Summer has already arrived. Have you prepped your home enough for this current season? Below is an ultimate summer home maintenance checklist. 

Outdoor space may only be available in limited amounts in the city, especially in Vancouver. But with the right expertise, you do not have to refrain from your passion for greenery. On the contrary, it can be quite simple to change your tiny urban space into your own urban garden.  ​

Planning a large-scale renovation or building a new home? With more than 35 years building in Vancouver and Whistler, Well Balanced Designs fully understands the in's and out's of the building industry. We make it our mission to simplify the process for our clients to ensure a seamless, stress-free experience. That results in the home you're dreaming of. 

How can we help?

Download our Guide to Building or renovating in Vancouver or to our Laneway Home Building Guide for suggestions for planning your next project that lead to a great experience for you, the homeowner.

If you'd like to chat with us directly click here for contact information.

​This is easily done through glass wall systems we discussed in our last blog post. These systems combine a great indoor and outdoor experience, contributing to a happier and healthier life. There are many ways to enhance the seamless indoor/outdoor feel with wall systems that are essentially removable. Adding to the openness by using other elements such as tile flooring that extends from a home’s interior to its’ outdoor space can create the illusion that a home is much larger than it actually is.

Choose the size and placement of glass door systems according to your goals. Are you adding glass doors to create a flexible living spaces or for better views? 

​How much furniture and is in the room as well as the room layout is a consideration too. Pocket doors present the least challenges because they don’t swing into the attached room creating the need for extra space. Avoid the use of heavy furniture around whichever system you use is best. 

The type of glass system you choose can be affected by the climate of your location too. Your choice will affect energy efficiency and safety. A popular choice is the low-e tempered glass or in regions of great cold or heat, a triple-glazed version is a good fit. 

​"On October 3, 2017, Council approved amendments to the Zoning and Development Bylaw. The amendments introduce character retention incentives and increased opportunities for housing choice in all single-family (RS) zones across the city. 

Character Home Zoning Review

Heritage and character buildings are valued by many Vancouver residents, and are an important component of defining neighbourhood identity and character.

In recent years, we've heard growing public concern over the loss of character homes in the city. We started the Character Home Zoning Review in response to these concerns as part of the Heritage Action Plan, a comprehensive program approved by Council in 2013 to review and improve how we support heritage conservation in Vancouver.
​

This Character Home Zoning Review explores ways to encourage retention of pre-1940 character homes in single-family (RS zoned) neighbourhoods.
City Council requested this work as part of the Heritage Action Plan (HAP), a comprehensive review of the City’s Heritage Conservation Program. In this phase, we are proposing retention incentives for character homes in all single-family (RS zoned) neighbourhoods across the city. 
​
What can I do with my character home?

When a character house is retained, home owners have the opportunity to:

• Add additional floor area to their existing home
• Convert their home into multiple units known as a Multiple Conversion Dwelling
• Build an infill – a smaller detached home typically located in the rear yard where the garage would normally go on a single-family lot
• Rent or strata-title dwelling units in the infill or Multiple Conversion Dwelling
• Development options: General building code upgrades, site servicing requirements, and site eligibility requirements  (3 MB)

Before You Start Planning

Review the zoning schedules, guidelines, and policies before you start your plan:

• RS District Schedules including amendments for character home retention
• Guidelines for Additions, Infill and Multiple Conversion Dwelling in association with the Retention of a Character House in an RS Zone  (1 MB)
• Strata Title Policies for RS, RT and RM Zones  (104 KB)

Or contact the Well Balanced Designs team and we can answer any questions you have about adding additional floor area, converting your home to a Multiple Conversion Dwelling or building an infill in the City of Vancouver. 

It's important to note that at this time lane homes are not eligible for strata title. If you'd like more information about building an infill or building a lane home, please contact us.

Well Balanced Designs is pleased to be attending the BC Home and Garden show this year.
​
If you’re contemplating building a new home or renovating an older one, or just looking to spruce up your place for spring and summer, 2018, this show is a must attend. This is where Canada’s finest gather to deliver all you need to get you home in top shape.
 
From DIY projects, to home building and everything in between, this annual event, downtown Vancouver, is an exciting place to be. The show runs February 21st to February 25th, 2018. You can find us in Booth #2231

​Local Designers and Local Designs:
 
Last year we were honored to be featured on the Marc & Mandy Show. Designer Jamie Banfield took viewers on a tour of one of our newly built homes. Jamie Banfield will be displaying his talent in a few ways this coming weekend. The BC Hydro Power Smart Home, which highlights how to focus on energy efficiency in your home, is designed by Jamie Banfield Designs.There are so many options related to technology these days allowing energy efficiency and style to easily co-exist. Make sure to stop by this exhibit and learn more about saving on cost AND being an Energy Star®.
 
You’ll also find Jamie Banfield Designs sharing options for livening up your outdoor spacee. We recently built an incredible outdoor deck for a client, as  outdoor living is an important feature for them. And why not, Vancouver summer's can be incredible! Take a look our recent project by clicking here. Then see what inspiration you find from our project and the Jamie Banfield team at the Home Show, to get you motivated to up your entertaining game this summer!

​Curb Appeal
 
With “more than 3,000 square feet of innovative garden spaces’ at the show this year, you won’t be hard-pressed to find all you need to create that dream outdoor space.  We understand the importance of greenery! From landscaping that adds to curb appeal, to the use of plants and live gardens inside your home, greenery of all sorts is an important design element.
 
Some of us at Well Balanced Designs are keen to learn more about Steel Garden Systems who will be at the show. Ok, partly because they make gardening less labor-intensive but partly because of the combination of unique designs and practical construction. These custom built, raised steel garden beds have all the good looks without some of the drawbacks of wooden beds like rot or discoloration. They discourage bugs and weed growth and are easy to move. Coupled with the numerous colors that are available and the fact that they can be built to your specifications, these are worth checking out while you can. 

​Custom Options
 
Another thing we are excited to see at the show this weekend has to do with being a lane home builder. We get a bit excited by innovative designs for small spaces.  Space-saver beds and wall beds are a great solution for lane home living. Or for any other space you want to give double duty to. Instant Bedrooms Manufacturing , in an industry leader in Murphy Wall bed production. A space saver bed allows a 2nd bedroom to be an office or spare room until it’s needed for a guest. And if you haven’t taken a look at innovations in space-saver beds for a number of years, you don’t want to miss this! Instant Bedrooms Manufacturing has been in business as long as we have been (35 years), making them a great resource for functional space saving tips.  

​
​Try Something Unique to The BC Home & Garden Show
 
And if the endless amount of design and décor ideas for your home and garden aren’t enough, try something else:  As the official automotive sponsor of the BC Home & Garden Show, Toyota will be onsite offering test drives and adding a fun touch to a show that is all about life at home.  So, go ahead and see if you want to bring something new home to add to your new garage.
 
There’s also a Help Desk if you have questions you need answered about a project you’re working on. But you know you can come see us for that kind of stuff too, right? After 35 years in business, we have some answers about design build projects!
 
Let us know if you enjoyed these recommendations and what inspirations you may have found that we didn’t include. We look forward to seeing you at this weekend-long adventure so be sure to stop by our booth and say hello!

Laneway housing is a novel solution to Vancouver’s real estate crunch, letting homeowners build these structures and use them – or rent them out to tenants. Vancouver zoning allows these structures to be built in special single-family zones only. We have always suspected it will only be a matter of time before population pressures see  even more laneway housing sprouting up in even more neighborhoods. 

There are currently proposals at Vancouver city hall, that will allow for this if passed.  

We have been part of this trend, building and designing laneway house for our clients throughout the Vancouver area, for many years. Click here to get specific details on what`s required before you can start to build a laneway home in the City of Vancouver. We have broken this down into simple, easy-to-follow steps so you can get started understanding the building process.