New Homes
New Homes
Select the best contractor for your project
LAST week, the Manitoba Home Builders' Association hosted a free seminar on home renovations featuring a panel of experts who not only gave expert presentations but also answered dozens of questions from attendees.
The MHBA RenoMark Renovators Council was created almost 10 years ago to ensure excellence in the renovation industry through standards, a code of ethics and professional development.
Brad Sveinson of Character Homes started the evening by informing the audience of what they need to do to start the renovation process. He talked of the importance of establishing a needs list, a wish list and a realistic budget.
Pam Vernaus from Manitoba Hydro demonstrated how consumers could save a considerable amount of money and access grant and rebate programs by utilizing energy efficient strategies when engaging in a renovation project.
Scott Plett from Steinbach Credit Union outlined how homeowners could use their current assets to access the necessary money to finance their renovation and still live within their means.
Martin Grady from the City of Winnipeg presented information on the zoning and permit process, telling people when they did and didn't need a permit for their renovation, when a zoning variance was required and how to access city services to optimize their renovation project.
As president of the MHBA, I informed the audience of the perils of the underground economy. Even though you may be saving money up front, the risk of liability claims as the prime contractor, not using licensed skilled trades for permit-necessary work and not having any recourse without a contract in the event that something goes wrong, winds up costing everyone considerably more in the long run.
Sveinson then concluded the presentations by telling the audience what to look for in a renovator and how to select the best contractor for your project. He also outlined the merits of hiring a RenoMark renovator and the importance of ensuring your renovator adheres to the principles outlined on their site at www.renomark.ca, including the need for a detailed written contract.
The evening concluded with a lengthy question and answer period. All of the panel participated in this session along with Ralph Oswald from Oswald Construction.
This has proven to be a valuable session provided by the RenoMark Renovators Council members of the MHBA. All attendees left ready to tackle their next renovation project.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
New Homes
Primo condos
If you're a Transcona resident looking for an alternative to buying a well-used resale home, a viable alternative is coming your way.
It's Park City Condominiums, a complex to be located in a mature, quiet neighbourhood on Pandora Street.
"You can't beat the location," said Bill Thiessen, the lead realtor for the project. "It's a nice, quiet area that has all kinds of longtime homeowners surrounding it on adjacent streets. And it's not way into Transcona, so access to the south of the city and downtown is quite quick.
"At the same time, it's close to everything on Regent Avenue -- Kildonan Place, restaurants, shops and services -- and to Lagimodiere and Highway No. 1 if you have a cottage in the Interlake or Whiteshell."
Thiessen said the hallmark of the development, aside from its excellent location, will be the generous size of the units and its quality, inside and out.
"There will eventually be a total of 12 buildings, with six townhouses per building," he said. "Square footage will range from 1,450 sq. ft. to 1,650 sq. ft., with units having two or three bedrooms with one or two baths."
The units will feature an imaginative design that will place the emphasis on maximizing space while providing plenty of style.
"Suites in the middle will have three levels," Thiessen explained. "The main floor will house the living room, dining room, kitchen, a two-piece bath and a storage room. The second will contain two bedrooms, a four-piece bath, laundry room and more storage, and the third floor will be where the master suite and a handy bonus room will be. The master could also be a family room, due in part to the fact that it has access to a balcony."
Suites on the corners of the complex, while smaller (1,450 sq. ft. versus 1,650 sq. ft.), will also come equipped with some novel design features.
"They will have big windows on two sides and will feature a bright, open-concept main floor similar to the one in the larger units," he said. "As well, the second floor will have two large bedrooms, while the third floor will contain a feature I think people will love -- a giant balcony off the den and master suite that will measure in at 10 feet by 22 feet.
"The idea was to provide residents with more outdoor space, which will also be usable in poor weather, as the balconies will be covered."
As for the building's exterior styling, it will feature an arts-and-crafts design theme.
"I think people will really like the look -- it's going to be organic and natural, with roof overhangs and rustic finishes. It's a look that should appeal to everyone, and, more importantly, fit in well with the neighbourhood. It's a complex that will merge well with its surroundings."
Inside, the emphasis will be on quality, Thiessen said.
"The finishing quality is going to be exceptional, with luxury finishes across the board," he said. "The cabinetry, countertops and flooring are going to be top-notch. When you combine that with a large square footage, efficient layouts and a host of thoughtful interior design features, the result is a condominium that you're going to enjoy living in."
One final bonus was incorporated into the design of each unit: a garage.
"Each condominium will come with its own interior garage that also has an extra eight feet of space that can be used for additional storage. I think that's a nice touch that shows the development's designers really tried to do their homework. The units are going to feature a nice blend of user friendliness and style."
Not to mention exceptional value, Thiessen said.
"Overall, the main goal was to provide buyers -- whether they be young couples or empty-nesters -- with extreme value. Prices will range from about $249,000 to $275,000 (depending on size of unit chosen), and condominium fees will be very reasonable at $125 to $150," he said. "The big thing, though, is that buyers can expect great quality. The goal was to make these condominiums as quiet as a single-family home, and with the same style and space, too. They're a real alternative to buying a 1950s-vintage home."
For more information on Park City Condominiums, call RE/MAX Performance Realty's Bill Thiessen at 946-5638.
lewys@mts.net
New Homes
Budgets send out mixed impact messages
We have had three government budgets released recently and their impact on the housing industry and those who own houses has been mixed, if not confusing.
The federal budget acknowledged the role of new home construction and pledged investments in research to ensure Canada remained a leader in energy efficiency. There appears to be a commitment to long-term low-interest rates and a strategic long-term infrastructure plan although concern was expressed about escalating government imposed costs. Primary among these is a GST application that has remained unchanged since 1991.
Of course, in Manitoba, there is considerable concern about immigration reform and training for skilled jobs. Immigration has been a primary driver of Manitoba's economy and new home market. Any reduction in numbers or skills would be seen as detrimental.
Most notably in the City of Winnipeg budget was a 3.5 per cent property tax increase. It is an across-the-board tax, much like last year's frontage levy, shared by all presumably to pay for services and infrastructure to be used by all.
The recently released provincial budget has raised a number of questions and can be construed as good news or bad news, depending on how things play out. Last week, I was speaking to a friend who lives in an older part of town and his emotions ranged from excitement to uncertainty to concern.
Although concerned that he would be paying 2.5 cents a litre more for gas and $35 more in vehicle registration, he was excited to hear the money generated would be going towards infrastructure improvement. Given the crumbling nature of the roads and other infrastructure in and around his neighbourhood, he was elated to hear that upwards of $100 million could be generated.
However, that's when the questions started arising. Would this money be available for use in his area now or were there other priority areas such as flood relief to be addressed first?
The city and province seem to disagree whether this is new and additional money or a replacement for funds that are now being transferred to other areas of need. This was the uncertainty of which he spoke. Who is correct in their interpretation of the budget?
My friend in River Heights doesn't care. He just knows that he is paying more money to all three levels of government who said that fixing infrastructure was a top priority. He just wants his roads fixed.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
New Homes
Free renovation information session set
The plain and simple fact is that we like to renovate in Manitoba... a lot. In a recent national poll, almost 60 per cent of all Manitobans said that they are planning a renovation this year.
For more than a decade, Manitobans have spent more money on renovations than new home construction; the only province in Canada to do so. Of course, part of that is based on the fact that new homes are much more affordable here than in many other regions in Canada, but one can't argue that Manitobans lead the country when it comes to renovation projects.
In Winnipeg, renovations are a logical extension of home life. Winnipeg has the third oldest housing stock (behind only Montreal and Halifax) in Canada. Older homes in older neighbourhoods require work to keep them in good shape.
Winnipeggers are fixated on living in particular neighbourhoods, often where they grew up. In order to do so, they frequently purchase an older home and then engage in a significant renovation project to enable that home to suit their more modern tastes.
A home renovation project can be as simple or complicated. However, in order to get started down the right path, every homeowner needs to be more aware of all aspects of a renovation project.
That is why the RenoMark Renovators Council of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association is offering a FREE renovation information session on April 25 at 6:30 p.m. at the Norwood Hotel.
This seminar will feature professional renovators discussing the whys and hows of planning a renovation, how to best create and modify your wish list, and how to best go about selecting the renovator that is right for you.
There will also be expert advice from Manitoba Hydro on energy-saving techniques; Steinbach Credit Union on financing your renovation; and from the City of Winnipeg on what does and doesn't require a permit, along with other money saving strategies.
There will also be helpful hints regarding warning signs from those who may be passing themselves off as renovators but have less than honest motives and business practices. After the presentations, there will be plenty of opportunity to drill down to your particular project through the question and answer period.
This seminar will assist homeowners in making the right decisions for their renovation projects.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
New Homes
Consumers the winners in housing market
With the flurry of activity over the past month or so regarding the Spring Parade of Homes and the Home Expressions Home and Garden Show, we have been so busy focusing on home-related events that we have been delinquent on the home-related news review.
Both the new and resale housing markets have been very busy and the news has been primarily positive.
In early March, the City of Winnipeg announced a revision and improvement in the way it reviews and approves building plans and permits.
There will still be the same diligence and accountability. The building code and all other regulations are still in place. There will be no compromises on quality.
The primary difference is that professional plans stamped by professional engineers and created by professional drafts persons will be reviewed faster due to efficiencies being implemented early in the process.
The trickle-down effect is that we will have our permit applications reviewed faster so we can proceed with renovations on our existing homes.
Manitobans lead the country in renovation activity and this should encourage compliance in taking out building permits. That should be a relief to those in the home buying market. Even frequent critics of city hall policies are applauding this new permit initiative.
It seems as though Canadian economists and media outlets are spending an inordinate amount of time recently speculating on a housing bubble. Is one in our future?
Although most of this discussion is on a national level and seems to be aimed at larger urban centres such as Toronto and Vancouver, every region tends to be included. That is why it was so refreshing to read the comments of a TD Bank economist who said that a crash or bubble bursting situation was not in line for Winnipeg.
Her reasoning was that a price correction may be spread out over three or four years, but due to a strong and growing local economy, a high employment rate, strong consumer confidence, a growing population fuelled by immigration, one of the most affordable housing markets in Canada and the fact that the percentage of household income needed to own a home here is among the lowest of any major Canadian city, she felt that we were not in a position of high risk.
This further bodes well for the local consumer looking to purchase a new home.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
New Homes
Create your very own Parade of Homes
Although the 2012 Spring Parade of Homes ended March 25, you still have plenty of opportunity to revisit those fantastic show homes that you saw during the three weeks of Parade.
The weather was fabulous this year and Manitobans responded in kind as a tremendous number of people visited 103 new homes. It was a whirlwind tour for many and one couldn't be expected to visit every home, no matter how hard they tried. There simply isn't enough time to do each beautiful new home justice.
If you were like most people, you concentrated on a few subdivisions and visited all of the new homes in that area. However, there were undoubtedly many you wanted to see but just couldn't get to in such a short time.
Many people have the mistaken notion that show homes are only open during the Spring and Fall Parade of Homes. In fact, they are open year round and, although the hours may not be the same as during Parade, they are able to accommodate all interested clients.
So, now that your interest in a new home has been piqued by the Spring Parade, the timing is perfect to follow up with another visit.
Although you received an excellent welcome and introduction to each new home, it was undoubtedly busy and may have been difficult to have a private conversation with the sales representative regarding the amenities of that home. The purchase of a new home is an important decision and, now that you have visited the best new homes in Manitoba, you probably have a number of questions that you would like to ask.
You can still view the official Parade magazine on the MHBA website at www.homebuilders.mb.ca or the Free Press website at www.winnipegfreepress.com. The magazine has a listing of all of the homes, where they are located, a brief description of each and the base and selling prices.
The important thing to remember is that almost all of the wonderful show homes that you saw during the Spring Parade are still available for viewing.
Create your own personal Parade by visiting some you weren't able to get to and revisit those that intrigued you but required more viewing time.
The 2012 Spring Parade of Homes may be over, but the opportunity to purchase your new dream home has just begun.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
