Category: Custom Home Construction

Emerging Home Design Trends

Posted on by Canadoo Admin
Emerging Home Design Trends

Emerging Home Design Trends

The way we use and live in our homes has changed dramatically in the past several years. Many of us have adapting to working from home part or all of the time, and have been spending a lot more time at home with our immediate family. Emerging trends in home design show that homeowners are prioritizing updates and designs that give us dedicated activity spaces in our homes, that make our homes seem bigger by blurring the boundary between inside and outside, and feel luxurious to live in. Here are some of the ways these trends are being implemented in design.

Activity Spaces

Rather than the ubiquitous “flex space”, homeowners are looking to carve out space for their work and their interests. Search trends show that people are interested in designating spaces in their homes not just for home offices, but for home bars and wine cellars, art studios, home theatres, and gyms. People in more modest spaces are still looking to “flex” their available space, by maximizing the ease and efficiency with which they can switch activities – such as with a combined home office and gym, or with a murphy bed that turns a study into a guest room.

Bringing the Outdoors In

Blurring the line between “inside” and “outside” space can make your home feel more spacious and invite in light and air. Many homeowners are now including in their kitchen renovation plans, options for large patio doors or fold-away windows to open up the whole kitchen and dining are into a large patio space. For homeowners will more restrictions on their renovations, it’s desirable to widen windows, brighten up indoor spaces, and bring in a feeling of greenery by adding lots of houseplants to the home, or even adding green-coloured décor.

Decorative Refresh

As we spend more time at home, homeowners are looking for quick, cost-effective ways to brighten up and refresh their living spaces. Search trends show a dramatic increase in interest in items like accent pillows, decorative rugs, display shelves, and couch and chair covers. Simply changing up accent items gives homeowners a way to dramatically change the look and feel of their living space without investing in major upgrades.

Luxury Materials

The desire to update our living spaces with simple accents, as well as more involved renovations, has shown a trend away from minimalism and towards sumptuous luxury materials and items. Fabrics like velvet and linen are popular choices for textiles. Warm-coloured metals, crystal and real wood are popular materials for furniture and objects of interest. Colours such as gold and rich jewel tones create glamorous palettes. The materials people are choosing for their homes are a feast for the senses.

Our homes have become central to our lives in every way, and home design trends show that people are looking to invest in making their homes functional, flexible, and comfortable in every way. Our relationship with our homes has likely shifted for the long term, if not permanently, and people are adapting to their new ways of life.

Planning Outdoor Living Spaces

Posted on by Canadoo Admin
Planning Outdoor Living Spaces

When people are buying a home, it’s usually the house itself that they are focused on, and the quality of the outdoor space is lower on the priority level. However, well-planned outdoor living spaces add not only to the “curb appeal” of a home, but also genuinely increase the livable, enjoyable space you and your family have access to. Therefore, it’s a good idea to set aside the time and the budget to make your outdoor spaces enjoyable and useful.

What goes into planning outdoor living spaces? Realistically, it has a lot in common with planning decoration or renovations in your indoor spaces: you want to develop your vision, make a plan that accommodates your budget and goals for the space, and then work with qualified professionals as needed to make your plan a reality. Let’s break down the process of planning your outdoor living spaces into some concrete steps:

  • Develop your vision.

What do you want to be able to do outside your home, and what do you want it to feel like? If your hobby is vegetable gardening, it makes sense to prioritize a well-designed garden with the facilities needed to maintain it, such as irrigation or a gardening shed. However, if you are planning to entertain outside a lot or want room for kids to play, you may opt for a large patio area and a well-maintained lawn. Make sure you are thinking about what is realistic in the space you have, and also think about how they space will look from inside your house, when you are looking out the windows.

  • Prioritize – and talk to professionals.

What needs to be done first, and where are you going to put the larger part of your budget? If you want to put in an irrigation system or a fancy stone walkway, you will want to get several quotes from qualified professionals so you understand how this will affect your budget. It can be helpful to work with a designer who is experienced in planning outdoor living spaces, to work your vision into a realistic plan. A well-regarded professional designer will also be able to refer you to contractors for specific parts of the job.

  • Think about maintenance.

Once you have a vision and have started to develop your plan, take a step back and make sure you understand what the ongoing maintenance needs will be for your outdoor living space, and if you will be able to do this work yourself or if you will need to contract professionals – for example, to maintain a water feature. Don’t let an unplanned maintenance burden derail your enjoyment of your outdoor living space for years to come.

Planning an outdoor living space can be as simple as adding a few nice plants along a walkway, to as complex and costly as a major indoor renovation. Whether your budget is a few hundred or tens of thousands of dollars, taking time to plan and consult a few construction professionals will help assure that you end up with a space that you love, and love to live in, for years to come.

Choosing home renovation contractors in Vancouver

Posted on by Canadoo Admin
Choosing home renovation contractors in Vancouver

The home renovation and remodeling market in Vancouver is booking, and with the wide range of home renovation contractors and service providers offering services in and around our city, it can be overwhelming to know where to start! However, any home renovation project, small or large, benefits from experienced and professional help. When you are planning and budgeting for your project, it may be tempting to save money on your home renovation contractor, but you need to remember that you generally get what you pay for! So then, when you are trying to select a contractor in or around Vancouver for your renovation, how do you choose, and what should you look for? The following 12 tips may come in handy.

  • Know what you want to accomplish:

Many exciting projects get derailed when the homeowner doesn’t have a clear idea of their expectations around the remodel. To avoid unexpected delays and significant budget overruns, make sure you know what you want to accomplish, and that you and your contractor agree on the vision and scope of the project. 

  • Expand your network

We often reach out to family and friends for referrals to contractors, but your best references might be just down the street. If you see your neighbours getting work done on their homes, or you notice a feature you are interested in it might be worth your time to check in with them. Most homeowners are happy to talk about and even show you the renovations and upgrades they have done to their homes, especially if they are pleased with the outcome.

  • Don’t rush!

Remodeling your home is a significant investment of your money and time, and the outcome of the renovation will have lasting impacts on both the value of your home and your enjoyment of it. When we are excited about a project, it is tempting to just “get it done”, but it is better to wait for all the pieces to fall into place if you want the best chance of a satisfactory outcome. If your preferred home renovation contractor has a waitlist of several weeks or months before they can start your project, it is likely worth it to wait – they are likely in high demand for good reason.

  • There is no “right number” of quotes

“Common sense” advise tells us to get three quotes for a project before chosing a contractor. However, this isn’t a rule – get as many quotes as you want and need to feel satified that you have made the right choice  in your home renovation contractor. Conversely, you might meet one company and know that you have found a good fit. This isn’t necessarily a problem! It’s important to feel like you can…

  • Trust your gut

Home renovations aren’t always straighforward, and you and your contractor should both be willing and able to plan for what might go wrong. It’s a good idea to assess your rapport and trust with the contractor you will be working with – if something DOES go wrong in the process, do you feel confident you will be able to generate a solution together?

The home renovation market in Vancouver is competitive and it can be a real challenge to choose your contractor. At the end of the day, you are making a significant investment in your home and you should feel confident that your service provider is ready to do the work you want, and also be prepared to problem solve with you if issues arrive during the job. Hopefully these tips can help make choosing your contractor a little bit easier.

Budgeting Patio Renovations

Posted on by Canadoo Admin
Budgeting Patio Renovations

Home improvement projects are exciting and sometimes stressful at the same time.  No matter the project or intentions, it is easy for renovations to get out of hand and over budget.  So, if you are planning a patio renovation and you have a budget in mind, how can you keep yourself focused and on budget?  The following tips will help you keep your patio renovations on track with respect to both schedules and finances.

Planning, Planning, and More Planning

Planning and prioritizing every aspect of your patio renovation is the cornerstone to keeping the project on track and on budget.  From the earliest planning stages including setting timelines, finding contractors, and getting your permits to the final touches of the decorative process, careful planning can make a huge difference when it comes to budget.  Your planning must include project schematics that will allow you to break down costs according to various project stages from demolition (if required) and construction to finishing and decoration.  The more detail that goes into planning your patio renovation, the more likely you will be to keep the project within your spending limits.  If you are new to outdoor renovations, consider working with a professional contractor who can help you understand all the nuances of your project and how to budget effectively.

Research Supports Planning

We really cannot overestimate the importance of planning at every stage of your renovation and this should include careful research into material and labour costs, local permitting requirements, design trends and more.  It is always helpful to check out similar patio renovation projects in your neighbourhood or even through online research.  You can even research creative ways to repurpose your current outdoor facilities.  For example, if you have a flower bed constructed from re-useable brick, can you transform it into a walk way?  Knowing what you have, what you need, and how to use your resources effectively will help you spend your money efficiently.

Allocating Funds

It can often be helpful to break down your patio renovation into smaller chunks or milestones and then allocate funds.  Say that you want to remove an old deck before building a new one – you can break down your project into two different stages and research funding requirements for each.  Then you can allocate your budget accordingly.  Likewise, your renovation project might be broken down into various categories such as

  • Labour,
  • Materials,
  • Furniture, and
  • Accessories

Each of these categories can receive their own budget.  If you go under or over budget in one area, you might find you have funds to move around.   Another trick is to purchase gift cards or project cards from home renovation depots and allocate these cards to different aspects of your project.  This will allow you to effectively monitor your spending.

Contingencies

Finally, it is always important to set aside at least 15% of your total budget for unexpected costs.  Taxes, cleaning materials, or unanticipated challenges can and likely will impact your budget.  Setting some money aside to cover the costs of these contingencies is always recommended for renovation projects, including patio renovations.

What is a Laneway House?

Posted on by Canadoo Admin
What is a Laneway House?

Have you ever noticed the tiny homes located along ally-ways and back entrances to homes throughout Vancouver?  Rather than basic garages, homeowners are frequently building laneway homes behind their main residence.  Laneway homes are essentially a living space located over or beside a parking unit, and they provide added living space or a rental property to offset mortgage costs in Vancouver.  Laneway homes are increasingly popular not only as housing prices continue to rise in Vancouver, but also as the City seeks creative solutions to affordable housing.  Nevertheless, there are specific guidelines around building laneway homes and eligibility factors that must be met.  Let’s take a closer look.

Laneway House Specifications

As the name suggests, laneway homes are located next to the lane entrance for housing lots in Vancouver.  These small homes are always located at the back of the lot and should feature a liveable space as well as a parking accessory.  The size of laneway homes will vary depending on the size of the lot on which they are located – from 550 square feet up to a maximum of 940 square feet.  In generally, the sizing of laneway homes is calculated as 16% of the size of your lot, not including up to 40 square feet of storage.

Eligibility

Not all homes in Vancouver are eligible for a laneway house, but many single-family dwellings with rear lane access are eligible.  There are three main eligibility criteria that must be met – distance from the house to the laneway home, lot size, and lane access.  More specifically, you must allow for at least 16’ between the main house and the laneway house – a requirement that can usually be met with creative design.  Additionally, your lot must be at least 9.8m wide, though some laneway house builds have been approved on lots somewhat smaller (7.3m wide).  Finally, your lot must have access to an open lane – and this requirement can be interpreted in one of three ways:

  1. There is an open lane behind your home.
  2. Your lot is located on a corner that can access an open or dedicated lane.
  3. Your lot is located on a “double-fronted” site with street access in front of and behind your home.

Ultimately, laneway homes are a great addition, particularly if you are looking to collect rental income or to provide accommodate aging family members (parents and children alike).  These homes are popular for renters because they are detached buildings – renters don’t need to worry about noise from neighbours.  Even if you are looking to build a laneway home to provide more space for your family, it is a great investment that can have a significant impact on the resale value of your home.

Home Addition Ideas to Increase the Value of your Home

Posted on by Canadoo Admin

Home additions can not only make a significant impact on the comfort and quality of your life, they can also have a significant impact on the value of your home.  Adding living space such as kitchens, bathrooms, or bedrooms or even making space for more storage are all investments that can increase the selling price of your home.  While you may already have some ideas of additions for your home, here are some home addition ideas to increase the value of your home.

A Home with a Story

Building a second story on your home is a big project, but one that brings a big payoff.  Story additions can almost double the living space in your home while also increasing your home’s value.  These additions are certainly costly – you should expect to spend somewhere upwards of $100,000 depending on many factors including the current size of your home, its structural integrity, and even your geographic location. 

Make sure you work with a qualified builder and architect so that the addition is done safely and to building code.  Not all home foundations can support an additional story, and some cities or neighbourhoods may have bylaws that prohibit these additions.

Make it Roomy

If adding a second story is a project that seems like you’d be biting off more than you can chew, consider adding a room or suite over your garage.  You can increase your square footage while potentially creating a revenue stream by building a suite you can rent out.  Homes with rental suites are highly attractive to buyers because they can help mitigate the cost of a mortgage. 
Or, if you are not interested in renting out to strangers, it makes a great space for guests.

Nowadays, modular additions are an attractive option for homeowners to add rooms, suites, and even stories.  These pre-fabricated living spaces are great for smaller homes or single-story homes because they are cheaper than custom additions and most of the construction occurs off-site thereby limiting the inconvenience associated with large and lengthy home addition projects.

Basement Bang for your Buck

Perhaps the most common and affordable of all home additions is a finished basement.  If you currently have a blank canvas of a basement, finishing that space can considerably expand your living space while also leaving a significant mark on the value of your home. 
Add a suite, a living room, or an entertainment space and you’re sure to see an excellent return on your investment.  In fact, many basements can be finished for under $20,000 (sometimes just a fraction of that cost) which will easily pay for itself when you consider the impact on the selling price of your home.

These are just 3 home addition ideas to increase the value of your home, but there are many other additions to consider – kitchen or bathroom additions and expansions, converting a porch to a sunroom, or adding outdoor living spaces…the options are only limited by your imagination.

Custom Home Construction Costs

Posted on by Canadoo Admin
Custom Home Construction Costs

The cost of building a home is significant, no matter how you break it down. Still, depending on your location, the cost of labour and materials, the size of your home, and even the design and layout of your home, the price tag on a new house can vary significantly. Still, building a custom home gives you incredible flexibility to create a house that meets your functional and style needs precisely. And while it can be difficult to define explicitly custom home construction costs, there are many factors to consider that will help you develop your budget.

First, understand that pre-fabricated and modular homes are much less expensive than custom homes to build. Many home owners choose to go the custom home route because they have specific design ideals or functional needs. When you build a custom home, you have control over every detail but this comes at a cost – not only monetary, but when it comes to time invested as well. Again, whether you hire a contractor, architect, or other design professionals, you’ll generally notice the cost for custom homes ranges between $150 and $500 per square foot. Location, materials, size, and features of the home as well as labour will all contribute to overall costs.

So then, let’s talk a little bit more about these elements. We won’t spend much time talking about location, but keep in mind if you’re living in a real estate market with higher home prices, your custom home will cost more too. You’ll also notice marginally higher costs on materials in these locations – regardless of whether you are choosing premium or more affordable materials. Taking some time to consider material costs and factor them into your budget is critical. Also remember that included in these ‘material’ costs should be a budget for specialized equipment which may or may not be provided by your builders. Working closely with your contractor, you should carefully plan your project so you can project these costs at every step of the build.

You’ll also need to consider labour costs. Professionals tend to be expensive. An architect usually charges between $50 and $150 an hour for their services. You’ll also need to hire engineers which might run you upwards of $150/hour or more.

Land surveyors, framers, roofers, plumbers, electricians, and other professionals will all add to your budget. And we haven’t even started to talk about interior or exterior finishing yet.

Indeed, when planning your custom home build there are many costs to consider – foundation, framing, finishing, and systems installation (e.g. HVAC, plumbing, electrical) are just a few of the components of a custom home build. As you can clearly see, there are many balls in the air when you build a custom home – the end product will be a home that is designed specifically to your needs but you must be prepared to pay the price when it comes to budget and time.