When is a good time to buy?  What location is best?  What type of home is best matched to my needs & financial resources?  What are the mortgage options?  What are the legal considerations? How do I benefit from builder licensing & mandatory home warranties?

If you are considering buying a home for the first time and these questions are running around in your head, then allow the Greater Vancouver Home Builders’ Association (GVHBA) to help!  The 16th annual free seminar on Tuesday, March 23 from 7pm to 9pm will provide many answers to help you de-mystify the process of buying a new home.

A panel of housing experts will be present to provide all sorts of information and answers to key questions.  It is free to attend, but please bring a non-perishable food donation for the Surrey Food Bank.  For more information, please visit www.gvhba.org.

Technology experts from the Greater Vancouver Home Builders’ Association (GVHBA), in partnership with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), are presenting the winter session of What’s New in Homebuilding, a workshop for people considering having a custom home built for them.

The workshop will highlight the latest innovations in construction technology, design, indoor air quality and green initiatives.  Workshop topics include:

• Principles of durable building envelope construction
• Healthy housing tips for superior indoor air quality
• Ventilation systems
• Energy-efficient and green construction practices
• How energy choices affect costs

To encourage productive interaction between presenters & participants, registration is limited to 25 people so hurry & pre-register by Monday, February 1, 2010.  Cost to attend is $75 per person or $130 per couple (GST not included), and includes lunch, coffee breaks, and a wealth of printed material on new products & services.  Call 778-565-4288 to register or visit GVHBA.org for more information.

We are closing in on the February 1st deadline and thought you may benefit from a friendly reminder.

For those who don’t already know, a non-refundable tax credit is available to you for work performed or goods acquired in relation to a renovation or alteration to an eligible dwelling, after January 27, 2009 and BEFORE February 1, 2010.  The 15% credit may be claimed on the portion of eligible credits exceeding $1,000 but not more than $10,000, for a maximum credit of $1,350.  Eligible expenses for goods acquired during this period, even if they are installed after January 2010, will still qualify.  If an eligible expense involves work performed by a contractor or a third party, and the work is not completed by the end of the eligible period, only the portion that is completed before February 1, 2010 will qualify even if a payment is made.

A new schedule will be included in your 2009 tax package to allow you to list your eligible expenses and to calculate the amount you can claim.  Also a new line will be added to Schedule 1 to claim the HRTC.

Click HERE for examples of eligible and ineligible expenses.

For more information please visit Canada Revenue Agency’s website.

The City of Vancouver is looking at a pilot project that would have the city pay half the cost of installing solar heating in your home.

Typically a solar hot water system would cost around $7200.  With the new pilot program, 50 homeowners selected for the program will only pay half of the bill.

Peter Simpson of the Greater Vancouver Home Builders Association doubts that homeowners will be receptive to the program.  He adds that most homeowners with that kind of cash would rather spend it on something like new countertops or hardwood flooring.

We hope that you will consider applying for the program not only because it’s a great investment but it’s one that will reduce the consumption of natural resources.

To read the News 1130 article about this, click here. Stay tuned for further updates!

The GVHBA launches its 14th annual Coats for Kids campaign on Monday, November 30.  Last year 3,000 coats, scarves, gloves, mittens, blankets, toques and toys were donated for distribution to families in need throughout the Greater Vancouver area.

As a GVHBA member, Klondike will be participating once again and we hope you will support us with your donations.  Our donation box will be available from November 30 – December 11 at 133 E 8 Ave, Vancouver BC.  If you require further information, please do not hesitate to contact us at 604-708-3337.

On behalf of the GVHBA and Klondike team, thank you in advance for your contribution & spirit!

With the number of people in attendance at the last Home & Interior Design Show, we thought you might want to get a jumpstart in registering for the GVHBA’s Home Renovation Seminar.

Homeowners considering renovations can obtain great ideas from how-to television shows, magazines, newspapers and the internet, but careful planning is needed to keep the dream alive, said Peter Simpson, CEO of the Greater Vancouver Home Builders’ Association.

To help you make informed decisions, the GVHBA Renovation Council will present its popular fall consumer home renovation seminar on Tuesday, November 24, 2009.  The seminar s from 7-9pm; doors open at 6pm.  Please arrive early in order to visit over 30 displays of renovation-related products & services, gather printed material and discuss plans with renovation and design pros.

Despite a slow market, a record $7 billion will be spent on home renovation and improvement in BC this year (65% of those dollars in the Lower Mainland alone).  So be sure to do your homework before signing a renovation contract.

Register for the seminar (IT’S FREE!!!) by calling 778-565-4288 or Email.

On September 22, 2009 the City of Vancouver presented its guidelines & regulations to members of the GVHBA.  This presentation provided further clarification to materials already distributed by the city.  Moreover, it further reiterates that due to the fact that LWH is new to Vancouver, city staff requires that all submissions adhere to regulations and guidelines to make the application process as smooth as possible.  One thing we recommend you pay close attention to are those “project killers”.  For example, is your home in RS-1 or RS-5 zones?  Currently, only homes in these two zones are allowed to build a LWH.  Further, do you have enough sideyard clearance for fire-fighting?  These are only a couple to look out for before you proceed too far and discover that your site does not meet all requirements.  For more of the presentation, please visit www.vancouver-ecodensity.ca.

Klondike Contracting would like to thank the City of Vancouver and GVHBA and their staff for organizing this session to keep us all informed.

The 16th annual Parade of Renovated Homes – with the most participating homes ever – showcases leading-edge design, advanced construction techniques, and innovative building products.

Projects include a complete transformation of a Mission rancher, restoration of a 1906 Kitsilano craftsman-style bungalow, and extreme facelifts of homes built in the ’20s right up to the ’80s.

GVHBA Renovation Council Chair Daine Halley says B.C. homeowners will spend a record $7 billion sprucing up their homes this year, and this popular one-day event offers exceptional sample renovations.

“Professional renovators, many of them award winners, will be on site to offer expert advice and discuss their craftsmanship. Projects range from $70,000 to more than $700,000, offering people an abundance of ideas they can possibly incorporate into their own renovations,” says Halley.

Admission is by passport, available at each home for $10 per person. Children 17 and under are free. Passports can be purchased at any home, and then used for entry to the remaining 16 homes. Part proceeds will help fund the purchase of tools, building materials and safety gear for a carpentry training program offered by Guildford Park and Frank Hurt secondary schools in Surrey.

The event is limited to six hours, so visit www.gvhba.org to review the selection of homes, then plan your route to ensure you have sufficient time to visit specific homes that capture your interest.

Good home design begins with an understanding of how people live in their homes. Regardless of your needs many new home builders are offering plans and designs that meet the needs of today’s consumers, using modern technology to build homes that are attractive, highly functional and feel good to live in.

These days, you can easily find many choices in style and layout to suit your personal preferences and budgets. Often, a builder’s standard designs are just a starting point. Many builders will customize a home to suit your individual needs. Do your research before you finalize your decision as any changes later one will affect budget & schedule. Here are some of the design characteristics that you can expect to find in a brand new home:

Efficient Use Of Space – A well-designed space will take full advantage of the available square footage. With the right design, every home, large or small, can be spacious & comfortable.

Open Layouts – A large open space aka. great room – informal space for living, working, eating and relaxing. Partial walls, bulkheads, lighting & floor treatment help to define and add character to individual areas within this space. Depending on the size of the home, the great room may replace or complement formal living & dining rooms.

Flexible Space – To accommodate changing household needs over time. A den can become an extra bedroom or a nursery. Basement rooms can be converted to a home office or a family entertainment area.

Built In Convenience - Look for direct access from the garage to the kitchen on hard surface flooring, mudrooms with large closets and a ground or second floor laundry room. And check for details like extra large pantries, lots of storage space & built in recycling bins.

Kitchens That Have It All – With today’s open layouts, the quality and the finishing details of a new kitchen are done with careful attention to matching or complementing the surrounding spaces. Look for well appointed, organized workspaces; attractive, separate eating areas; and great natural and built in lighting.

Again, do your research.  Visit model homes or the Parade of Homes this June 14, 2009 to narrow your preferences.  For more on this please visit the GVHBA Website.

This article can be found in May/June edition of Home Builder Magazine.

If you are considering purchasing your first home and need help understanding what is involved, then you would greatly benefit from GVHBA’s Seminar for First-time Home Buyers, taking place Tuesday, March 24 from 7pm to 9pm at the Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel (ballroom).

To help you make informed decisions, the GVHBA, in partnership with CMHC, Genworth Financial, Homeowner Protection Office, National Home Warranty, and TD Canada Trust, will be presenting speakers to answer your questions and quell any concerns.

The seminar is free but all attendees are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food donation to support the Surrey Food Bank.

Pre-registration is required.  Please call 604-588-5036 for more information or to register.  You may also visit the GVHBA website for more information.

We are pleased to announce that we are one of GVHBA’s Renomark Renovators. 

As a member we:

• subscribe to a professional code of conduct
• provide a minimum of 2 year warranty
• are up to date on trends, materials and regulations
• understand the value of customer service

To learn more about Renomark & the RenoGuide, please click on the image.

The GVHBA Renovation Council’s consumer renovation seminar – sponsored by BC Hydro, Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation and Terasen Gas – was a huge success. Despite economic woes, more than 230 homeowners registered for the two-hour seminar so they could learn how to differentiate the renovation pros from the schmoes. About $7 billion will be spent on home renovation and improvement in B.C. in 2009 – another record! The event was full of information for homeowners with 39 display spaces booked by GVHBA members within hours of being offered. The speakers received an enthusiastic ovation from seminar attendees.

Klondike Contracting would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who attended. Without your continued support, we would not have the opportunity to speak with so many wonderful homeowners. We would also like to thank the GVHBA, BC Hydro, Canada Mortgage & Housing Corporation and Terasen Gas for organizing the event and allowing us to be a part of it.

To help homeowners make informed decisions, the GVHBA Renovation Council – in partnership with BC Hydro, Canada Mortgage & Housing Corp. and Terasen Gas – is presenting its fall home renovation seminar on Tuesday, November 25 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Croatian Cultural Centre, 3250 Commercial Dr., Vancouver. More than 350 homeowners attended GVHBA’s spring seminar. Admission and parking is free.

Seminar presenters will guide homeowners through the various stages of the renovation process, including design and planning, legal and contracts, selecting a renovator, municipal permits, and living through a renovation. Presenters include award-winning renovators, a construction lawyer and senior municipal building official. Attendees are encouraged to arrive at 6 p.m. to view the renovation displays, pick up printed material and discuss their renovation plans with the experts.

We will be launching our Laneway Homes program. Visit our booth to learn how you can turn your garage into a rental property!

For more information on the seminar please click here.