Built to Last a Century — Engineered for the Future, Finished with the Past

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Some projects ask for technical precision. Others ask for craft, patience, and a deep understanding of materials. This Cowichan Bay home asked for both. Designed by an award winning Victoria based custom home design firm, the project gave AS Design Build the opportunity to bring a highly detailed vision to life through careful planning, coordination, and execution. It is one of the most complete custom home builds AS Design Build has taken on, managed from geotechnical engineering through to heritage finish carpentry over 3 years of continuous work.


The structural foundation of the project was built to perform. Full height ICF foundation walls, seismic engineering hardware, super insulated 2x8 framed walls, and an engineered exterior insulation system created a building envelope designed to outperform most homes in the region. The exterior rigid insulation, strapping, and cladding were installed to eliminate thermal bridging, a detail that makes a real difference in long term performance. The bell cast truss roof added a strong architectural profile while allowing for larger overhangs, giving the home better protection from the elements without limiting natural light or views. A full elevator shaft rounded out a structural package that is uncommon in a home of this scale.


The finish work is where the project becomes something else entirely. Craftsman and heritage detailing runs through every room, with picture rail, anaglypta wallcovering, chair rail, live edge wainscotting caps, custom restored doors, mortise handsets, shingle flashings, and custom exterior wall caps. There is a true appreciation for the honesty of the heritage materials used throughout the home. Natural blemishes, age marks, shipworm bore holes, and other imperfections were not hidden. They were preserved and celebrated as part of the character of the build.


The stair treads were made from salvaged old growth boom logs, then epoxy filled and finished, turning material another builder may have overlooked into one of the most distinctive details in the home. The flooring was milled and prepped from reclaimed St. Ann's Academy stock, heritage grade material from a landmark Victoria institution, brought back to life in a home designed to honour that kind of provenance.


Gaulhoffer triple glazed windows were installed for both performance and period appropriate character. Backlit false windows add depth and light where the architecture called for it. Custom built ins, a v joint porch ceiling in haint blue, and the full complement of Craftsman detailing bring the interior to a level of finish that takes time, skill, and an eye for the details most people may not consciously notice, but will feel every time they are in the room.