We have noticed a new trend in Vancouver home design: The sinkless vanity. What is it, and what are the pros and cons of a sinkless vanity? What should you know before you install one? And is the trend here to stay or will it soon go down the drain? The rundown on the latest Vancouver home design trend: The sinkless vanity The sinkless vanity is...
When it comes to home designers, teamwork really does make the dream work. The teamwork, in this case, comes in the form of open communication. In order to get the house of your dreams, there are several topics you need to cover with your home designer. The five topics to discuss with your home designer 1. What a typical week looks like for your family Home...
You have probably seen the infamous “Vancouver Special” homes around the City. Popular in the 1970s to 1980s, these houses were built on a budget, mainly on the East Side of the City core. The upsides? They are easy to renovate: they almost always have Truss Roofs which means fewer Load Bearing Walls, making them easier to gut and modernize. They usually are very easily...
In home design, your personality shows through – much like your outfit or hairstyle for the day communicates your style to those who cross your path. Expressing your personality and your lifestyle through your home design is essential to that feeling of at-homeness you get when you’re inside your house. The principles below apply whether you’re renovating your home, or building a new custom...
Did you know that windows can be placed on your home in a way that will reduce electricity bills, create a more sustainable, environmentally friendly home, and be more comfortable for you and your family? In Vancouver’s climate, a combination of passive solar heating and passive cooling can be used throughout the year to regulate the temperature inside your home with minimal use of electric...
Porcelain countertops aren’t well known amongst homeowners, renovators and builders, but they are on our radar for a few reasons: [caption id="attachment_2507" align="alignright" width="500"] Porcelain slab flooring and slab wall in a spa. Photo credit: Oregon Tile and Marble[/caption] Durability and affordability. So, this is not the material that makes you think of fragile dolls and fine china. Porcelain isn’t just for countertops either: it’s an attractive option...
Thinking of purchasing a home that is a bit of a fixer-upper? Doing a major home renovation can have big pay-offs for your family’s happiness and comfort at home, as well as for your property’s resale value. However, before you sign the check, read this checklist that includes 7 things you should check before buying a fixer-upper home. If you are on a tight budget for...
As we get older, living in a senior’s home becomes necessary because they’re designed in a way to help people with reduced mobility get around. When given a choice, most people prefer to stay at home as they age whenever possible. Luckily, in most cases, it is possible. Floor plan design for aging in place When creating a floor plan, choosing a layout that is...
When housing gets pricey, people get renovating. It is a fact that is becoming increasingly true especially here in the Lower Mainland. Renovating offers homeowners a way to upgrade their living space without having to play in the crazy Vancouver housing market, so there is no wonder renovations are so popular here. We’ve written a lot about renovating lately, so today we’re compiling the best...
One of the first things to consider when you’re planning to build a secondary suite in your home is the cost. Since a primary reason why homeowners want to put a secondary suite into their homes is for monthly rental income, the cost of constructing a secondary suite has to be worthwhile financially. This article helps you understand the costs of building a secondary suite...
Thinking of renovating your kitchen? It’s sometimes hard to know where to start once you’ve got the idea that a remodel is in order. We created a step-by-step guide to help you with the process, from getting the idea that you want to renovate your kitchen, all the way to starting the job. Step 1. Consider how you use your kitchen Is your kitchen used solely...
Most of the time, we read renovation guides that tell us what a renovation usually costs. Instead, we wanted to create this guide that takes your renovation budget into consideration FIRST, then works backwards to decide which types of upgrades can fit into the budget. Like an opposite take on a renovation guide. Here are some example budgets and where that money is best spent in a...
Last week we posted an article that looks at the fastest and cheapest updates to do for a flip, particularly for people who bought property in the Vancouver area for more than it’s now worth, and want to recover their investment ASAP. If you are not necessarily looking at a flip, but bought a house that direly needs an update, this blog is for you....
Before the Foreign Buyers Tax on BC properties came in, many people bought properties in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland that are now worth less than the purchase price. (Ever since the tax came into effect, there’s some evidence the Vancouver real estate market is relaxing.) In order to bring these homes up in value, a renovation is usually necessary, and many buyers will be...
Did you just move into a home, but the great first impression you got from the kitchen has faded away to reveal a cheap reno that’s practically unlivable? The kitchen improvement you initially saw isn't as nice as you thought? You know the saying about putting lipstick on a pig. The fact is that the current housing market in Vancouver makes doing such a thing...
There’s a relatively unknown aspect in the Vancouver renovations industry that, for some contractors, designers and homeowners, comes as a surprise and a significant cost. Certain renovations, especially large ones, could trigger the requirement to install a sprinkler system. The City triggers that would require the installation of fire sprinklers, upgrade vapour barrier and upgrade the insulation in a home are complicated, and are not well...
There’s one element of a renovation that you essentially can’t go wrong with: Storage. In a recent blog article we came up with some ideas about how to add storage to your home in creative ways. This post brings together some inspiration for adding storage to your mudroom or entrance using lockers. Lockers don’t necessarily mean those ugly metal structures with clanging doors from your kid’s...
Designing and renovating your home will always affect its value when it comes time to resell. While our top priority with any renovation is to make your home more comfortable, liveable and functional for your family, it’s important to also keep in mind how future buyers will regard the changes. If you’re planning to renovate your home anywhere in the Lower Mainland, here are some...
Home renovations are exciting! But there’s still a lot of mystery behind a few aspects of a reno. Two of the most common questions about a renovation are how long it takes, and how much it costs. We’ve been doing renovations on homes around the Lower Mainland for years, and work on a large variety of project sizes, scopes and durations. We want to share...
Home renovation designs for the Lower Mainland are some of our favourite projects at Draft On Site. Recently, we helped a homeowner in Delta renovate her home’s interior and exterior, with beautiful results! Renovations are exciting, and can be stressful, so being prepared from the outset are important for your mental, financial and emotional wellbeing. These 10 don’ts of home renovations will help you plan...