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Amsted Blog

Learn more about Amsted by reading our latest news or watching our informative videos. If you’d like Amsted’s latest projects and special announcements delivered directly to your inbox, simply sign up for our quarterly newsletter at the bottom of this page.

Steve Barkhouse Receives Algonquin College Fellowship Award

July 8, 2024

Strengthening community has always been at the heart of Amsted’s values for the past 35 years. It is with great pride that we announce co-owner, Steve Barkhouse has been awarded the Algonquin College Fellowship Award. This honour has only been presented once before in the College’s history and recognizes exceptional individual community members who have…

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Crafting a Perfect Urban Home

June 24, 2024

Project Highlight: Living in Colour Creating a custom home on a limited urban lot is a unique challenge, but one that we embraced with strategic design choices and innovative solutions. Located in Ottawa’s Golden Triangle neighbourhood, this custom home showcases how thoughtful planning and precise execution can transform a small plot into a spacious, functional,…

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#Amsted35for35

June 14, 2024

Celebrating 35 Years with 35 Charitable Acts It can not be said enough that Amsted would not be where we are today without the support of our incredible team members, valued trade partners, and cherished clients. From Ottawa to Brockville, and everywhere in between, homeowners in these communities have given us 35 great years. At…

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Seen about town: Celebrating 35 Years

May 31, 2024

Proud Clients Display Lawn Signs in Support of 35 Year Milestone As we mark a significant milestone this year, our 35th anniversary, we wanted to celebrate in a way that acknowledges the heart of our success: our clients and their homes. To do this (and like we did at our 25th anniversary), we launched our…

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Creating an Accessible Home

May 27, 2024

To celebrate National AccessAbility Week, let’s focus on how we can craft a home that is customize to the homeowners’ unique needs and eliminate barriers. Whether it is due to a sudden injury, disability, or simply the desire to live in your home for as long as possible – an Adaptiv Home Renovation can help.…

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CTV News – How much will 24 Sussex cost to repair?

April 29, 2024

  Did you catch Steve Barkhouse on Ottawa CTV News last week giving his expert take on how much it would cost to renovator the historic 24 Sussex Dr? Renovating a project of this scale presents unique challenges. Not only is this the Prime Minister’s official residence, but it also holds historical significance and serves…

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Upcoming Seminar: Your Guide to a Successful Renovation

April 26, 2024

With 35 years of experience, Amsted Design-Build is known for creating successful renovation projects from design through to construction. If you’re planning an upcoming home improvement project, let us help you overcome the unknowns with our upcoming seminar: Your Guide to a Successful Renovation. In this interactive presentation, Chris Mulholland (2022 GOHBA Designer of the…

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Upcoming Seminar: Crafting your Dream Custom Home

April 25, 2024

🔨 Craft a Home that Brings Your Dreams to Life! 🏡 Are you dreaming of building a custom home but don’t know where to start? Join us for this exclusive seminar! Choosing to build a custom home is a significant financial and time investment. The journey can be full of hurdles, from zoning laws to…

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CHBA finalist

2024 Canadian Home Builders’ Association Finalist

April 18, 2024

We are proud and honoured to announce that 4 of our stunning projects have been nominated for awards with the Canadian Home Builder’s Association (CHBA). It is an incredible feeling for our work and our client’s homes to be recognized at a national level. Check out these highlights below and visit our gallery for more…

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Amsted Design-Build is Building for the Future

April 12, 2024

2024 is a big year for Amsted. Not only does it mark our 35th year in business, but also our owners, Steve Barkhouse and Kirk Haw, are preparing for retirement. Amsted was recently feature in Ottawa’s Faces Magazine to discuss our continued success with a new leadership team, ensuring a lasting legacy for Amsted Design-Build.…

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Planning Your Cottage Getaway

February 28, 2024

As the days grow longer and the promise of warmer weather beckons, it’s the perfect time to start envisioning your upcoming cottage getaway. Whether it’s loved ones gathered around the bonfire, the smell of pine in the air, or the sound of waves lapping at the shore, we know how important your cottage life is…

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Ontario home builders association award, renovator of the year 2023

2023 Ontario Renovator of the Year

February 7, 2024

Amsted Design-Build has been crowned 2023 Ontario Renovator of the Year by the Ontario Home Builders’ Association (OHBA)! At the OHBA Awards of Distinction Gala held in October 2023, our team was honoured to receive this prestigious award. This marks the fifth time receiving this esteemed accolade since its introduction in 2013. This achievement is…

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Home renovation ottawa living room

Design Trends for 2024 and Beyond

January 12, 2024

The world of home renovation and design is always evolving with exciting new trends that promise to elevate our living spaces. This year, we’ve notices a demand on creating warm, inviting environments that seamlessly blend modern aesthetics with natural elements. Here’s a glimpse into the design and selection elements that are currently taking centre stage…

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Renovation seminar Ottawa Brockville

“Beat the Winter Blues” – 2024 Renonation Seminars

January 11, 2024

Beat the winter blues with a burst of inspiration! As we find ourselves spending more time indoors during the winter months, it’s natural to become acutely aware of the aspects of our homes that could use a little TLC. Those outdated fixtures, worn-out floors, or inefficient layouts suddenly become glaringly apparent. If you’ve been contemplating…

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Best Ontario Renovator 2023

December 8, 2023

2023 has been another banner year for our team at Amsted Design-Build! Here are a few of the highlights from our award-winning season:   Ontario Renovator of the Year! Last month Amsted was honored with the prestigious title of Ontario 2023 Renovator of the Year for the 5th time (since the award was created 9…

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The Amsted Ambassador Rewards Program is Here!

October 27, 2023

The truth is – we couldn’t do this without you! That’s why we’ve designed a program to turn your loyal support into exciting rewards! The Amsted Ambassador Rewards Program is our way of saying a heartfelt ‘thank-you’ to everyone who’s kind words, referrals, and engagement have been the cornerstone of our success for nearly 35…

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Amsted does Camp Smitty

October 3, 2023

17 years. That’s how long Amsted has been volunteering at Camp Smitty. Since 2006, we’ve contributed hundreds of hours, amounting to over $1 million in-kind, to keeping up and improving the camp so that more kids could have the opportunity to experience the life-changing power of summer camp. This year, 115 Amsted staff and partners,…

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Construction team building a house

Come Learn More at our Fall Seminars

October 2, 2023

  Perhaps you saw or met with us over the weekend at the Ottawa Home Show or the RenoMark Reno Tour. If you are serious about embarking on a home renovation and wanting to learn more about the Amsted Advantage, we have 2 upcoming seminars to help you know more! With over 30 years of…

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2023 Housing Design Award Finalists 🤩

September 24, 2023

What’s got us so excited? If you have worked with us, you know the team at Amsted takes great pride in the work we co-create with our clients. Crafting a home that brings your dreams to life is our passion. And sometimes, when the stars align, others see the magic in these dreams as well.…

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Maison Maitland – an Amsted Brockville success story

July 24, 2023

  A couple of weeks ago we had the privilege of co-hosting a fantastic evening at the Villas of Maison Maitland.  Located about 5km from the city of Brockville, Ontario, along the St. Lawrence river, the villas are built between the stone walls of the original carriage house and feature two 2-bedroom Villas for guests…

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Renovation Ottawa Exterior

Design-Build: The what and the how of it

June 2, 2023

Written by Christopher J Mulholland, 2022 Designer of the Year While common to us (it’s in our name after-all), Design-Build isn’t a term everyone is familiar with. But if you’re considering a renovation or custom home, it’s a method of delivering a construction project that we think you should look into. Far from being a…

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2023 Client Appreciation Event

May 23, 2023

The number 1 way clients find us is through referral.⁠ ⁠ We never forget those of you who have journeyed with us through every season of your home ownership journey and we never stop looking for opportunites to say ‘Thank You!’.⁠ ⁠ To that end, recently we invited a huge group of folks who have…

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Embark on an Exclusive Behind-the-Drywall Tour

April 30, 2023

Do you have an upcoming renovation project in mind, or are interested in building a custom home? If you find the thought of undertaking this process daunting, you’re not alone! We have heard this from homeowners many times over the years, but it doesn’t have to be a mystery. Join us on May 27th for…

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Your Trusted Brockville Home Renovation Experts

April 28, 2023

If you’ve checked out our website, you may have noticed a service we offer called  Home Care. Home Care is a special division within Amsted that offers the same award-winning craftsmanship and service Amsted is known for, but on smaller projects. From fixing a DIY mishap, to building a deck or sunroom, putting up a…

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