one to three truckloads are required, depending on house size and options chosen. Trucks can be unloaded by hand or using a forklift truck or other equipment.
From our base in British Columbia we deliver to British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Washington State, and Oregon.
From our base in Southern Ontario we deliver to Ontario, Michigan, Ohio, and Upstate New York.
Cost
When completed Jenesys houses cost approximately the same as stick built houses with similar finishes and features ($160-220/sq.ft. in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario). Our kit of parts makes up approximately 25-35% of that cost, depending on features chosen.
Typically our super-insulated shell costs about $2/sq.ft. more than a conventionally framed and insulated wall. However that represents a premium of only about 1% on the final cost of the home, an expense recuperated in energy savings within 5-8 years. Savings in subsequent years can be seen as investment income, at a rate of return of +10% per year, not subject to tax. The extra insulation is an excellent investment.
Construction
Jenesys is not a construction company. We help our clients to either find a qualified local contractor or act as their own general contractor. The contractor prepares the site, assembles the Jenesys kit of parts, and finishes the house in accordance with the Jenesys working drawings and the owners' locally sourced finish choices.
Our kits can be assembled by any conventionally qualified framing sub-contractor.
Process
Agreement: We provide an initial estimate for the cost of design and working drawings. If that is acceptable, we sign a simple one page design agreement, with a provision for a retainer of $1,000, which is applied to the design costs.
Design: For each of our projects we work closely with our clients to generate a design suitable to their site and program requirements. Then we provide an initial estimate for the cost of the kit of parts. If that is acceptable we develop working drawings meeting all local Code requirements, and suitable for building permit application.
Our SIP panels and structural elements are prefabricated under the direction of registered structural engineers, but usually building officials require applicants to also hire a local registered structural engineer to review the structural aspects of the drawings and to provide structural inspections during construction; the cost of this is usually quite modest.
Purchase: Once the working drawings are complete, we provide a final quote for the delivered cost of the kit of parts. If that is acceptable, a purchase order is signed. At the time of signing we require a deposit of 30%, with further payments of 35% each at the time of shipping, and at 30 days from delivery.
Construction: When desired we can often recommend one or more qualified contractor in your area. Our component packages are delivered with assembly drawings and all major parts are numbered. If desired, we can usually recommend an assembly expert experienced with our systems to work with you or your contractor during the assembly phase.
We are always available by telephone during construction to answer any questions about our packages and, within reason, about the construction process.
Press
Jenesys houses have been profiled in the following publications:
Web
- Vancouver Sun
- Vancouver Province
- Calgary Herald
- Edmonton Journal
- Ottawa Citizen
- Canadian House and Home
- Coastline Magazine
- Canadian House and Home
Jenesys Buildings Corp.
Vancouver B.C. : (604) 649-9904Vancouver Island : (250) 752-0292
Ontario : (519) 641-8192
e-mail : info@jenesysbuildings.ca
