Vancouver's Real Estate Market

[noclue]

Just some random thoughts.
1. Even though it's aesthetic, try to avoid stucco and flat roofs as it's not ideal in our rainy climate. Stick with a decent wool insulation and not spray foam. Triple pane windows are good. Solar, unless you wanna be self-sufficient or feel good about environmentalism you'll never make back your cost in BC's low electricity costs along with our less than ideal solar climate.
2. Vancouver reversed their ban on nat gas, I don't know if you're going to use heat pumps or radiant heating. Permit timelines are probably the biggest headache in Vancouver proper. Gas vs induction stove is up to you.
3. Dog wash in the garage is very convenient and relatively cheap to install.
4. If it's your forever home, consider installing an elevator or have another master bedroom on the ground floor.

[EvoFire]

I would like to add hot water connection to the garage, or a small instant on hot water unit in the garage.

[Hehe]

One luxury item that I'd suggest to add is home battery backup.

Not only it provides peace of mind in case of outage, with BC Hydro offering time of the day pricing, you could have the batteries to power your entire home (maybe minus some super power hungry equipments) during peak hours and recharging in cheap hours.

Solar, as noclue has pointed out, it's hard to recover the investment. The only way I'd do it is if you've got some fences that you need to do, and they are in a direction that doesn't get too much blockage, you could do bi-facial solar panels instead of actual wood fence. Solar might even be slightly cheaper than good hardwood fences. This plus the batteries, you can get a relatively quick recovery period.

[supafamous]

Originally Posted by ntan

I have a builder in mind but I haven't settled on an architect/designer. Should I also get an interior designer? I'm curious what upgrades people are considering for their own/prospective homes? triple pane windows? solar? We're open to completely gutting the place, extensions, lifting the house (to raise basement ceiling height) if necessary, etc.

Any feedback or tips appreciated!

I'd consider an interior designer a must have - there's just so many little decisions (knob? handle? black? grey? knurled? single or double?) you'll have to make and you'll find yourself constantly doubting yourself or not having enough knowledge to know what options are out there. An interior designer can streamline all of that - they know the vendors, they will ask you how you plan to use something, they know the colour palettes (marble and gold everywhere!) etc.

A small little detail my builder did is that for the window in front of sinks the bottom shelf of the window (not sure the correct name) used the same quartz as the countertop rather than wood - no chance or it ever rotting and now I can use it to stick wet things there to dry. Super handy little detail.

I also have faucet that's touch sensitive - also super handy - I'm so used to it that I hate using the faucets that the poors use now. Don't be a poor, get a touch sensitive faucet.

[RabidRat]

Originally Posted by supafamous

Don't be a poor,

[Harvey Specter]

I started a new build on the west side and it's already turning into a headache. I'll post more details about the build later but if you're planning to do a major reno, make sure you overbudget, not underestimate. And if you're buying an older west side house with plans to gut it be careful about what’s lurking behind the walls. A lot of these older homes have hidden issues like outdated wiring, leaky plumbing, rot, mould and even hazardous materials like asbestos or old insulation that needs specialized removal. All of that adds up fast so go in expecting surprises and budget accordingly.

And speaking of renos, I have a rental property in the Dunbar area and just had a major renovation done last month. It's a 25 yr old house that I purchased in 2018. It's been a rental ever since so as you can imagine the condition went from decent to utter crap. The washrooms had mould, the skylights were leaking which caused more mould, and the carpets were trashed. I decided to use Mr. Build and they did an amazing job. Here's a befor and after for the washroom, it was basically a gut job because the mold had made its way into the drywall.

[donk.]

Why did the bathroom rot like that in the first place? Its not a tenant issue

Exhaust duct broke off?
Fan never ran? (Install an auto on timer with the light + a 20 min run delay once lights turn off)
No insulation above?
Roof leak?

[unit]

could be a tenant issue if they never turn the fan on when they shower

[Harvey Specter]

Originally Posted by donk.

Why did the bathroom rot like that in the first place? Its not a tenant issue

Exhaust duct broke off?
Fan never ran? (Install an auto on timer with the light + a 20 min run delay once lights turn off)
No insulation above?
Roof leak?

The washroom issues weren’t tenant related, but the rest of the house was, with things like stained carpets, broken kitchen cabinets, damaged doors and so on.

Regarding the washroom, skylight in the washroom had a small leak. I had the skylight replaced but the drywall had already taken water damage and over time mould started to come through the paint. The washroom fan also had a broken flap, which basically blocked it so it didn’t work. The tiles in the tub had become loose and over time water got behind them and caused mould. I had patch work done but it was clear it was better to rip everything out.

[whitev70r]

Even if you run the exhaust in the shower every single day, every moment 24/7, after 10+ yrs, you will still get mold buildup, peeling, and deterioration. Just a fact of life.

[Gerbs]

Dumb question, but my mom's washroom had that type of mold on the ceiling glass before. I think she cleaned it with random cleaners.

Do we need to replace the drywall? This was a decade ago when we were younger. Idk if it's a safety hazard

[donk.]

Originally Posted by Harvey Specter

The washroom issues weren’t tenant related, but the rest of the house was, with things like stained carpets, broken kitchen cabinets, damaged doors and so on.

Regarding the washroom, skylight in the washroom had a small leak. I had the skylight replaced but the drywall had already taken water damage and over time mould started to come through the paint. The washroom fan also had a broken flap, which basically blocked it so it didn’t work. The tiles in the tub had become loose and over time water got behind them and caused mould. I had patch work done but it was clear it was better to rip everything out.

Ah, i misread the skylight as ceiling light in your original post, got it

[6793026]

We finished a full gut reno - 1962 house rancher.
took 2 years bceause we had to fire some people and it screwed up

Yes we had to hire an architect. Honestly when we did it, it was the height and no one wanted our "small" project.

You really still need to do your due diligence as we knew the guy also outsoruced it to some yuoung junior rep.

[jing]

Originally Posted by Harvey Specter

Spoiler!

I started a new build on the west side and it's already turning into a headache. I'll post more details about the build later but if you're planning to do a major reno, make sure you overbudget, not underestimate. And if you're buying an older west side house with plans to gut it be careful about what’s lurking behind the walls. A lot of these older homes have hidden issues like outdated wiring, leaky plumbing, rot, mould and even hazardous materials like asbestos or old insulation that needs specialized removal. All of that adds up fast so go in expecting surprises and budget accordingly.

And speaking of renos, I have a rental property in the Dunbar area and just had a major renovation done last month. It's a 25 yr old house that I purchased in 2018. It's been a rental ever since so as you can imagine the condition went from decent to utter crap. The washrooms had mould, the skylights were leaking which caused more mould, and the carpets were trashed. I decided to use Mr. Build and they did an amazing job. Here's a befor and after for the washroom, it was basically a gut job because the mold had made its way into the drywall.

Do you mind sharing what a bathroom gut job like that costs?

[Harvey Specter]

Originally Posted by jing

Do you mind sharing what a bathroom gut job like that costs?

I paid $8500 + $1500 for the skylight which was new drywall + paint.

[Badhobz]

I did the same job in my parents apartment 10 years ago and it also 10k. Used a restoration company because they were doing the work in their suite anyways after the guy upstairs had a fire and they had to hose down the suite.

Only difference is I didn’t want a plastic basin and made them tile the bottom. Looks nicer in my opinion.

[Harvey Specter]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

Only difference is I didn’t want a plastic basin and made them tile the bottom. Looks nicer in my opinion.

It does look better, but it costs more and there’s always a risk of a leak. With a prefabricated shower base the chance of a leak is basically zero.

[bcrdukes]

Unless you have the luck of Badhobz where his WeatherTech Leak Proof floor mats leaked and destroyed his Maserati.

Destroyed!

[EvoFire]

Originally Posted by Harvey Specter

It does look better, but it costs more and there’s always a risk of a leak. With a prefabricated shower base the chance of a leak is basically zero.

That's given it was installed correctly and they didn't accidentally crack it. You get a hairline crack and it'll leak without you realizing.

[Harvey Specter]

It should be fine. My personal opinion is that a tiled base should be left for a master washroom. For the main washrooms, you can get away with a premade base.

I also forgot to mention, Mr. Build painted and replaced the baseboards throughout the house. The entire house was painted in a grey colour before so I decided to go with a lighter shade. The paint looks a bit yellow in photos but I went with “Greek Villa”, which is an off white. It looks good in person.

The carpet was replaced by Global Carpets, who did an amazing job. The previous high pile carpet was in horrific condition, covered in stains and dust, so I decided to go with a low pile, stain resistant carpet from Engineered Floors. I’m very impressed with the carpet quality and it comes with a lifetime stain warranty.

[ntan]

Originally Posted by EvoFire

Appliances is only a small part of the equation.

Once you start deciding to cut more windows, moving walls, and the aforementioned basement lift is when the money gets really big.

Sorry I don't got any connections, it's way out of my league.

I do have a question, why reno and not just build your own?

We're contemplating it but we're leaning towards moving to a slightly older home with a bigger lot and a location we want to settle down for family life etc.

Originally Posted by Badhobz

Isn’t it a horrible time to do Reno ? It’s a great time to score some cheap / devalued properties that’s already done up. You should just find some desperate sellers in west van and low ball them.

re: lowball in west side. That hasn't been what I've noticed. I've seen quite a few sellers just pull their property off the market instead of selling it since they aren't desperate/tight on cash. They can ride it out.

I'm not sure why it's a bad time to do renos though?

Originally Posted by Hehe

We are working on our major reno so I'd share my $0.02.

First, your architect and designer should be first. Because there's no such builder who specialize in everything. Thus, you need to first determine what kind of structure and materials that you'd be working with. Especially when going into high-end builds. Yes, all general contractor would sub out some of their work, but you need to know for sure that what you are doing is something the builder you have in mind has the expertise to do the work.

Second, are you supervising the build yourself or having the architect to do it? If it's the former, you could have whatever builder you want. If it's the latter, you'd want to check with both the architect and the builder to see if they are ok with everything involved. Last thing you want is they are not in tune about how to get stuff done. This could mean delay in work hence $$$ on your build.

Last, but not least, assuming you are going high-end, would you plan to sell it some time down the road? Big name architect would provide some value in the long term, but they also mean $$$ when doing the build. It's not unusual for them to charge 10-12% of hard build cost (assuming you go full-service and have them oversee everything). It's something you want to keep in mind.
And if selling some time down the road is in mind, you'd want to discuss with the architect. In our case, we wanted OUR home. Thus, everything from layout to material is to our liking and we could give a rat ass about whether something would also be appreciated by others. This is something that a good architect would be very clear with about... like the trend and everything.

Do you have an architect/interior designer in mind? We're looking to hopefully purchase a place in the Shaughnessy area, as we're partial to a home with a bit of character along with a bigger lot for more privacy. We would like to completely renovate it so it's very much like a new home.

I work full time so I realistically wouldn't be able to supervise the job too often, so I'm really counting on my builder/GC to stay on top of things.

We're starting a family soon so we plan on staying in this home for many years to come, so I think I'm in the same position as you. Based on your experience, what kind of budget per sqft should I expect?

Originally Posted by noclue

Just some random thoughts.
1. Even though it's aesthetic, try to avoid stucco and flat roofs as it's not ideal in our rainy climate. Stick with a decent wool insulation and not spray foam. Triple pane windows are good. Solar, unless you wanna be self-sufficient or feel good about environmentalism you'll never make back your cost in BC's low electricity costs along with our less than ideal solar climate.
2. Vancouver reversed their ban on nat gas, I don't know if you're going to use heat pumps or radiant heating. Permit timelines are probably the biggest headache in Vancouver proper. Gas vs induction stove is up to you.
3. Dog wash in the garage is very convenient and relatively cheap to install.
4. If it's your forever home, consider installing an elevator or have another master bedroom on the ground floor.

I didn't realize stucco was bad for our climate since it's so common in Vancouver. I heard about rockwool insulation from social media and it piqued my interest for its sound dampening abilities, though I wasn't sure if it was a bit overhyped cause... you know, socials.

Radiant + AC 100%. What's the verdict on heat pumps nowadays? I plan on having induction in the kitchen and gas in the wok kitchen. We enjoy cooking a lot so it's nice to have both options, especially cause we do a lot of wok cooking.

I was envisioning a mudroom with a dog washing station... still unsure if it should be elevated or not. As for an elevator... we were considering it when we were looking houses on slopes near Puget/Quesnel Drive, but my wife isn't a fan of the number of stairs and thinks it'll be inconvenient in the long run. I'm curious if you know what the operational cost of an elevator will run you annually...

Originally Posted by EvoFire

I would like to add hot water connection to the garage, or a small instant on hot water unit in the garage.

Originally Posted by Hehe

One luxury item that I'd suggest to add is home battery backup.

Not only it provides peace of mind in case of outage, with BC Hydro offering time of the day pricing, you could have the batteries to power your entire home (maybe minus some super power hungry equipments) during peak hours and recharging in cheap hours.

Solar, as noclue has pointed out, it's hard to recover the investment. The only way I'd do it is if you've got some fences that you need to do, and they are in a direction that doesn't get too much blockage, you could do bi-facial solar panels instead of actual wood fence. Solar might even be slightly cheaper than good hardwood fences. This plus the batteries, you can get a relatively quick recovery period.

+1 for battery backup. I haven't done the math on solar yet but my wife drives an EV and we do get quite a bit sunlight, so it seems attractive. I never considered putting it on the fence but that's actually a good idea.

Originally Posted by supafamous

I'd consider an interior designer a must have - there's just so many little decisions (knob? handle? black? grey? knurled? single or double?) you'll have to make and you'll find yourself constantly doubting yourself or not having enough knowledge to know what options are out there. An interior designer can streamline all of that - they know the vendors, they will ask you how you plan to use something, they know the colour palettes (marble and gold everywhere!) etc.

A small little detail my builder did is that for the window in front of sinks the bottom shelf of the window (not sure the correct name) used the same quartz as the countertop rather than wood - no chance or it ever rotting and now I can use it to stick wet things there to dry. Super handy little detail.

I also have faucet that's touch sensitive - also super handy - I'm so used to it that I hate using the faucets that the poors use now. Don't be a poor, get a touch sensitive faucet.

Window sill? I'll keep that in mind, thanks!

[ntan]

Originally Posted by donk.

Your post is out of my income bracket, il see myself out

Nah man. I’m still the same dude who refuses to pay for parking and will happily park 5 blocks away so long as it’s free 😎 and I’m always packing leftovers for lunch.

[unit]

are you sure the skylight was actually leaking? normally it's much more common that its condensation buildup on the skylight due to insufficient insulation in the attic space, and the condensation builds up and runs down the skylight and causes rot. ask me how i know!

[ntan]

I’m curious what people’s opinions are on instant hot vs hot water tank? And what a good brand is? Same question for the AC. I’ve never been overly familiar with HVAC systems but I’ve heard it’s one thing where it’s worth investing in.

[donk.]

Avoid anything LG. All other brands are fair game.

Source: 10+ years of diagnostics and repairs on hvac systems