May 2, 2013

Advantages to Building a Laneway Home in Vancouver

Popular for their excellent ability to generate income, laneway houses in Vancouver have risen in demand for their flexible and sustainable approach to increasing housing within the city. More than a solution they also preserve the character of Vancouver’s cherished neighborhoods. Here are four ways that laneways are adding to neighborhoods around you and creeping into Wallmark’s building green hearts:

1) They add diversity to both your neighborhood and your back lane. They allow for a variety of renters who seek affordable housing, to be closer to their families, and those looking to live closer to work, schools or the city. Laneways also add variety to the “lanescape” just by the sheer array of unique house designs, house colours and landscaping that are created.

2) They add safety to your property and to the shared public lane. A mandatory minimum of one on-site parking space will increase the usage of the back lane increasing your neighborhood security. To add to this, the city strongly encourages the installation of pedestrian friendly lights such as porch lights or bollard lights which help to form a welcoming public lane.

3) They are built green. With Vancouver maintaining one of the greenest building guidelines in North America and
Wallmark’s custom approach to building, your laneway could be one of the greenest buildings built in your neighborhood.

4) They contribute even more greenery to one of the greenest cities out there. Literally adding green to the laneways, “lanescapes” are required landscaping along the edge of the lane including the encouragement of green roofs, walls, and the planting of deciduous trees. In addition to adding vegetation, the program encourages the retention and protection of existing backyard trees while planning the footprint of the proposed home. Finally, and much more obviously, building a laneway takes place away from the existing neighborhood character and plant life preserving the pristine streetscapes that make Vancouver city living so enjoyable.

With so many great reasons to build laneway houses in Vancouver it  is no wonder that only 4 years after its implementation over 500 laneway houses have been built in the city. Wallmark is excited to become a part of another sustainable building opportunity with the upcoming completion of two custom laneway homes. If you have any questions or would like to know more about building a laneway home in Vancouver please give us a call.