As an ENERGY STAR® builder, Park View Homes creates houses that are not only beautifully designed, highly functional, and crafted for everyday living, but are also engineered to be comfortable year-round. On average, ENERGY STAR® certified homes are 20 percent more energy-efficient than typical new homes, and Park View prides itself on creating homes that are both beautiful and cost less to operate.
New home buyers tend to focus on aesthetics, like kitchen countertops and cabinetry, says Construction Manager, Jason Cabrelle. “A lot of people take energy efficiency for granted—until they see the savings on their hydro and gas bills.” In the past few years, Park View Homes has focused even more on its commitment to creating properties of the highest standards, and this includes what Cabrelle calls “behind-the-scenes” activity, like air barriers and mechanical systems.
Going “airtight”
Around 2022, Park View started as an ENERGY STAR® for New Homes Standard builder. Only builders licensed by the Government of Canada “can promote themselves as ENERGY STAR® builders and can apply to have their homes ENERGY STAR® certified,” according to regulations.
Owing to the program’s exacting standards for new homes, there were some growing pains surrounding airtightness. “We air test every single one of our houses, which, at the end of the day, gives people more comfort in their homes,” Cabrelle explains. “We want to make sure that you’re as comfortable as possible in your house and that your house is as efficient as possible.” Some of the many advantages of airtightness include fewer drafts, greater comfort, a healthier and quieter home, reduced heating and cooling loads, and less energy waste.
Far from just talking quality, the company measures it, air testing every single house for potential leakage. “Testing each house keeps us accountable; we can’t get away from the results,” Cabrelle says. “We have to honour them. It’s not just that we say, ‘we are ENERGY STAR®,’ it’s that we are tested, and we live up to it.”
To ensure houses meet rigorous standards, the company works with a third-party energy advisor on energy efficiency designs. Once homes are reviewed and signed off, they receive an ENERGY STAR® sticker. And Park View has been featured several times on Homesol’s social media as a ‘Tight Home of the Week.’
“Because our homes are so energy efficient, it helps homebuyers qualify for green financing options,” says Cabrelle of the RBC Green Home Mortgage Program, where buyers have the option to extend their amortization period to up to 35 years (compared to typical amortization periods, which are usually a maximum of 30 years).
Attention to detail
Starting as a site supervisor and working his way up to Construction Manager, Cabrelle has seen plenty of changes to Ontario’s home-building sector over the past 14 years. Regardless of home model, location, or price point, all Park View homes are created with the utmost attention to detail and a tight build process.
“We take a custom home feel and quality and transfer that to all our homes, whether it’s a single home or townhouse. We pay the same attention to detail to all our products. It really raises the consistency of our final build quality and the comfort of our houses,” he says.
“People are extremely happy with us as a company and with our communication and attention to detail. We aim to exceed expectations, and number one is our attention to detail. We take pride in our homes and in ensuring the buyer is happy. For me, it’s about building relationships and making sure those homeowners are happy. I don’t think a lot of companies do that; they are just there to build the house and turn away.”
Bellamy Farm Phase III
Founded in 2001, family-owned Park View Homes focuses on secondary markets, which are largely more rural than urban. The company is proud to be part of the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association (GOHBA), the Ontario Home Builders’ Association (OHBA), and the Lanark-Leeds Home Builders’ Association (LLHBA).
Much of the company’s marketing is in two significant categories: downsizers and first-time homebuyers. Believing that high-quality houses built without cutting corners should be within reach, Park View Homes properties are priced in the low $400s; some, like Bellamy Farm Phase III, start at $379,000, with just $5,000 down.
In the heart of Smiths Falls, Bellamy Farm Phase III is in an area known for its stunning natural beauty. Just an hour’s drive from Ottawa, Smiths Falls boasts small-town charm and nearby amenities like shops, restaurants, and medical facilities, without the stress of big-city traffic congestion and noise. Three home styles are available—Garageless Bungalows, Bungalow Townhomes, and Two-Storey Townhomes—all beautifully designed with ENERGY STAR® efficiency.
Attainable bungalow townhomes have the option of one or two bedrooms. About 1100 square feet in size, bungalows have a finished basement and are completely freehold. Along with a driveway, the properties have sheds ideal for tools, recycling bins, and other items. Equipped with a heat pump, these homes run an 8kW backup electric heater as secondary heat in the system.
“Those specific buildings—with some changes in our paperwork—could be registered as Net Zero Ready homes,” explains Cabrelle. “The quality is exactly the same as in our $1.5 million homes, as far as finished quality goes.” Creating houses that balance craftsmanship and attention to detail with energy efficiency is a team effort.
Something for everyone
Along with Bellamy Farm Phase III, Park View Homes has two other main subdivisions underway in the Ottawa area: Russell Ridge estates in Marionville (just outside of Russell), and Merrickville Grove in the heritage village of Merrickville. Combined, these three subdivisions cover the varying tastes and needs of many different buyers, from singles to young couples looking for their first house, to families with children, to older empty-nesters seeking the peace of a laidback, rural lifestyle.
Established in 2021, the Russell Ridge community consists of spacious homes on three-quarter-acre country lots with nearby nature trails and quiet country roads. Available in three, four, and five-bedroom designs with optional finished basements, Russell Ridge embodies the finest in construction and efficient ENERGY STAR® design.
With just 24 homes and no through streets, Russell Ridge is tranquil, secure, and exclusive. With nearby access to schools, shops, and restaurants, easy access to Highway 417, and a 25-minute drive from the east end of Ottawa, this community is perfect for hybrid workers and families alike. Built to order in about 12 months, the Sussex Craftsman Model measures 2,250 square feet and is priced at $1,069,000.
The company’s Merrickville Grove is an 83-home community near Merrickville’s historic Main Street. Known as the “Jewel of the Rideau,” the development is five minutes on foot from the Rideau Canal, coffee shops, quaint local stores, and restaurants. These bungalow townhomes and two-storey townhomes start at an attainable $499,900.
With nearby parks, schools, shopping, and safe, quiet streets, Merrickville Grove is the perfect place for young couples to raise a family and for active retirees who want the comfort of a home with low maintenance. It is a quiet place where homeowners can walk downtown, grab a coffee or a meal, browse shops, and say hi to neighbours. And, to give back to the municipality, Park View Homes hired a company to build a park with structures for everyone to enjoy. Most times, builders will save the park until the very end of the subdivision development; Park View did the opposite. By installing the park early in the construction process, buyers were able to enjoy it as their homes were being built, and locals could take advantage of the space. “We try to help out the communities we work in,” says Cabrelle. “Recently we helped put a new deck and accessible ramp on the public library in Merrickville at no cost.”
Living its values
For most of us, buying a new home is not only a big financial investment, but an investment in the lives of our families. Realizing this, Park View Homes treats homeowners and potential buyers with the utmost respect and integrity. “It’s all about things like that, the relationships we build with homeowners,” says Cabrelle. “We give everybody the same treatment.”
Focused on more than product, Park View Homes builds not only homes but entire communities, and the company’s team stands behind its proven track record of over 1,200 houses constructed to date. “For me, that’s an important thing, where we can help out and show that we aren’t a ‘big bad builder’ who doesn’t care about homeowners,” says Cabrelle. “Actually, it’s the complete opposite; what we care about is that the homeowner is happy with their home and community,” he says.
“We are super proud to be building in those communities, and proud of where we’ve come from. We’re proud to be focusing on home comfort and making sure that we exceed expectations while we try to give them the best experience, start to finish.”
