Building Outside the Box Innovation reigns supreme in new home designs created by Dynasty By Roger Newman For the Parade of Homes Innovation is the driving force at Dynasty Homes, a one-stop shop in Charleswood for all the needs of new home buyers. "We're here to help home owners bring their dreams and ideas to reality," says Dan Thiessen, one half of Dynasty's marketing team. "We spend time with the owners to develop what they want. We also introduce a new design every year." Dynasty's designs usually remain popular for more than 12 months. In the mid-1990s, the company conceived the Sunburst series of homes, which were honoured with a gold medal at the 1997 Parade of New Homes. Sunburst plans call for the outer walls of bungalows to be extended so that skylights can be installed to create lots of bright, airy livable space on the below grade level of a home. The skylights are complemented by five-foot wide basement windows and a vapour barrier under a concrete floor that eliminates dampness and lowers heating costs. With such innovations, owners can end up with more than 3,000 square feet of well-lit, economic living space without having to build a second storey. "The Sunburst is a unique idea," says Abe Friesen, the other half of Dynasty's marketing team. "It has now been popular with new home buyers for six years." Dynasty is not stopping there, however. At this year's Parade of New Homes it will unveil The Monterey, a custom-crafted, 1,668 square foot, two-bedroom bungalow at 35 Linden Terrace Way in Linden Woods. Features of the Monterey include a majestic great room with fireplace and rear deck, a master bedroom with deluxe en suite and walk-in closet, a big kitchen with nook and adjoining dining room, all topped off with oak floors and the latest in technology. "There is also a front veranda giving this home a country flair," Mr. Friesen says. The company's designs are based on both creativity and experience. Dynasty was formed in the early 1980s as the residential construction division of Stratfield Properties, which is involved in condominium building, commercial project management and land development. Since then, Dynasty has built extensively in Winnipeg and surrounding areas, including such subdivisions as Linden Woods, Breezy Bend and Kingswood. Everything from 1,400 square foot entry level bungalows to luxury homes of 2,000 square feet or more are created by Dynasty under the watchful eyes of a team of specialists who include Mr. Thiessen, Mr. Friesen, Business Manager John Friesen and Construction Manager Willie Friesen. They average 25 years of experience in the home building industry. "We believe we have a track record second to none," Mr. Thiessen says. "We can offer a good lengthy list of referrals." While the company is known for its innovative models, it places an emphasis on customizing homes for clients. "We build outside the box not within the box," Mr. Friesen says. "We incorporate and adapt to the ideas of buyers, and can make changes on the fly if necessary." Mr. Thiessen says there are usually four to six planning meetings with buyers before construction starts. But the process can either be accelerated or prolonged depending on the wishes of individual customers. All of this work takes place at Dynasty's offices at 3611 Roblin Blvd., where there are design, engineering and drafting services in the same building. "We can complete specs for a home without forcing buyers to rush around from one place to another," Mr. Thiessen says. "We are a one-stop business that provides sincere and personalized service to buyers." Mr. Friesen says Dynasty belongs to an industry warranty program and focuses as well on post-construction service. "We have built for several customers more than once and as many as four times for at least one," he adds. The two members of the marketing team say Dynasty has no plans to expand beyond its present volume of about 25 homes a year. "Rather than building huge numbers of houses, our ambition is to become even more innovative in the future," Mr. Friesen says.