How to Tell if Concrete Kitchen Flooring is Right For Your Kitchen As you get started designing your custom dream home, some of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make will be regarding the materials used in the kitchen – in particular, what type of flooring you want for the space. Concrete flooring is becoming a popular option these days because of its versatility, durability, and natural stone appearance. However, it’s not for everyone, given that there are some potential drawbacks to this material. Below is our guide to understanding if concrete flooring for your new kitchen is a good choice for your project goals. Pros of Concrete Flooring in the Kitchen There are many advantages to going with concrete floors for your new kitchen. For instance, concrete flooring: Has… Read more »
Building a Custom Home – Debunking Common Myths
14 Common Misconceptions About Custom Home Construction During our more than two decades of building custom homes in Victoria BC, the team here at LIDA Homes has heard our fair share of myths about the process. If you’ve been thinking about building your dream home with the help of a custom home builder, read on as we separate fact from fiction. Here are the top 14 misconceptions about custom home construction we hear from clients. Myth 1: It’s important to buy a plot of land before you hire a builder. Fact: Your builder can be a huge asset when it comes to finding the perfect lot for your custom home. They can help identify and assess features of the property that you might not have considered, like the lot’s orientation, quality… Read more »
Choosing Countertops for Your Custom Kitchen
How to Choose Countertops for a Renovated or Brand New Kitchen Your choice of countertops can be what makes or breaks your custom kitchen design. Kitchen counters have a dual function: they are both the visual focal point of the whole kitchen, and its workhorse. They are expected to be scratch-resistant and heat-resistant, while still being attractive. They have to be able to withstand more abuse than any other surface in the kitchen, yet you still need to be happy with the visual impact they lend to the overall design, as well as the purchase price. So, it’s important to choose a countertop material that is durable and still fits within your budget and design idea. Before you make a decision regarding the material of your countertops, there are some… Read more »
Interior Designers Can Help Build Your Dream Home
7 Reasons You Need an Interior Designer When Building a Custom Home Are you building a new home in Victoria or considering a massive renovation on an existing home? An interior designer can save you time and money in both cases! Here’s how. Your custom-built home or fully renovated home should not only look amazing, but it should also be functional and reflect your personality and style. When building a custom home in Victoria, you need someone on your team with the ability to take your vision and create a plan for the builders from the get-go. Your needs and wants should work for you and all the occupants of your home, but they also need to work with the geography of your lot, the building restrictions in your… Read more »
Victoria, BC Housing Market: A New Regulatory Era
Regulatory reform is underway in British Columbia housing markets. As you may be aware, The New Democratic Party (NDP) has prioritized increasing overall “affordability” in the BC economy. Residential housing markets, inclusive of rent levels and overall home prices, are a key focus with this initiative. The NDP has been outspoken about their intent to curtail rapid housing price appreciation while concurrently suppressing rents. From a historical perspective, Victoria, often pegged as the “California of Canada,” has seen a tight housing supply with increasing global demand. These dynamics are simple in nature, as supply tightens and demand heightens, prices increase. As rents are often a function of housing prices and inventory levels, upward trends in rents have become the norm in the Greater Victoria region. The NDP Plan of Action.… Read more »
Victoria BC Garden Suite Policy
Are Garden Suites Allowed in Victoria? A garden suite is a small, separate, ground-oriented rental suite which is situated in the backyard of a single-family detached home. Garden suites are projected to be long-term rental houses and can’t be used as a short-term rental like those listed on Airbnb. To construct a garden suite, a delegated development permit is needed along with the other supporting building permits. Building a garden suite offers a rental suite or an in-law accommodation alternative on your property if no secondary suite exists. Landowners have the option to turn an existing attached building into a suite if it passes policy guidelines, or they can completely create something new. To build a garden suite, property owners must get the approval to do so by following an… Read more »
5 Reasons to Build a Laneway House in Victoria BC
What are laneway houses? Laneway houses are known by several names, including “Fonzie suites”, “carriage houses”, “granny flats” and “coach houses”. Unlike home additions, but similar to garden suites laneway houses are fairly small, separated, individual houses that are constructed on pre-existing properties. They are normally built in a backyard or laneway of single-family properties. Laneway houses greatly help in contributing to the total sustainability of a city. They offer people more chances of living close to work and entertainment. They also help in making the urban lanes of the city greener, cozy and safe. Moreover, laneway houses help in providing affordable rental housing for people who are just starting. There are a lot of reasons why building a laneway house is beneficial. Below are just five of these reasons:… Read more »
Pros and Cons of Living in a Laneway House
Thinking of a Laneway House in Victoria, BC? Laneway houses are becoming widespread on Canada’s west coast, particularly in the Greater Vancouver area. These hot property trends are normally built on pre-existing properties, typically in a backyard with its opening facing the back lane. Many laneway homes are small, although public issues have stirred in a number of communities because of the effect that bigger laneway homes have on privacy. Though it is gaining popularity in Vancouver, laneway homes have been appearing in other cities in Canada. Toronto has also built laneway houses until the year 2006 after staff reassessed its effect on safety and services. This type of housing was introduced in Vancouver thanks to the initiation of its former Mayor Sam Sullivan as part of the EcoDensity initiative… Read more »
Why Winter is the Best Time to Start Building
What Time of Year is Best to Start Building Your Dream Home? A frequent question for our custom home builders is “what is the best time to begin building a home?” Surprisingly, winter is the best option! Here are a few reasons: 1. You won’t rush through the design process and can make sure it’s just right. You really don’t need nice weather to design your dream house, but it does take some time. When the window of nice weather is closing in the spring and summer you might be tempted to make a quick hasty decision about the design, just to get things moving along. In the winter you can take your time and make sure you don’t make poor choices. 2. You can choose a good winter lot. Victoria… Read more »
Hire A Custom Home Builder Before you Buy Land
Bring Along a Custom Home Builder Building a custom home in Victoria BC is a goal that many strive for. When you undertake this process it’s important to have a builder along for the entire process to avoid disappointments down the road. When you’re shopping for a lot, you’re probably comparing things like proximity to work or family, privacy, noise level, traffic, yard situation and lot size. Custom home builders see situations where people have picked out the perfect lot according to their wish list and then find out they can’t actually build on their new lot or it will be outside of their budget to do so. Many times clients buy their lot without any guidance from a builder and when digging begins, it becomes a nightmare. Large boulders… Read more »
