If you’re thinking about building a laneway home in the Calgary Metropolitan Area, that’s great news! Not only are laneway suites exceptionally functional for multi-generational living, they also add value to your property and are great secondary income generators. They even have more uses than the ones we just mentioned. But the question remains: how to find a reliable builder for the job?

Here are the top five most important questions to ask a laneway builder in Calgary when interviewing various companies. Please give us a call to discuss if you’d like – we’re more than happy to discuss your backyard suite building goals!

Q1. What experience do you have in laneway builds?

 

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Experience is a huge must when choosing the right laneway builder for the job. Having in-depth knowledge and expertise on building codes related to backyard suite builds will ensure your project proceeds smoothly with no to minimal issues along the way.

If a builder has an extensive portfolio of carriage houses, most people will likely be more confident in their abilities. If a builder doesn’t have any past projects to show – or if they do, but the projects are not laneway homes, but instead basement renovations or houses – then it may cause some hesitation. The reason for this is that garage suites, in many instances, follow different building codes than primary residences. One example is that backyard suites don’t require weeping tile because there is no basement (unless a hydrostatic pressure is present). In contrast, infill builds do utilize weeping tile due to the significant depth of the excavation. Adding or removing weeping tile can significantly change the cost of your build, making a suite with weeping tile more costly, despite it being likely 100% unnecessary.

Garage Suites, Gold Homes’ sister company, has dozens of past backyard suite projects in Calgary. If you’d like to learn more, be sure to visit their website and send them a message to explore your options at any time!

Q2 . What is not included in your price?

It is very important to ask a laneway home builder in Calgary about what is – and is not – included in their price. For example, some builders may not include demolition and excavation, which can cost an additional $4,000 to $6,000. Others won’t include design and permits, which can total $15,000 or more, depending on the plans and permitting process. That’s an additional ~$20,000 right there.

So, ask a laneway builder exactly what is included, and what isn’t. And don’t let them beat around the bush; ask for a direct answer – because it’s critical to do your due diligence and do your best to stay within budget. Unexpected costs that could have been communicated beforehand are unpleasant to discover after signing a contract.

Gold Homes includes demolition and excavation for standard-sized garages, while design and permitting costs are already factored into our pricing. As a result, we provide people with clarity and confidence that their price won’t change, unless upgrades are made.

Q3. Do I need contingency funds?

Now, it is essential to note that with laneway home construction, additional costs can sometimes arise, making a contingency plan necessary for any project. While it isn’t very common for these costs to arise, they can occur, and include (but are not limited to):

Municipal power connection -> If you need to connect your power to a nearby transformer box, it will be critical to have a contingency of anywhere from $5,000 to $30,000 or more for that power connection. If you have to replace a rear-lane pole to meet your laneway suite’s clearances, then you can expect to pay $20,000 or more per pole. Your builder should be aware of these potential costs and advise you well before signing any agreement.

Unstable and/or hollow soil -> Excavating a property will reveal what’s underneath the ground. While Calgary’s virgin soil tends to be quite firm, compact, and rocky in some areas, there are instances where large holes need to be filled to provide a foundation for laneway construction. If this occurs after the ground is opened up, you should be prepared to pay for extra dirt to be hauled to the site or for the holes to be filled with concrete. Your builder will have no way of determining the soil condition until excavation occurs.

Inadequate utility lines -> As an example, most laneway homes we build run a new natural gas line from the primary residence’s meter to the suite. Suppose a builder opens up the ground and finds that the original home’s gas line diameter is too small to provide a sufficient gas supply for both the house and the new suite. In that case, the property owner will be responsible for replacing the line.

At Gold Homes, we advise our clients on any potential contingency costs that they may need for their respective project, long before any contractual/service agreements are made.

Q4. What are your standard specifications?

Getting a feel for a laneway home builder’s standard specification can go a long way in choosing the right company for the job. For example, one builder may offer full vinyl as their standard exterior cladding. Another builder may provide a section of James Hardie panel to enhance the suite’s design with improved aesthetic appeal. Obviously, in this instance, builder number two has a better standard, and it may be offered at a better or similar price than builder one. At Gold Homes, we offer the garage face with a 2-foot return on either side as James Hardie as our standard, for no extra cost to the client.

Additionally, interior specifications should be carefully considered. Some questions you may want to ask, and consider if the answers fit within your laneway build goals, such as budgeting for upgrades:

  1. What material and thickness are used for the countertops?
  2. What standard materials are offered for the flooring, and are they available throughout?
  3. What cabinetry company does the manufacturing and installation?
  4. What window supplier do you use?
  5. What light and plumbing fixtures are used?

Q5. Do you provide New Home Warranty?

 

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Believe it or not, new backyard suite builds are not required to have a New Home Warranty (NHW), unlike primary residences (as of the date this article was written). Therefore, some laneway home builders may include an NHW, while others may not, because acquiring a warranty incurs a cost to the builder.

Having a NHW accompanying your backyard suite provides you with peace of mind in case there are any major structural defects or other warranty concerns. Gold Homes provides a NHW for all backyard suites we build, as well as aftercare services, including 90-day and 1-year check-ups. Our team is just an email or phone call away.

Questions about Laneway Houses in Calgary?

Don’t settle for less than with your Laneway project in Calgary! Contact Gold Homes today, and we will be happy to initiate our evaluation process and provide you with a quote!