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At the end of a very quiet cul-de-sac in the “good” part of town sat a lot. There was a creek nearby, and the neighbor had taken to cutting the grass so as to keep the street looking good. There were rumors that a Wal-Mart would be built directly behind this street. It was 2007 and land was tough to find, tougher to afford. This piece was narrow and rocky below. The street name was Harty and during the course of construction, we would see it spelled Hearty and Hardy; both monikers made sense at different times. This would be the location of the first home we built.

The layout was efficient and offered some extras such as an ensuite bath and separate dining room that most plans of this size did not. We were pulling out all the stops compared to our competition – full brick in a town that favored vinyl siding; ICF foundations where concrete block was the norm. Houston readers, please bear in mind this was Canada and yes those basements can get cold…

The Wal-Mart was built and the creek did rise in the spring; the rock was blasted and unforgiving. The garage needed to be heated and those ICF blocks were capital-E expensive – but the end result was lovely. We had been told, after all, that the hardest part about building a house was finishing it.

We christened it “The Ashton” and it was one of only two house plans that we built more than once. Almost ten years have passed, trends have come and gone and come back around again, and our current location is nearly 1800 miles south, but this is the first house we built. Or rather, the house that built us.

Thank you for visiting The Ashbury site – like our houses, we continue to build every day so please check back often for updates, new photos, and blog posts.

This blog is a continuation of sorts from one I wrote previously for my past building business, Monkhouse Homes Limited. At that time, new construction was in the gutter so I relied on my poor sense of humor to deflect attention from a struggling housing market. Fortunately in Houston this is not the case, so hopefully you’ll be spared and I’ll be able to focus on housing information, new construction trends, and remodeling news.

How did we get Here?

This is a question I ask myself frequently, in good times and in bad. So, a little bit about myself and how The Ashbury Construction Company came to be.

I’m Julie, President of The Ashbury. I’ve been in new construction and housing since 2007 and pretty much consider it religion at this point. My husband and I were new home builders in Ontario for eight years and built 25 houses during that time. I’ve also worked as a Real Estate Broker and most recently, as a Construction Purchasing Manager (in Houston) for a luxury home builder. In terms of building, my passions are perfect floorplans, energy efficiency, and working with trade contractors to get it right. On the personal side, I’m obsessed with alternative rock music, Tim Hortons doughnuts, and my three small kids – but not in that order. I also enjoy touring model homes more than any normal person should.

While this blog represents the lighter side of construction, The Ashbury Construction Company is backed by some serious knowledge, experience, and ability. Becoming the market leader in energy efficiency, winning the local home builders’ association award for Best New Home under 1600 square feet as well as Member of the Year, and maintaining a clean warranty history are a few of the accomplishments of which I’m most proud. Looking forward, I hope to continue to serve with character, invest in our employees, and provide Houston buyers with products of distinction demonstrating their taste coupled with our craftsmanship.

Please reach out if you have a project for us to consider or would simply like to say hello. Blog post with details on our next build in the Quail Valley neighborhood in Missouri City coming soon!

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