VANCOUVER. Home & Condo Renovation Guide: The Nine Biggest Mistakes To Avoid For Home & Condo Owners In Vancouver

Transcription

1 VANCOUVER Home & Condo Renovation Guide: The Nine Biggest Mistakes To Avoid For Home & Condo Owners In Vancouver

2 Introduction: There s a lot to consider before embarking on a home renovation. Such a project can seem overwhelming, but it s guaranteed to go more smoothly if you have done sufficient preparation. Well Balanced Designs is a Vancouver renovation and design firm with over 25 years of experience in residential construction, renovation and interior design. Well Balanced Designs is a Vancouver renovation and design firm with over 25 years of experience in residential construction, renovation and interior design. We have put together this e-book to help you make the right decisions before starting your home renovation, so you can avoid the pitfalls that so many homeowners make. We encourage you to refer back to this guide when planning your renovation project. We also encourage you to book a free consultation with us at any time if you are seeking expert advice for guaranteed success. Mistake #1: Rushing Into Your Project Without Sufficient Planning When planning a renovation, home & condo owners often underestimate the amount of time a project will take. Many homeowners only think about the physical labor time period and forget to account for all the time it takes to plan. In some cases, physical labor is actually the least time-intensive part of the project. Home & condo owners often underestimate how long it will take to get approval for their project. Between demanding co-op boards and complicated City Hall requirements, homeowners can spend three to four months navigating paperwork and reviews. Many home & condo owners are initially most worried about the cost of the project and then find themselves paralyzed and frustrated when they realize that the start of the project is weeks or months away. If you don t think through the project and figure out what you re going to do before you start, then it becomes the proverbial money pit. George Martin - CEO of Well Balanced Designs Another common planning mistake is not making the right plans for living through the work itself. Homeowners need to realistically plan for the disruption, assess whether they can stay in the space until the work is done, and budget for alternate accommodations if essential spaces will be blocked off. 2

3 If you are planning a transformative renovation project that will last beyond a few days, or your project entails gutting walls and floors that will expose significant dust and materials, you should expect to live elsewhere until the work is done. There is so much planning involved that it can be easy to overlook many aspects of your renovation project that ought to be considered properly before work commences. We recommend you to consult the expertise of a experienced design-build firm, who can guide you through the planning of your renovation. Part of the enjoyment that I get is steering people in the right direction, helping them to avoid going off on a tangent that just doesn t work. Our CEO George Martin has 46 years of experience in the renovation industry. With such extensive experience, he enjoys helping homeowners to plan successful renovation projects. Part of the enjoyment that I get is steering people in the right direction, helping them to avoid going off on a tangent that just doesn t work. Mistake #2: Not Understanding Requirements For Structural Changes If you are like most homeowners, you may not be familiar with building permits or even aware that you might need one for your renovation project. Your home or condo renovation must meet basic requirements for health, safety and structural soundness as set out by building codes for your area. Beyond this, the permit process makes sure that your plans are in line with other municipal requirements, such as zoning regulations and heritage building designations. Generally, a building permit is required for renovations that involve changes to the structure or systems of your home. This includes new additions, reconfiguration of space by moving or removing walls, new window and door openings and installation of fireplaces. Electrical and plumbing permits also have to be obtained separately. Some repairs and renovations may not require a permit. These include re-roofing,painting, re-siding, flooring and cabinet installation, and replacement of windows and doors (provided the opening is not enlarged) - in brief, work that does not entail 3

4 changes to structures or systems. Talk with your renovator, or check with your municipal building permit office to be sure. Also, find out if you need a permit to demolish old structures such as a garage, shed or porch, or to cut down a tree on your property. As the homeowner, you are legally responsible for obtaining any building permits required. However, at Well Balanced Designs, we will look after this on your behalf. You will need to provide a letter of authorization before our firm can apply for a permit for your renovation. As the homeowner, you are legally responsible for obtaining any building permits required. However, at Well Balanced Designs, we will look after this on your behalf. In general, municipalities try to approve simple projects quickly - sometimes in as little as one month. Larger projects may require several months. After the work begins, an inspector may visit your home to make sure it is done in compliance with municipal requirements. There may also be a separate electrical and plumbing inspection. Mistake #3: Not Being Familiar With Vancouver s Building Code Restrictions Building permits and regulations are enforced by the City of Vancouver to ensure safety and livability for you, your neighbours, and future property owners and residents. Most homeowners are not familiar with the building codes that exist for the Vancouver area. Quite often, homeowners want to renovate their homes in a way that is not compliant with the current building codes. On top of that, building codes are constantly changing and evolving. A home that was constructed 20 years ago may no longer be compliant with today s codes. As a result of this, many home renovations also become a code upgrade to ensure regulations are being met with the new design for your home. One of the restrictions that is specific to Vancouver is the percentage of your lot s square footage that you are allowed to build on. You can typically build on 60% of the square feet of the lot. In some instances, you can go 70% but only in certain areas. Another example that is specific to Vancouver is height restriction. If you live in Vancouver, you ll be familiar with the large amount of bungalows in the city. Rather than exceed the 60% limit of your lot s square footage, it is possible to do a second floor addition. This involves taking the roof off your current bungalow and adding a new floor. The height limit of your home is typically 32 feet. 4

5 The Vancouver Building By-law (VBBL) address the following six broad objectives: safety health accessibility for persons with disabilities fire protection of buildings and facilities energy efficiency existing and heritage buildings The principal focus of the building code is public health, fire safety and structural sufficiency. It also ensures the building is accessible to all occupants including those with disabilities. For these reasons there are minimum requirements for door sizes and locations, guardrails, and finishing of construction assemblies. The principal focus of the building code is public health, fire safety and structural sufficiency. Other codes that apply to home construction are trade specific include: Plumbing Code - This applies to plumbing systems in the home. Plumbing is a regulated trade, and all plumbing must be done by a licensed plumber. Electrical Code - This applies to all electrical work in the home. Electrical work is also a regulated trade, and all electrical service work must be done by a licensed electrician. Gas Code - This governs natural gas installations. Gas trades are a regulated trade, and all gas installations must be done by a licensed gas fitter. At Well Balanced Designs, our extensive knowledge of Vancouver s current building codes ensure your renovation project is fully compliant and meets the requirements of the City. To familiarize yourself with these regulations, you may want to review these online resources:

6 Mistake #4: Not Considering Balance Structural balance is of paramount importance to us, as the name of our firm (Well Balanced Designs) suggests. We pride ourselves on creating homes that are aesthetically well balanced. We spend a lot of time getting things to balance. It makes the house look and feel better for our clients. We spend quite a lot of time advising our clients on how to achieve balance. There s a school of architecture that says things should look balanced, and if they don t look balanced they just don t feel right. Often, when homeowners attempt to design their renovations by themselves, they struggle to design a layout that has great balance. You may notice this when you approach or pass by a house that catches your eye. This is often because the design is either well balanced or imbalanced. You may also notice it when you walk into a room and you feel good in that room. It s usually because that room is well balanced. Balance is of paramount importance to us, as the name of our firm (Well Balanced Designs) suggests. We pride ourselves on creating homes that are aesthetically well balanced. With aesthetic design, there are two approaches. You either design the house from the inside out, or from the outside in. When you see a house that looks great from the outside, quite often it looks awful on the inside. Conversely, when you design the floor plan based on the positioning and sizing of rooms, so that they balance each other, the house may not look as attractive from the outside, but when you enter the house and walk through all of the rooms, you are often pleasantly surprised at how well planned out the structure is. 6

7 Mistake #5: Having An Unrealistic Budget More than 30 percent of Canadian homeowners spend more than they plan to during renovations. If you aren t prepared, costs can quickly spiral out of control. Setting a budget is the most important part of renovating. It is essential that you price everything out first. At Well Balanced Designs, we will provide you with a detailed breakdown and scope of work and define anything that might be considered an extra, such as upgrading the quality of the paint used. You have to consider how much the property will increase in value from your renovation project if and when you sell your property in the future. Buyers can easily see if a renovation has been done poorly, so if you re going to spend more money, you need to guarantee that the workmanship is impeccable and that the materials used will add value to the list price. If not, you could be sitting on a property for months as you watch your investment disappear in carrying costs while you wait for your home to sell. The bigger the project, the greater the chance that it may go over budget, so have your expectations clearly established from the start by being meticulous about the contract. Discuss an estimated time frame for the job, settle the payment terms, secure warranties and even talk about how your existing property will be protected once the work begins. Be aware of a low-ball quote from your contractor. If you think it s too good to be true, it usually is. At Well Balanced Designs, we will provide you with a detailed breakdown and scope of work and define anything that might be considered an extra, such as upgrading the quality of the paint used. Mistake #6: Being Overly Frugal Trying to save money by being overly frugal on your home renovation is usually a mistake that you re going to pay much more for in the long run. One way in which people try to save money is by going with cheaper building materials. If you put in a cheap laminate floor for example, it will be less durable than other materials, meaning that you will be replacing it once every year or two. Homeowners often make the same mistake with windows, going with a cheaper option that requires regular replacement rather than a higher quality window that will last for 30 years or more. This is another area where the guidance of an expert can save you a lot of time and money in the future. 7

8 Mistake #7: Not Knowing The Best Places To Acquire Fixtures And Materials When shopping for building materials and fixtures for your home renovation, the two most important factors are quality and price. It is very difficult to know where to find the highest quality materials at the lowest price possible if you don t work in the construction industry. For example, you don t want to go out and spend $20 a square foot in hardwood flooring when you can get a perfectly nice one for $10 that will last you a long time, but knowing where to acquire such materials can be time consuming. It makes sense to work with a qualified Design-Build firm, whose experts know where to find the best materials at the best price for your project. Similarly, you don t want to limit yourself to the typical consumer stores where most people buy their building materials and fixtures. Products from consumer stores are often more expensive and lower quality than what is available from wholesalers. This is another reason why it makes sense to work with a qualified Design-Build firm, whose experts know where to find the best materials at the best price for your project. We have developed long term relationships with materials suppliers in Vancouver to acquire high quality materials at excellent prices, which helps you to save time and money on your renovation project. One of our designers will provide guidance on materials selection when we accompany you to wholesalers to help you choose the most suitable materials for your renovation. Mistake #8: Making Your Design Clash With The Neighbourhood Some homeowners aim to create contemporary home renovations that look unique and different to the majority of the architecture in the neighbourhood. Doing so is often a mistake, as these unique designs only appeal to a small number of people. Such a design could cause friction with your neighbours, while also making it harder to sell your property in the future. We typically design a home so that it blends in with the surrounding neighbourhood theme in terms of style and aesthetics. Most of our clients want the same. 8

9 Similarly, homeowners may, in an attempt to increase the value of a home, make improvements to the property that unintentionally make the home fall outside of the norm for the neighbourhood. While a large, expensive remodel, such as adding a second story with two bedrooms and a full bath, might make the home more appealing, it will not add significantly to the resale value if the house is in the midst of a neighbourhood of small, one-story homes. In general, home buyers do not want to pay $3,000,000 for a house that sits in a neighbourhood with an average sales price of $2,000,000; the house will seem overpriced even if it is more desirable than the surrounding properties. The buyer will instead look to spend the $3,000,000 in a $2,000,000 to $2,500,000 neighbourhood. The house might be beautiful, but any money spent on overbuilding might be difficult to recover unless the other homes in the neighbourhood follow suit. Mistake #9: Not Screening Your Design-Build Company One of the worst things you can do is hire the wrong design-build company for your project. It can lead to all sorts of problems, including: costs spiralling out of control due to a low-ball quote at the beginning, your project not being complete on time (or even at all) poor quality workmanship, poor communication leading to conflicts and unresolved issues. Always ask for references. Look at the previous work, and talk to the previous clients, especially recent ones. When talking with previous clients, be sure to enquire not only about the quality of the work done, but also about the team s performance while working at your home. The last thing you need is a group of loud mouthed contractors, who play their radio loud all day and leave the place untidy. Their behaviour could upset your neighbours during your project. You should also get a feel for the character of the people you will be hiring, because they are going to be a part of your life for a while. Some projects can last as long as two years. You have to make sure you re going to get along with the person you re going to be working with. If that turns into an adversarial relationship nobody s going to have a good time. At Well Balanced Designs, we pride ourselves not only on the quality of our workmanship, but also on the level of professionalism that we adhere to while working on the project for our clients. 9

10 Schedule Your Free Consultation With Our Experts Today If you are considering renovating your kitchen, bathroom or any other areas of your house, you will save yourself time and avoid pitfalls by consulting an expert. Our design, construction and project management experts outline the process so there are no surprises. From home renovations to complete construction on residential buildings, we do it all design-build projects to match any client or budget. Click the button below to schedule your FREE consultation with us today! SCHEDULE MY FREE CONSULTATION 10