In the stunning Alberta countryside, Suzanne and Wayne Colborne wanted to build a home that not only reflected their rural roots but also provided a welcoming space for their blended family. “We wanted a home that was inviting, one that our family could enjoy with us. We needed enough space to host all of our family members, but was also cozy and comfortable when it’s just the two of us.”
Suzanne and Wayne researched many different home-building options before choosing Integrity Post Structures. “We didn’t go into this decision lightly,” explains Suzanne. “We had built more traditional, stick-frame homes in the past, and we were curious what our other options were. We wanted to understand the benefits and drawbacks of the different construction methods.”
They were both familiar with post-frame construction, as well as a slab-on-grade foundation. “My brother-in-law had built a home using a slab-on-grade foundation. We were always intrigued by how quickly a home could be built with no basement, so we reached out to Integrity to get more information,” says Suzanne.
“The Integrity team was very helpful,” explains Suzanne. “Everyone was helpful and willing to answer all of our questions, and they were so patient. We took a while to decide what type of house we wanted, but ultimately we chose to build Integrity Post Structure’s Highwood model with a loft.”
“We chose post-frame construction because it is strong and durable, the building process is very efficient and we didn’t need a basement. We liked Integrity because they offered us flexibility in design. They built the outside shell for us and then we completed the inside ourselves, with our contractor,” explains Suzanne. “With Integrity, we were able to build our home the way we wanted it.”
During construction, the Colbornes chose to live on-site in their trailer. “Once we had the pad prepped, we witnessed the whole building process including the screw piles, the framing and sheathing, the high-pitched metal roof as well as custom window and door installation,” explains Suzanne. “We got to watch Integrity’s workmanship and professionalism first hand. There were a few delays due to the weather, but otherwise, there were no real challenges. The Integrity team knew what they were doing and we had comfort knowing the structure was very solid and would tolerate the Alberta winters.”
All Integrity homes are finished with metal siding, which is highly durable, cost-effective and relatively maintenance-free compared to other siding options. “Initially, we weren’t sure about a metal exterior,” explains Suzanne. “But we were drawn to the easy maintenance of the material, as well, we were impressed with how smart and classic it looked.”
A selling point of the metal cladding for Suzanne was the array of colour options. “Often a builder will only let you select from a limited number of colours, but Integrity offered numerous colour options, allowing us to choose what we really loved.” Suzanne and her husband chose a dark red hue as a primary colour because it resonated with their love for the countryside. “For us, the colour says ‘country’ and reminds us of our roots, in particular the red barns of long ago.”
Overall, Suzanne describes her home-building experience as excellent. “We enjoyed our experience with Integrity. Every stage of building our home, from the initial discussion to design to construction was great. The team is professional, competent and reliable. With Integrity we built a home that we are very proud of and that our family enjoys visiting.”
