Wednesday, Mar 11, 2000                    

Roseneath homes to soon roll off the line

MONTAGUE

Tim Banks compares his newest venture to the Honda Civic. "They started with just one style of car and that's basically what we're doing here,'' said the Island businessman who now runs three different companies near here. "Except you'll be living in our final product."

They don't have wheels, but the entrepreneur's latest idea will be rolling off the assembly line this summer and heading for a vacant lot near you. Roseneath Homes, a name Anne Shirley would certainly love, is the latest brainchild of the developer who also runs Atlantic Property Management and Atlantic Store Decor from his Pooles Corner centre.

His ASD factory here just completed a major expansion to house the construction area to build the pre-fab cottages. On Friday, Banks took federal and provincial politicians on a walkabout.
"This is totally turn-key,'' said an excited Banks while Premier Pat Binns, Public Works Minister Mike Currie and Cardigan MP Lawrence MacAulay toured the new facility. "These cottages will all be completed here and delivered right to your site."

It's an impressive sight. A vast factory where three homes are being constructed at the same time. But that's only using a portion of the space. By the time the new plant is fully operational, all carpentry, welding, electrical, and mechanical components will be done on site where the company will crank out six at a time.

The 24-foot-wide cottages, featuring a standard design, are built inside on rolling flatbeds and once completed, will be rolled outside where a hydraulic transporter can deliver them anywhere on the Island. Of course, Banks isn't stopping there. He's already planning a division to sell houses to Japan but that's another story.

Right now the target date is June 1. That's when the three cottages now in the factory will be rolled outside and unveiled for a public open house. "They'll be completely finished,'' said project manager Kent Sheen. "They'll be set up out front here and you can walk in and flush the toilets."

The company is currently assessing every cost in the production and hopes to price the units depending on state of completion between $25,000 to $50,000.

Banks said the market for Roseneath cottages will not only be couples looking for a beachfront get-away, but even farmers or summer tourist operators looking to enter or expand their participation in accommodations industry.