Dealing with the City of Vancouver – Part 4 January 13, 2016 | 5 Comments When I last wrote about my home building journey I was still in limbo at City Hall. I am happy to report that I have my permits in hand and I am building my new home! My permits, all 8 of them (more on that later) were issued on October 5, 2015. If you recall… Read More
Dealing with the City of Vancouver Permit Process – Part 3 September 12, 2015 | 13 Comments On April 29, 2015 I was out of town, so my architect Antonio went to City Hall where my permits were accepted for in-take, after having been rejected the previous week for not meeting all the necessary requirements laid out on the internal checklist that is unavailable to the public. (See previous post here)… Read More
Dealing with the City of Vancouver Permit Process Part 2 June 6, 2015 | 17 Comments Dealing with the City of Vancouver Permit Process Part 2 When I last wrote of my interactions with the City of Vancouver I had just finished getting my pre-permit approvals for sewer and water. This process required that I visit City Hall, drop off 3 copies of my survey, submit my email address and wait… Read More
Dealing with the City of Vancouver Permit Process – Part 1 May 1, 2015 | 5 Comments Dealing with the City of Vancouver is an emotional roller coaster. I have felt the following emotions in different degrees, sometimes at the same time and sometimes within seconds of each other: Rage Pride Frustration Joy Hatred Elation Pain Embarrassment Impressed Grateful But mostly just CONFUSION. How is it that a relatively smart individual with… Read More
Who do you hire to build a house: Let the bills begin April 6, 2015 | 7 Comments It takes a village to raise a child. And, I’m learning, it takes an army of contractors and service providers to build a house. And a lot of money. Since I started this house building journey the number one thing people have been saying is, “have you hired a general contractor or are you going… Read More
How the City of Vancouver is Killing Trees with its Tree By-law March 13, 2015 | 5 Comments When you own land in the City of Vancouver, nothing is simple. In the most recent example of excessive government control over private land, I am planning to remove a tree from my property to make way for my new house. I am not talking about some beautiful old growth tree, nor am I a… Read More
The Laneway House Approval Process February 28, 2015 | 2 Comments What does .15 feet mean? I know I promised that my next post would be about the process of tree removal in the City of Vancouver, but it is taking even longer than I thought and I don’t want tell an unfinished story. Instead, I want to share my experience with getting permission to build… Read More
I’m the first person to build a house in the City of Vancouver in 2015! February 24, 2015 | 10 Comments I’ve always thought of myself as a trailblazer, but I didn’t realize I was such a trend setter. It turns out I am the first person to build a home in City of Vancouver in 2015 under the new building by-law. Here’s my story: I went to the City of Vancouver on Friday February 20… Read More
Let The Building Begin February 19, 2015 | 1 Comment My 2015 personal breakthrough goal is to build a new house in the City of Vancouver. I recently secured a 32 x 121 lot near Main and 41st. Ave in the middle of Vancouver, BC. Let me be clear. I am not swinging a hammer. Rather, I am hiring, coordinating and deciding. This blog is… Read More