Siding Prep, Insulation & Drywall – Sunroom Addition in Cargill, Brockton

With the framing stage complete, we moved into siding prep, insulation, and drywall on this sunroom addition for a heritage home in Cargill, Brockton—just north of Walkerton and south of Port Elgin. As general contractor, JCB & SONS oversaw all exterior detailing and interior finishing through this stage, keeping the build tight, efficient, and weather-ready. The siding layers were carefully prepared with rain screen details, flashing tape, and pressure-treated backer boards to ensure durability and water management around the future deck interface.

We installed an aluminum flashing over the foundation wall lapped with blueskin flashing tape, which is covered by the Pressure Treated ledger board for the future decks and then another aluminum flashing lapping all the previous work is installed and also covered in blueskin to ensure adequate water drainage in the rain screen layer.

The strapping has been completed on the addition to create a rain screen / ventilated cavity behind the siding, 16” o.c. vertical strapping then strapped 12” o.c. horizontally in preparation for the Maibec Board and Batten siding.

The wiring rough in was completed by Tim Wells Electric. The addition was insulated by Martin’s Insulation with polyurethane closed cell spray foam. Achieving an R-28 wall and R-50 ceiling. They sprayed from the footings to the peak of the roof, including capping any of the interior double brick wall and foundation to stop thermal bridging.

Inside, we completed insulation and drywall board installation. The sunroom interior was taped, coated, and primed—bringing the space one step closer to finish. These phases may be behind the scenes, but they’re what make a renovation last. Whether it’s managing flashing systems or setting drywall to a clean finish, we bring the same precision and care across all stages of rural renovations in Bruce County, Hanover, and the Grey-Bruce region.

The addition has been taped, and the cover coat ran on all the tapes and corners, screws have all been spotted a second time.

The addition has now been skim coated with our 12” Columbia box and the screw spotted a third coat, we have skimmed out the neo angles at the ceilings with our 8” Columbia box, and we came back over all the joints with a final skim coat with our 14” Columbia box.

We have sanded out all the drywall with our sander hooked to a dust extractor to minimize the dust and have now primed the drywall with primer supplied by Farlow’s Home Hardware. Can’t wait for our windows, doors and skylights to arrive!

Master Bedroom & Walk-In Closet Renovation – West Grey Remodel

This West Grey home—located near Hanover—underwent a full master bedroom and walk-in closet renovation led by JCB & SONS. We removed a dividing wall to create a larger, more functional bedroom layout, finished the ceilings with a level 5 drywall skim coat, and installed 3/4” maple hardwood flooring for a clean, modern look. The custom walk-in closet features built-in cabinetry, wardrobe storage, drawers, and mirror-faced doors—all made in-house for a seamless fit. As part of the upgrade, we also managed the installation of a new high-efficiency furnace, complete with ductwork and HRV system, improving both comfort and air quality throughout the home. This project reflects our approach to whole-room renovation, blending custom millwork with quality craftsmanship and efficient general contracting.

  All of the Cabinets were full 3/4" Plycore Maple Veneer Construction.

 The face frames were all built using a very traditional mortise and tenon joint.  Making a very durable quality connection of the styles and rails.

 These are the Tenons that will make the connection with all the mortises.

 All of the drawer boxes were made using soft maple and blind dovetails cut onsite at our shop.

 We used all solid Hard Maple for the face frames and classic styled raised panel doors which were also all milled and built in our shop.

 Milling the styles and rails on our spindle molder.

 The completed cabinets where than sprayed with 3 coats of Lacquer to provide a very high quality durable finish.

These 8' Maple mirrored doors were installed on high quality Johnson hardware and glide effortlessly as sliding doors should.

 We also built a completely maple wardrobe to be part of all the cabinets and create some fantastic hanging storage with adjustable wire rack shelving. 

 All of the shelving received solid maple nosing verses the typical edgebanding you see on cabinet shelving.

 The drywall beam used to support the ceiling after removing a dividing wall was a great place to use some Trim Tex Step-A-Bull Corner beads for a great detail.

The closets also received Maple built ins in the closets on top of the adjustable wire rack shelving and they also received full face frames.

West Grey Finished Basement Renovation – JCB & Sons

This basement renovation in Durham, West Grey brought together a custom home office and theater room in one cohesive space. Featuring detailed trim work, clean drywall finishing, and built-in media framing, it reflects the kind of practical, high-quality renovations JCB & Sons is known for. As licensed carpenters and home improvement contractors serving the Owen Sound area, we take pride in finishing the job right, down to the last detail.

 These finished columns were detailed with stepped bullnose edges and integrated crown moulding for a clean, modern look. We installed dimmer switches for the LED pot lights directly into the column near the stairwell — an ideal placement for controlling lighting and creating a true home theater atmosphere. As always, the finish carpentry and layout were tailored to the space and built by JCB & Sons.

This new office area was designed to support focused work while remaining connected to the main living space — ideal for family life. We integrated audio/visual capabilities and ran dedicated network and phone lines to ensure reliable, hardwired connectivity at the desk. It’s a functional, streamlined workspace built with everyday use in mind.

This bulkhead and column detail shows how thoughtful trim design can transform even basic framing into a polished architectural feature. While we used manufactured profiles at the time, we now produce our own custom mouldings in-house, allowing us to create one-of-a-kind finishes tailored to each project.

This custom bulkhead was built above the home theatre screen to create a clean visual accent and define the space. It also offers a discreet location for a future motorized projector screen, combining both function and form in the design.

 All of the trim and Doors received at least 2 coats of Beauti-Tone Designer Series Trim & Door paint.

We installed six-panel doors with hinges hand-mortised into clear pine jambs, milled right in our shop. We believe in using solid wood for all our door jambs to ensure strength, longevity, and a finish that holds up over time.

For the storage access under the stairs, we fitted a clean slab door, custom-cut to match the angle of the stair stringer. While a panel door wasn’t feasible in this case, the solution kept the lines consistent and functional. Today, we have the ability to build fully custom angled doors in-house when needed.

We prepped this corner for a future propane wood-stove by running the gas line, thermostat wire, and tiling the hearth area. The nearby electrical outlet is tied into our backup generator panel, allowing the stove’s fan to operate during power outages. This setup provides both a primary heat source and a reliable emergency backup — designed with long-term functionality in mind.

This is the completed spare bedroom, which includes a concealed sump pump tucked beneath a custom nightstand. The removable top allows easy access to the pump, which is permanently plumbed and wired into our backup generator panel — ensuring functionality during power outages. We also installed a battery backup unit for added protection in case the generator isn’t running. While the home had no sump pump originally, we added one proactively to protect the new finished basement for years to come.

We installed the new HRV system inside the bedroom closet to keep it both discreet and easy to service. Our previous attic-mounted exhaust fan operated on a humidistat but created constant negative pressure — relying on uncontrolled air leaks to function. After upgrading to new windows and spray-foaming the basement walls, the home became too airtight for that system to work effectively. The HRV now provides consistent, balanced ventilation and has been one of the most impactful upgrades of the entire renovation.

This is the installed HRV system, configured with four ventilation lines. Two insulated ducts handle fresh air intake and stale air exhaust to and from the outside, while the remaining two distribute fresh air throughout the home and extract stale air from interior spaces. During the summer months, we can switch the system to recirculation mode to prevent hot, humid air from entering the home while maintaining indoor airflow. It’s an efficient, flexible solution for year-round air quality.

This is the completed bathroom, built using a full Schluter waterproofing system — Kerdi board on the walls and Ditra under the tile flooring — to ensure long-term durability. The shower is prepped for future glass walls and features both a 10-inch rain head and a hand-held shower wand for flexibility. We installed a pressure-balanced valve with an integrated diverter, choosing reliable components with proven warranties to back the finish.

Ceramic tile was also used to create a 4” baseboard around the bathroom perimeter, adding a clean, cohesive finish and improved durability in a moisture-prone space.

A digital thermostat was installed for the electric baseboard heater, providing precise temperature control in the bathroom. A timer switch controls the exhaust fan to help manage humidity, while a dedicated booster switch activates the HRV system for 20 minutes, efficiently exchanging stale air from the bathroom — and the entire home — with fresh air from outside.

The utility and laundry room was upgraded with a 60-gallon electric water heater, a water softener, and a large capacity pressure tank to provide water storage during power outages. The well pump was wired into the backup generator panel, allowing manual control to recharge the system when needed. A two-stage filtration setup was also installed — with 30-micron and 5-micron filters to reduce sediment — and space was reserved for a future UV purification unit if required.

The original ITE breaker panel was retained and supplemented with a complete home surge protector to safeguard all electrical systems from potential power surges. A new Square D generator sub-panel was also installed to provide critical backup power during outages. In rural areas where power failures can be prolonged, these upgrades offer reliable protection and peace of mind.

This basement renovation in Durham, West Grey reflects the level of detail and foresight that defines JCB & Sons. From framing and drywall to mechanical systems, trim work, and integrated backup solutions, every element was approached with long-term function, efficiency, and craftsmanship in mind. As licensed carpenters and home improvement contractors serving the Owen Sound region, we take pride in delivering renovations that are both durable and thoughtfully designed to serve the way people truly live.