New View Designs by Laurie Cole

We needed to find a builder to do a custom home on a lot in Fredericton that we had purchased several years ago. We selected New View Designs because we had seen a few of their builds in the area, and we were impressed with the designs and quality of the work. We have busy careers and also wanted someone that would handle the build from design to completion, which made NVD a good fit.

The design process was great: Laurie and the team were able to take our vision and requirements and turn it into a design that worked well for the property while giving us everything we asked for. There was great attention to detail, and the design combined practical function with tasteful aesthetics.

We built during the pandemic, so there were some big changes to the price of various materials, and delays in the process due to materials and labor shortages. However, we felt the NVD team was transparent as much as possible, and provided effective communications along the way to keep us up to date. We also had a few development obstacles with our property, which they had warned us about, and the team was very helpful at helping us find solutions and coordinating subcontractors to move the project along.

The build itself was true to the plans. The framing work was excellent. The few minor obstacles that came up related to duct work were solved easily enough. We very much appreciated having the NVD team coordinate the trades and ensure top quality along the way. Decisions about colors, fixtures, faucets, tile, etc. were made easy by Laurie having good instincts on our tastes and narrowing selections down to a few good options all within budget. Communication was consistent and good, and it was clear throughout the process that the whole team cared about customer satisfaction and producing a good quality product.

We’ve now lived in our house for a year, and we’re very happy with it. We would recommend New View Designs to anyone that is looking to build a custom home. We believe most clients will be pleased with the customer experience and the final product.

We have known New View Design for years and did not need to hesitate a bit when choosing them to build our dream home.

We wanted an one-of-a-kind house, and the team had been extremely patient and professional throughout the process. All we had to do was telling them how we picture the house to be, and they were there to figure out a plan, the design, and finally putting it all together. Not to mention Laurie’s great taste! The NVD team made sure they were building with style and in the meanwhile respecting our own ideas. As a result, we had an amazing accent wall in the living room, a modern kitchen that is Pinterest-ready, a unique en-suite which allows bath in sunlight, and much more!

We have been having people passing by interested in the house since Day 1, and cannot be happier with the final project. We would recommend NVD to all who are considering building their dream home.

When we were ready to build, we looked at hundreds of house plans. Despite our efforts we couldn’t find one that incorporated everything we wanted. With most house plans you don’t even know if they are within your budget until you bring it to a builder, and with each little change , you pay a fee. When meeting with various builders, it was very frustrating as the quotes all contained different levels of detail and information. You couldn’t compare apples to apples when it came to pricing or quality of materials.

When we met with NVD, despite not having a floor plan, we knew what we wanted in a house. They listened to our ideas and budget, and came back with 3 options. They had drawn up the house plans from scratch and each was within our budget. Their quote was extremely detailed so we knew from the start where our money would be going. I was very adamant that we have all 4 bedrooms upstairs as we have 3 small kids and wanted to be on the same level as them. One of the plans had the 4 bedrooms on the second floor, but Laurie and her team had drawn up 2 plans with 3 bedrooms upstairs and the master on the main level. She encouraged us to have an open mind. She reminded us that we had told NVD that this would be our forever home, and we wanted to live in it until we were elderly. She recommended having the master on the main level to make this a possibility. She suggested using the master on the main level as our guest room, until we were ready to move on a separate floor from our kids. She recalled two of our kids were already sharing a room, so the 3 bedrooms upstairs would fit our current needs. Most builders give you what you ask for and many home buyers end up doing huge renovations only a few years after building because of dysfunctional design flaws in their floor plans. We are so glad Laurie and her team had the expertise and wisdom to take what we wanted, and turn it into what we needed.

In the past we had been warned about the hazards of building. Everyone complained of builders going tens of thousands of dollars over budget, finishing the project months past the move in date. NVD had us in 4 days early and came very close to being on budget.

Many believe it must be exceedingly more expensive to build with NVD because the interior design component is part of the package, however it is a complimentary service when you build with them. This is the New View difference. As a busy mom with 3 kids under the age of 6, I did not have time to run to numerous hardware stores or do online shopping looking for tiles, light fixtures, flooring, faucets, etc. One of the highlights of working with NVD is they would get an idea of our style and then give us 3 options for each decision; 3 options for flooring, 3 options for doors, etc. They would then carry that theme and design throughout the house so in the end it all came together. Interior design is not a skill I possess nor do I enjoy. NVD saved us spending our time and weekends carting 3 toddlers to 4 different department stores making the hundreds of little decisions that go into building a house. Looking at the end product, Sam and Laurie nailed the design and gave us a stunning house we just simply could not have imagined on our own.

The carpenters were punctual, reliable and led by Marshall, a superb foreman. The NVD team delivered us our dream house within our budget, on time, with very few hiccups along the way...during the COVID pandemic. They were transparent with us the entire build. We can not recommend the NVD team enough if you are looking to build a home

The best thing about the NVD team was that they don't just execute the plan. They examine the space they are building and picture themselves living there, often suggesting edits here and there to improve the quality of living there for the owner. The small adjustment of a window to encapsulate a better view, the creation of a storage area from dead space, adding a light switch where a person will naturally look for one. These extra details and finishes represent the difference between completing a job and making the best product possible for the owner. Combine those extra touches with the quality that they aspire toward and the end result is something of beauty.

What an amazing transformation - from 15 year old “builder bland” to thoroughly modern and luxurious “glam” - hard to believe that such a small bathroom could turn into such an oasis. The process of seeing my conceptual wish list turn first into a 3 dimensional design that made the proposed project easy to visualize and modify, and then to see that transform into the bathroom of my dreams was amazing. The NVD team managed all aspects of the construction process and proved to be creative, professional, knowledgeable, personable, accommodating and innovative - and just plain fun to deal with. As well, their initial estimating process, sourcing model and product options allowed me to stay very close to the original budget while still giving me the high end finish l was looking for - I’m thrilled! I admit that I am looking forward to just sitting back and enjoying my new bathroom for a while, but when I’m ready for the next project I will certainly be getting them involved!