This tool walks you through every decision, every trap, and every dollar. Five tabs. Work left to right. Don't skip the financing section.
The Deal at a Glance
Three things that have to align before anything gets signed
$580K
Jandel Pinnacle C modular home
2.47ac
Land from Jill on Rge Rd 260
Sept
Delivery deadline from builder
?
Spruce Grove sale — when?
The tension: The builder wants a deposit now and delivery by September. Your equity is locked in Spruce Grove. These three things have to line up or the deal falls apart.
5 Decisions to Make Before You Sign
Work through these in order — each one unlocks the next
1
List Spruce Grove — now
Your equity is in that house. Until it sells, you don't know your real down payment. Get a market valuation and list it before you pay any deposit on the modular.
→ Go to 🏦 Financing tab and run the Equity Calculator
2
Sort out Jill's land transfer
Jill paid $215,000 for the land in 2020. If she gifts it to you, CRA may tax her on the gain. She needs an accountant before anything transfers. There are also 3 Sturgeon County caveats on title that a lawyer must review.
→ Go to 📋 Permits tab for title details
3
Get pre-approved before paying any deposit
Talk to a mortgage broker who does rural construction mortgages. Confirm they'll lend on a modular home on rural Sturgeon County land. Get it in writing. Then pay the deposit.
→ Go to 🏦 Financing tab for the bank questions checklist
4
Know your real total cost
The home is $580K. The full project — foundation, services, cistern, septic, gas, power, permits, garage — runs $800K–$950K+. The bank needs to see the real number, not just the home price.
→ Go to 💰 Budget tab and fill in every line
5
Confirm September is actually possible
Permits in Sturgeon County take 4–12 weeks. Foundation needs to be in before delivery. Site services take time. Work backwards from September and check if the timeline is real.
→ Go to 📋 Permits tab for the timeline checklist
Jandel Pinnacle C — Titan Kitchen Special
2,280 sq ft · 30'×76' · 3 bed / 2 bath · CSA A277 ✅
Important: The home price does NOT include foundation, delivery setup, gas/furnace hookup, cistern, septic, power, or a garage. See the Budget tab for what's missing.
Full Project Budget
Every dollar, all in one place.
Enter your own estimate in the right column. The total updates live. Don't leave a blank — every empty row is a surprise waiting to happen.
Assumptions: Cistern for water · Septic for waste · ATCO power connection · ATCO natural gas · No garage included in home price — budget it separately.
Item
Kay's Estimate
Your Quote
Notes
🏠 The Home
Jandel Pinnacle C 2,280 sq ft · appliances included
$580,000
Confirm with Jandel
Delivery to Sturgeon County
$8K–$15K
Included or extra? Confirm with Jandel
Crane/set crew day
$3K–$6K
Furnace + HWT install by your contractor
Furnace + hot water tank hookup
$2K–$4K
Supplied by Jandel, installed by others
🧱 Foundation
Poured concrete foundation (30'×76') Full basement or crawl space — confirm with Jandel
$55K–$100K
Get 3 quotes. Reddit AB 2025: $100K+ cited for basement.
Excavation & backfill
$3K–$7K
May be in foundation quote
⚡ Site Services
ATCO Electric — power to property 310-5678 · Cost depends on distance from nearest pole
$8K–$25K
Jill's farm nearby may reduce cost
Electrical contractor — panel & hookups
$3K–$8K
Separate from ATCO line
ATCO Gas — natural gas connection Confirm gas is available on Range Rd 260
$3K–$12K
If no gas: propane tank $3K–$6K instead
Cistern — underground concrete water tank 3,000–5,000 gal · Westcon Precast or Tanks-A-Lot
$8K–$18K
+ $300–500/yr water delivery ongoing
Septic system — conventional Alberta Design + permit required · Koomen Contracting, Proflow
$30K–$55K
Alberta avg $30K–$50K · advanced systems more
Plumbing hookups (cistern & septic to home)
$2K–$4K
🚗 Garage & Storage (not in home price)
Detached garage or quonset ATVs, vehicles, tools — essential for rural living
$30K–$60K
Apply for permit alongside house permit
🛣️ Site Work
Driveway — gravel, culvert, approach off Range Rd 260
$5K–$18K
Existing approach visible on aerial
Final grading, landscaping, seeding
$5K–$15K
Steps, deck, exterior skirting
$2K–$5K
Confirm what's in Jandel price
📄 Permits & Professional Fees
Development Permit — Sturgeon County
$1.5K–$3K
Call 780-939-8275
Building Permit (all trades)
$2K–$5K
Superior Safety Codes Inc.
Private Sewage Permit + RPR survey
$600–$1.5K
Real estate lawyer Land transfer from Jill + caveat review + mortgage
$3K–$6K
⚠️ Do not skip — 3 county caveats on title
Land appraisal (bank needs this)
$500–$1.5K
Jill's 2.47 acres — current market value
Accountant (Jill's capital gains)
$1K–$2.5K
Cost base $215K — tax bill depends on value today
🛡️ Contingency
Contingency — 10% Things always cost more. Do not remove this.
auto
Auto-fills at 10% if left blank
TOTAL PROJECT
see below
—
Kay's Low Est.
—
Kay's High Est.
—
Your Total
enter numbers above
Financing & Mortgage
Know your numbers. Don't get trapped.
Your equity is in Spruce Grove. The land comes from Jill. The bank needs everything documented before they'll approve a cent. Work through this before paying any deposit.
⚠️ The Financing Traps
These catch first-time rural buyers. Know them before you sign anything.
🔴 Trap 1: Deposit before bank approval
The builder wants a deposit now. If you pay it before your bank confirms they'll lend on this property — and they don't approve — you may lose the deposit. The deposit must be fully refundable if financing fails. Get that in writing before you hand over a dollar.
🔴 Trap 2: Spruce Grove hasn't sold yet
Your down payment equity is locked in Spruce Grove. If it hasn't sold when you need construction funds, you'll need bridge financing (~prime +2%) or the deal collapses. List Spruce Grove before signing the modular contract.
🔴 Trap 3: The bank won't count the land
Jill's land is worth roughly $215K+ — but the bank will only count it if it's formally appraised, legally transferred to you, and on title. An informal "Mom's giving us the land" is worthless to a lender. Get the transfer done right.
🟡 Trap 4: Modular on rural land — not all banks lend on it
Not every lender will finance a modular home on rural acreage. You need a broker who specializes in rural construction mortgages. Ask this question first: "Will you lend on a CSA A277 modular home on 2.47 acres in Sturgeon County?"
🟡 Trap 5: September delivery may be impossible
Permits take 4–12 weeks. Foundation needs time. Services need time. If the site isn't ready by September, who pays for delayed delivery? Get the contract terms for delay in writing.
Your Equity Position
Total project cost pulls from the Budget tab automatically — update it there
Spruce Grove sale price ($)
Remaining mortgage on Spruce Grove ($)
Land value from Jill — appraised ($)
Total project cost — from Budget tab ($)
Enter numbers in Budget tab to auto-fill
Estimated completed property value ($) What the home + land + improvements will be worth when done
Rural acreage + 2,280 sq ft home in Sturgeon County. Get an appraisal to confirm — $850K–$1.1M is a reasonable range.
Questions to Ask Your Mortgage Broker
Don't leave the meeting without answers to all of these
Funds released in stages: land, foundation, home set, final inspection
Bridge financing: ~prime + 2%, typically 30–90 days
Free Money — Don't Miss These
Permits, Title & Timeline
The land details and what you need to do first.
Jill's title has been confirmed. There are important items a lawyer must review before any transfer. Permits take 4–12 weeks — start immediately.
✅ Title Confirmed — Jill's Land
Certificate of Title No. 202 036 653 · Plan 1921774 · Block 1 · Lot 3
Owner
Jill P. Vaughan
55109 Range Rd 260, Sturgeon County T8R 0T4
Purchase / Cost Base
Feb 14, 2020 · $215,000
No mortgage — land is debt-free ✅
Size & Legal
2.47 acres · 1 hectare
LINC: 0038 349 445 · SW¼ Sec.7 Twp.55 Rge.25
Mineral Rights
Not included
"Excepting thereout all mines & minerals" — normal in AB
⚠️ 3 Sturgeon County caveats on title. Two "Acquisition of Land" and one "Deferred Reserve" from 2018–2019. These must be reviewed by a real estate lawyer before any transfer. The Deferred Reserve may mean the County has a claim on a portion of the land.
Permits Required in Sturgeon County
Contact: 780-939-8275 · Building permits via Superior Safety Codes Inc.: 1-800-272-9227
Critical: Building before permits are issued = double the permit fee penalty. Do not break ground without permits in hand.
Can September Actually Happen?
Work backwards from September delivery
NOW
Lawyer reviews title · Apply for permits · List Spruce Grove
MAY–JUN
Permits issued · Foundation contractor booked · Site services started
JUL–AUG
Foundation poured · Site services in · Spruced Grove sold & closed
SEPT
Home delivered & set · Hookups · Inspections
Is this achievable? Tight but possible IF permits are applied for immediately and foundation contractor is booked now. Any delay in permits or foundation pushes delivery into October+.
Drag the house footprint on your actual parcel (red outline). The home is pre-sized to 76'×30' — the real Pinnacle C dimensions. Drag the well/septic marker separately.
Width (ft)
76 ft
Depth (ft)
30 ft
Rotation
0°
N
↑
55109 Range Rd 260 · Sturgeon County Red = your 2.47 ac parcel (Lot 3, Plan 1921774)
30m setback from Rge Rd 260
🏡
76×30 ft
💧
Well/Septic
House (drag to move)
Well/Septic (drag separately)
Things to Notice on Your Parcel
Personal Balance Sheet
What does this deal actually do to your net worth?
This shows the before and after — your equity today vs. your equity after the build. The numbers come from your Budget and Financing tabs automatically.
Fill in the Budget and Financing tabs first. The numbers here update automatically from what you enter there.
Before & After — Your Net Worth
Based on your entered numbers. Update them in Budget and Financing tabs.
TODAY — Before
Spruce Grove (est. value)—
Less: mortgage—
Savings / other assets
Net Worth Today—
AFTER BUILD — New Home
New property value (est.)—
Less: new mortgage—
Savings remaining—
Net Worth After—
Net worth change from this decision
—
Understanding Equity Erosion
Why building a new home doesn't always grow your net worth
The hidden cost of building: When you build, you spend money on things that don't add dollar-for-dollar to your property value — permits, legal fees, landscaping, contingency, interest during construction. A $850K build might produce a $900K property. That $50K gap is real equity created. But a $950K build that produces a $900K property means you spent $50K of net worth to get there.
