We got our response from the city this week telling us that our humble house has "Character Merit"! This is an important step for a number of reasons unrelated to our egos and love of old houses. The City of Vancouver has some planning policies in place to encourage the retention of houses deemed to have Character Merit that we now qualify for provided we don't remuddle the … [Read more...] about Character Merit Benefits
So many details
Planning never stops
Unbuilding vs Demolition
The construction industry is responsible for one third of the waste in the Metro Vancouver region and the region is working very hard to reduce that with new bylaws. If your home is pre-1950 you need to recycle 75% to 90% of the material depending on whether your house has character designation. If your home is pre-1910 you need to salvage at least 3,000 kg of wood. This … [Read more...] about Unbuilding vs Demolition
Week 3: Admin
The week started with 3 different builders coming by for walkthroughs and first meetings which will give us 5 builders to choose from. It is an interesting process and i really have to watch myself and listen to what they say. It is really tempting to rush them along because we have heard all this before, but the reality is we haven't. Learning to keep my mouth shut and … [Read more...] about Week 3: Admin
Where to start?
Since last weekend i have been thinking about how much Sarah and i have committed to doing, how disruptive it will be, and how important it all is to keep our budget on track. I wouldn't say it has been keeping me awake at night, but it has been on my mind. Here is what we have committed to doing before the project begins: demo basement, pull wiring, plumbing and furnace … [Read more...] about Where to start?
The Scope Document
A large portion of my job is project management so i can't help but make lists and checklists. It helps to make sure everyone (Sarah, me, the builder) is on the same page. It helps when talking to multiple builders and makes sure we have told them all the same thing.It acts as a checklist for us when reviewing drawings.it helps prioritize our needs and wants so we can … [Read more...] about The Scope Document