Vancouver Home Designer
Vancouver Home Designer
Author: aryo@myhomedesigner.com
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November 16, 2021 Architect Blog by aryo@myhomedesigner.com 0 Comments

Vancouver Bylaw Changes

west vancouver zoning changes

What are the changes in Vancouver Bylaw, and how would it affect your project?

The city of Vancouver is going under new changes on the VBBL starting on January 1st, 2022.

Some of the changes are for new home constructions and some can affect the renovations as well. How would these changes affect your project?

The city of Vancouver is changing Vancouver Building Bylaw to improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions for new lowrise homes on the new lowrise buildings (single-family homes, laneway homes and infills).
That can be achieved by improving the performance of the homes. A simple explanation for this is that they are moving away from natural gas heating sources in homes. By electrification of the domestic hot water and space heating systems, the new homes will be more energy-efficient and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. 

Use of an electric heat source heat pump which can produce heat during cold weather and cooling during hot weather is encouraged.
 The move is to build homes to energy step code four standards, making homes more airtight with higher R-value on the building envelope; specifically, the new changes apply to the roofing systems.

If you are planning to construct a new house after January 2022, these changes will affect your project.

You might ask, “what about a renovation?”
If your renovation is not major, like replacing a bathroom, kitchen or small interior renovation, these changes will not affect your project.
However, if you are adding floor area or the roof is being affected by these renovations, the new bylaw has to be followed. As per walls, the city would ask to improve the performance of the walls and the house in general anyway.

heat pump
A heat pum unit installed outside a house.
Heat recovery system
https://organicnaturalpaint.co.uk/

Home recovery ventilation system is commonly used these days in the city of Vancouver and it will be mandatory in all newly constructed homes.
It helps to circulate the air throughout the house, and it will reduce the waste of energy by reusing the conditioned air within the house and combining it with fresh air.
The air quality in homes with HRV is much better and improved and will reduce the need to use individual fans in each bathroom.

If you are thinking of building your new home or renovating it after January 2022, stay in touch with us and take advantage of our 30 minutes free consultations to learn about your options.

We also offer a low-cost consultation which gives you a roadmap of what to expect before getting into more extensive commitments.
All you need to do is fill the form below, and we will contact you to arrange a time to talk or meet.

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October 1, 2021 Architect Blog by aryo@myhomedesigner.com 0 Comments

The Exciting news about Laneway Homes, Coach Homes

Exciting news about Laneway homes/ Coach homes

Have you spotted these small homes showing up where there used to be a garage? They are Laneway Homes and they are becoming quite the thing. The concept of a Laneway House is very compelling. Small, well designed spaces we can use for a family member to live in (Aging In Place), or a space to rent out as a mortgage helper or a beautiful fresh space to downsize into while you rent out your original home on the property. In this article, we’re going to take a look at what’s possible in the world of Laneway Homes.

 

The exciting news is that the district of West Vancouver joined other Lower Minuciplaities and starting January 2022, will accept the construction of Coach Homes in any single family lots as part of their new bylaw changes!

 

The question remains, How to start a laneway home/ coach home project?

First let’s ask - What is a Laneway Home?

A laneway house, coach house, garden suite or accessory dwelling unit is a suite built within a single family lot which is not connected directly to the main dwelling, but cannot be separated, stratified or sold separately. They will share the same main water line, sewer and storm line. Laneway Homes should have their own meter and are generally built for long term residency

Here’s the fun stuff that will make you want one!

Laneway homes and accessory units became very popular within the last 10 years because of the options they have to offer. The return on investment is attractive when balanced with the costs of construction. Basically, if you have a lot that qualifies for a laneway home, well it’s like a lottery ticket to generate passive income for years to come. Our expert team of designers focuses on design ideas to create a set of drawings that makes clever use of all spaces to provide a smaller space that feels expansive. We inject design features and finishes that excite and give that #aah feeling of “being home”.

Working with clients is where we shine….we define your style and mix it with our expertise. Whatever your objectives are…..renting, downsizing, Aging In Place…..your satisfaction is our goal.

West Vancouver coach homes
Photo Credit to: Tierra Mallorca
So, what can you do with a laneway home?
  • You can rent it out and collect residual income 
  • You can have your loved ones living close by to enjoy their company and help out the younger generation
  • You can have a senior parent Aging In Place 
  • You can move into a new smaller home when it’s time to downsize and rent out the bigger house to enhance your retirement income

So what’s possible within the building envelope?

The size of an accessory unit (laneway home) depends on several factors and the most important of all depends on which municipality your lot is in.

 

In Vancouver standard lots are about 640+-sf. and for a larger lot up to 950+- sf. The city of North Vancouver allows an even larger home, up to 1,000 sf. At this stage, it’s time to do your due diligence. To get a better idea of what’s possible for you can take advantage of the free 30 min consultation and we will help you to get a better idea of the process and your options.

Vancouver laneway home
image bank>sotck photos>pexels-cottonbro

Important bits to know

  • Regulations around feasibility (lot size, parking rules, etc) Each municipality has different rules about the lot size, the set-backs and the parking requirements.!
  • Discuss costs – when would you use high end finishes, or be more economical (ie: rental unit vs Aging in Place option)
  • Is there an impact to property taxes? Property tax will be calculated based on the value of the lot and the value of the buildings on it. The value added to your property will more than offset the rise in property taxes. 
  • The size of the structure impacts the project costs less than other issues. The issues that impact the budget are infrastructure considerations such as services, demolition, excavations and essential structure of the building. A few hundred extra square feet won’t make a huge difference to cost. There will of course be an increase in materials and labour which will be directly related to the number of square feet. 
  • Another important factor that impacts costs is the finishing and style of the home. Most homes today are built with high performance standards. These are important issues to discuss with your designer.

In the preconstruction stage the cheapest company often ends up the most expensive one. Oftentimes people will try to by-pass the input of a designer or engineer, not understanding that at this integral stage expert input can make the project more affordable in the short term and the long run. A professional design will give the contactors iron clad drawings to work from. This will make the most out of small spaces so every square foot matters. Input from a professional designer will point the way to the most cost efficient, effective finishes and choices for the project.

What are the first steps?

Book the 30 min free consultation with our lead designer Aryo and leave the rest to us. We will make sure you are taken care of as we offer a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee.

Schedule a call!

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August 20, 2021 Architect Blog by aryo@myhomedesigner.com 0 Comments

Will Changes to West Vancouver’s By-Laws affect your plans?

Will Changes to West Vancouver’s By-Laws affect your plans?

You may have heard about the West Vancouver zoning changes. These new zoning by-law changes are going to affect what is possible when building a new home in West Vancouver. If a new build is on your radar you NEED to be aware of this. As of January 31, 2022 these changes will become law. 

We all know that ownership of land doesn’t mean you can do what you want with it and from time to time the rules get changed. Well, that’s what’s going on now and as Home Designers it is our responsibility to be up to date on what the changes are and how they will impact your project. The My Home Designer team can advise clients about what they can do and more importantly, what they can’t do as these changes come into effect.

Some of the zoning changes will enhance the beauty and walkability of our neighbourhoods. For instance, there are new opportunities for Secondary Suites, Coach Houses and Laneway Homes, in addition to neighbourhood beautification guidelines…..

west vancouver zoning changes

Floor Area Ration

However, in this article we are focusing on the changes to Floor Area Ratio (FAR). At My Home Designer, we are looking at what those changes will mean for you as you design your home. 

With the looming deadline, there is still time to complete your design and have it submitted for approval before these restrictions become law.

Here are the changes in point form:

  • The recommendations call for a reduction in the FAR for new houses from the current 0.35 to 0.30 on lots larger than 7,285 sq. ft. 
  • For lots between 4,500 sq. ft. and 7,285 sq. ft., the buildable area for the house would be a fixed 2,200 sq. ft, reduced from 2,550 sq. ft.
  • To encourage housing diversity, the working group suggested a bonus FAR for a secondary suite of up to 500 sq. ft. or a 0.05 FAR bonus, whichever is less. 
  • Coach houses are recommended to come at FAR bonus of 800 sq. ft. or 0.10 FAR, whichever is less.
west vancouver architect

What can you do about it?

It’s time to act and let us help you with your home design by providing architectural and interior design drawings for your dream home project. 

Of course, our expert team, at My Home Designer will create an architectural masterpiece in West Vancouver by taking a deep dive into your desire and expectations of your life ahead. 

If you need to learn more about this we would love to hear from you. You can book a free consultation with our expert designer Aryo Falakrou. Aryo will be able to answer all of your questions and support you in the next steps.

Schedule a call!

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July 17, 2021 Architect Blog by aryo@myhomedesigner.com 0 Comments

Keep your home Cool with no AC

We’ve been through extreme heat already so this is something we are all thinking about.

keeping indoors cool has become a challenge and daunting task these days. BC had a historical heatwave within the last couple of weeks and many people had a hard time keeping themselves cool in their own homes.

 

How to keep your home cool 

With hotter summer days are on the horizon, keeping indoor cool becomes a challenge and daunting task these days. BC had a historical heatwave within the last couple of weeks and many people had a hard time keeping themselves cool in their own homes.

Many people who live in a condominium or in their homes are wondering what can they do with their space that can be easier to handle.

These couple of days were the hottest weather I experienced in Canada and I’m sure many people were suffering too. Firstly I’m sorry for lives lost due to heatstroke, and I hope more people will have access to the knowledge of how to keep their living space cool to avoid such tragedies.

 

I live in a treed area which creates a lot of shades which results in 3 to 4 degrees of cooler temperature, but still, we had a hard time considering my house is an older rancher with a yard around, that’s why we never installed any cooling system. I saw many of my plants got damaged and my cats having a hard time keeping themselves cool.

 

Coquitlam modern home designer

Keep the environment around cool

I like to separate two different subjects and explain each differently.

First the environment around us like our home and secondly our body and how we control the heat within our body.

Talking about our living space, every home is different but the first thing we should do is to minimize sun exposure coming into our living space. Where our home is exposed to the sun is through walls, ceilings, and windows. We might not be able to do much with our walls and roof if we live in a condo, apartment, or townhomes, but if we live in a house by adding more insulation on the roof, we are doing good for our wallet in the long run because it will keep the house warm in winter and cooler in summer. Most sun heat comes through the windows and that is where we should control by a thick curtain. If we don’t have a thick curtain which most the new homes don’t you can hang a blanket for the time of the day that the sun has the most heat which is between 11:00 am to 6:00 pm

I’ve seen some people stick foil paper or a reflective wrap on their windows. This method is a very low-cost solution as well. This way the sunray will be reflected outside and won’t heat your room either. You can make tape it in a way that you could remove it when you want the sun to come through.

Air Flow,

We should create constant airflow so that to make it much more livable. If there is some winds or breeze from outside, you can have the windows open (make sure the blanket hanging won’t stop the airflow)

If the outside breeze is not substantial, a ceiling fan or a portable fan would do the job. You can have the bathroom fan and the kitchen hood fan to run as well. 

Putting a bowl of ice in front of the fan makes a huge difference to cool down the room temperature.

Cooldown the exterior of the building,

If you are not under the water restriction, it is a good idea to water the exterior surface of the house after 7:00 PM when the sun is reducing the angle. The house has collected the heat of the sun all day and it is cooking. Water will cool off the exterior surface and will reduce the interior temperature by 5 degrees so you can sleep in your house at night.

 

Try to avoid using any appliances and electronics that generate heat. that includes your TV, computer, and hairdryer, and much more. We should make sure to reduce the accumulation of hot air inside the home. so Make sure no extra heat is been generated inside as much as possible.

Gather all of your plants and keep them all in one spot and make sure they are hydrated. They have a small but positive effect in colling the space.

cool your home

 

Keep all doors open even bedrooms. Never sleep in the closed door bedroom at a high temperature if you don’t have an AC. Our heat will accumulate in the room along with external heat will increase the room temperature and will create a greenhouse condition and could have a very dangerous consequence.

 

Holly: interesting points Aryo, what about our body, how can we control the heat within our body?

 

Aryo: Try to keep yourself cool by taking 30 seconds of cold showers to wet your body. 

If you can refuge to a public location like a mall, library, or such conditioned places during the day and when you come home later the day the temperature is been dropped by a bit.

Try to eat low calory food and fruit (like watermelon, or cucumber) rather than too much water. Keet yourself hydrated with energy drinks. Pops or fizzy drinks might feel like cooling you down but the sugar in the drink adds calory and at this stage, you don’t need extra calory in your body.

Watch our first episode of Healthy living Healthy Home with Aryo here!

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