New Homes
New Homes
Housing forecast is sunny for Manitobans
THE Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation recently released its projections for the remainder of 2010 and through 2011 and the news is good for Manitobans. Our province experienced a rejuvenation of sorts this year in all categories, thereby allowing the consumer variety of choice in the coming year.
Manitoba new home starts reached an all-time high of 5,537 in 2008, but fell off sharply in 2009 to 4,174. Although our decline was far less pronounced than Saskatchewan and B.C., it still had a significant impact.
In Manitoba, more than $1.1 billion in wages and 24,900 jobs are reliant on the residential construction industry and so a drop of 25 per cent in production can cause a stir. However, Manitoba persevered very well through the worldwide economic downturn and came back even stronger in 2010. CMHC projections for this current year hover around 5,500 starts, a remarkable rebound.
Looking at particular segments of the market, single family detached starts did not decline nearly to the level of the multi-family starts in 2009. Saying that, the SFD sector still had a terrific year in 2010 and is at a level commensurate with the banner years of 2007 and 2008.
Projected to increase by 20 per cent this year, those numbers should be pretty well on par next year, too. Although mortgage rates may increase slightly in 2011, it should not be enough to deter the new home buyer.
Multi-family starts this year will more than double last year's. A lot of this activity was compensation for a lost previous year; however the CMHC anticipates close to similar production in that sector in 2011.
All of this projected residential construction activity spells good news for Manitoba's economy. However, we still must remain vigilant in ensuring that new home price affordability remains a constant here. Maintaining low interest rates for mortgages is critically important to new home buyers.
Of similar importance is the need to keep government-imposed charges to a minimum. Additional taxes, fees, building code changes and energy, water and fire code changes all have a price to them. That price impacts the consumer's ability to buy.
However, if all parties keep their eye on the prize, that being keeping Manitoba the most affordable province to live in, we will all win.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
New Homes
Best of multiple worlds
Bill Thiessen remembers the day he got the call about Vasa Lund's newest 55-plus project, Vasa Lund Place.
"It was about one-and-a-half years ago," he recalls. "They'd already built Vasa Lund Estates, and the public reaction to it (a 55-plus complex for active seniors) had been tremendous. They'd been working on the concept for several years; they knew they had a really nice piece of land that could accommodate a second phase."
Today -- after working with Thiessen, who has long specialized in selling condominiums city-wide -- to get the design details of the new complex just right, Vasa Lund Place is due to start construction in the spring.
"Construction of the complex should start in about six months. We expect it to be complete in about two years," he says. "Needless to say, we're very excited. So far -- we've yet to put in our first ad -- we've had over 50 quality calls from people who've seen the sign we posted out front. There's a real need for another 55-plus complex in the city's western side. It's going to go a long way toward filling that void."
There's little wonder why there have been so many inquiries. For starters, there's Vasa Lund Place's location, which will be set on a large, gently rolling tract of land located between Vasa Lund Estates and the Swedish Canadian Home.
The development -- which will be three-storeys high -- will contain 80 two-bedroom suites ranging in size from 1,197 sq. ft. to 1,434 sq. ft. Its surroundings figure to be private and attractive, with the complex set well back from Roblin Boulevard with generous green space and thoughtful landscaping features that will incorporate access to a natural riverbank forest.
"That's what makes this development different -- the natural forest in behind has been maintained. Walking trails with stone patios have been carved in, and the area is well lit. In short, the river has been made into a very accessible amenity," Thiessen says. "It's as good as you get inside city limits -- it's like being in the country with all the natural beauty, and the quiet, private location."
Meanwhile, the amenities inside figure to be top-notch. The suites themselves will be spacious, averaging about 1,300-plus sq. ft. in size. There will be three elevators to provide easy access to each floor, with the building being an all-concrete structure (making for a quiet, fire-resistant dwelling). Each open-concept suite will come with two bedrooms, two bathrooms and den or sunroom options.
"The designers (Affinity Architects) put in tons of really useful amenities," adds Thiessen. "There will be multi-purpose and crafts rooms, a TV room, billiards lounge, woodworking shop and a library. One of the nicest amenities will be a (full) commercial warming kitchen, where residents can have a caterer come in and do an event for up to 150 people. It's a development made for active people who enjoy socializing."
Thiessen says residents will also enjoy the suites themselves.
"Not only will they be big, but they'll be open-concept with high-end finishes. One of the highlights will be a breakfast nook (with glazing on all sides) that in reality is a sunroom. There'll not only be lots of natural light, but flow will also be excellent as the living room, dining room and kitchen will open up onto each other in one big area. It will also be a handicap-friendly design with generous turning radiuses in the rooms."
Once complete, Vasa Lund Place will be a not-for-profit, life-lease project that will provide active seniors with the opportunity to invest in an affordable, well-designed, secure complex in a desirable location.
"The entrance fee will be approximately $170,000 (about half the cost of the suite), with condominium fees falling in the $1,700 per month range," he adds. "That fee will include the mortgage, utilities, insurance -- everything but phone and cable."
Due to the strong early reaction to the project -- and the fact that Vasa Lund Estates has been so popular -- Thiessen says to reserve your suite now.
"We're taking expressions of interest now," he says. "Everything in this project has been done at a very high level, from the amenities, to the suites to the location. If you're looking for style, value and a great location, this is it."
lewys@mts.net
New Homes
Record entries as renovators honoured
THE RenoMark Renovators Council of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association held its annual Renovation of the Year Awards Night on Nov. 5 at the Victoria Inn.
A record 44 entries were received in six categories from 10 renovators. Six judges reviewed and evaluated all 44 entries, scoring them on criteria devised specifically for this competition. The quality of work was amazing and all 44 projects were on display on signs posted in the banquet room. Competition was extremely close and only a point or two separated many entrants
Each category was broken into sub-categories by price point to enable the judges to fairly compare one project to another. Following are the award recipients by category:
Category I --Additions
Gold:-- I.R.I.S. Contractors
Gold:-- All Canadian Renovations
Gold: Oswald Construction
Special Recognition Award: All Canadian Renovations
Category II --Kitchens
Gold:-- All Canadian Renovations
Silver: Hands-On Design
Gold:-- Harwood Design Builders
Silver:-- All Canadian Renovations
Gold:-- Oswald Construction
Category III --Bathrooms
Gold:-- All Canadian Renovations
Silver: --All Canadian Renovations
Gold:-- Trikor Builders
Special Recognition Award --: Dynasty Bathrooms
Category IV --Basements
Gold:-- Sakiyama Construction
Gold:-- Southwynn Homes
Category V --Exteriors
Gold:-- Hands-On Design
Special Recognition Award: Southwynn Homes
Category VI --Whole House
Gold:-- All Canadian Renovations
Gold:-- Character Homes
Special Recognition Award: Trikor Builders
Special Recognition Award: Sakiyama Construction
Congratulations and thanks go to all participants in this year's event.
A considerable amount of work goes into the preparation of each entry.
All entries will be on display at the Ask A Renovator booth at the Kitchen Bath and Renovation Show Jan. 14-16, 2011 at the Winnipeg Convention Centre.
For a complete listing of all MHBA renovators and more information on the RenoMark quality guarantee, visit the Manitoba Home Builders' Association website at www.homebuilders.mb.ca
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
New Homes
MHBA believes in professional development
THIS column has repeatedly espoused the merits of dealing with professional builders and renovators. Issues such as warranty, liability insurance, permits, standards and ethics, full disclosure of taxes and numerous other assurances that come with dealing with a professional are critical to getting the job done right. Add professional development and training to that list.
Last week, members of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association went back to school at their annual Housing Forum to learn from other professionals in their fields about areas important to the welfare of a business and an industry.
Although there are a variety of seminars and training sessions to choose from throughout the year, the Housing Forum presents an opportunity to interact with peers while pursuing relevant knowledge. MHBA professionals are always striving to be the best in the business.
The opening plenary session kicked off with Dianne Himbault, senior market analyst of the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, presenting the current state of the industry and giving insights into the coming year.
The technical sessions kicked off with Ryan Dalgleish, Gary Proskiw and John Hochman dispelling myths and offering truths relating to product performance and design concepts relating to building science. John also presented on air quality and movement. The day ended with Cam Dupuis from CMHC talking about Canada's net zero energy healthy housing initiative.
Within the leadership stream, Roberta Bishop talked about conflict resolution and informed the crowd about generational diversity. Lew Bayer told everyone how they could build a better workplace through civility and Keith Sinclair ran an important session on succession planning in businesses.
In marketing, Lori Mitchell of Tom Boy Tools shared her secrets of success. Dr. Malcolm Smith gave an excellent presentation on understanding consumer behaviour and there was a presentation by Sandra Sager about the art of selling.
Finally, Workplace Wellness featured Laurel Kidder speaking on the maximization of performance potential. Kerri Chase helped those in office climates with some simple ergonomics. Sylvia Yeager returned again this year to talk about stress indicators and Cec Hanec closed the session with a great presentation about developing, maintaining and expanding a customer base.
Professionals learning from professionals -- yet another reason when building or renovating to deal with a MHBA member.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
New Homes
Awards celebrate best renos in province
For almost 20 years, the Canadian Home Builders' Association has been promoting October as Renovation Month across the country. It is the only nationwide marketing campaign dedicated exclusively to Canada's renovation industry.
In addition to the national campaign, local home builders' associations develop their own unique way of promoting the industry. The Manitoba Home Builders' Association has been very busy celebrating the renovation industry's accomplishments.
As has been mentioned previously, the MHBA has introduced the first virtual RenoMark Renovation Parade. In the past, we have set aside one day and permitted people to visit a number of renovation projects.
However, this year, we decided not to limit ourselves to one day but celebrate all year. For that reason, the MHBA enlisted the help of Studio Media Group and created unique videos featuring eight terrific renovation projects by some of Manitoba's top renovators.
These can be viewed on the MHBA web site at www.homebuilders.mb.ca. Just look on the left hand side of the home page under Virtual Renovation Parade, click and enjoy.
In addition to the Parade, our annual Renovation Awards are also in full swing. This year, we are proud to present 44 renovation projects by 10 professional renovators. Judging by a panel of experts will take place next week with the RenoMark Renovator Awards Night on Friday, November 5.
Manitoba has always been the leader in home renovations in Canada and the market continues to be strong here. Given that Winnipeg has the third oldest housing stock in Canada, home renovations are an important component to our residences.
New ideas are featured at the Fall Parade of Homes and the tens of thousands of visitors look to see how they can incorporate new designs, colours, features and materials into their existing homes. Suppliers to the new home industry brought out their best during the Parade and now consumers want to know how they can update their homes with a renovation.
As always, the MHBA and our RenoMark renovators urge everyone to get your renovation agreement in writing. Make sure your contractor outlines all costs in advance so both parties know what to expect.
If you are at all in doubt as to what to ask and what to look for in a renovator, go to www.renomark.ca/manitoba and follow the guidelines posted.
Mike Moore is president of the Manitoba Home Builders' Association.
