The period between buying a property and getting ready to design and build a new home can be both exhilarating and frustrating. You might be looking at design ideas online every day and dreaming of what your custom home will look like, but you might also feel lost and unclear on what’s even possible.
So, what should you do before you contact a home designer?
Key Takeaways
- Inner city lots are smaller but versatile for custom home design.
- Familiarize yourself with local regulations affecting lot coverage, parking, height, and more for approval.
- Consider long-term needs for family growth and space when designing a home.
- Acreages offer more design flexibility, but are still subject to municipal guidelines and potential developer requirements.
- Check for access to essential services like water and sewer in rural areas.
- Vacation homes are subject to local bylaws and must consider future usage changes for better planning .
How Is Inner-City, Acreage, & Vacation Home Design Different?
There are inevitably going to be differences between the homes designed and built in the inner city and vacation homes or on acreages. The size of the lot will likely be different, but so too will the things you need from your home.
An inner-city home needs to accommodate your day-to-day lifestyle, while a vacation home should feel like somewhere you can get away from the stresses of day-to-day life.
There are often more restrictions on inner-city properties, too, though that by no means means anything goes on acreages or for mountain vacation homes. A little preparation goes a long way.
A Word on Budgets
Before we go into specific considerations, let’s note that budget will be a factor in what you can design and build, regardless of whether your new home will be in the inner-city, on an acreage, or if it’s a vacation home in the mountains.
You’ve already purchased your property, but how much are you looking to spend on your new home? It’s essential to get quotes from builders. When you are honest with them about your budget, they’ll be able to estimate how you can build. That information can then be given to your designer so they can design within your budget. They can provide feedback like max square footage, number of floors, and external and internal materials that fit within your budget.
This is true no matter where your lot sits, whether it’s right in inner-city Calgary or deep in the mountains.
How to Prepare to Design a Home
In the Inner City
Inner City lots are usually smaller than what you’d get on an acreage or for a vacation home, but they can still present a world of possibilities for custom home design.
- Look Into Municipal Bylaws
The City of Calgary has strict bylaws for what is allowed to be built in any neighbourhood, and familiarizing yourself with them will give your project the best chance of getting approved. Municipal bylaws can impact your plans, especially in the inner city, and can dictate:
- Lot coverage
- Required parking
- The height of your home
- Window placement
- Secondary suite or backyard suites
A custom home designer will be familiar with city bylaws and can advise you on what is and isn’t allowed, but a basic understanding will help you set your expectations appropriately.
- Future Needs
This applies to acreages and vacation homes as well, but when you’re designing a home, it’s important to think not only about what you need from it today, but also how those needs will change and evolve.
If you have a young family or are planning on having one, think about where your kids will be in 5 or 10 years. Will they need more privacy or space for their friends to hang out? You likely won’t want to renovate shortly after designing and building a new home, so factor those changing needs into your plans.
On Acreages
Acreages generally allow for greater design flexibility in inner-city homes, but that doesn’t mean anything goes.
- What Does the Municipality Allow?
Most acreages in Alberta fall under municipal district jurisdictions. While they are often less stringent than in big cities, there are still zoning guidelines and land-use bylaws to consider. You may be restricted if you are looking to add new buildings, alter the landscape by adding something like a pond, or build new roads onto your property.
- Are Developers Involved?
If you’ve bought a lot in an area where developers are involved, they often have architectural control over what is allowed. This might not mean you have to design and build a home that looks exactly like everything around it, but there may be restrictions on maximum or minimum square footage, the type and style of building, and where it sits on a property.
- What Services Are Available?
When you’re building in a rural area, you need to know what services are actually available to you. Are there water or sewer connections you can use? You aren’t going to want to feel like you’re living off-grid, and connecting to municipal services can be expensive.
Vacation Homes
Wherever you choose to design and build a vacation home, you’ll likely want a home that feels like a sanctuary where you can relax and enjoy time with family and friends.
- What Does the Municipality Allow?
Just like in the inner-city and on acreages, you may be subject to municipal bylaws that impact what you can build. If you’re looking to build a vacation home in a B.C. mountain community like Fernie or Invermere, they do have restrictions for what you can build on your property. Architectural controls are also possible.
- How Will the Way You Use Your Vacation Home Evolve?
This is just as important for vacation homes as it is for houses in the inner-city. How much time are you planning on spending at your vacation home? Maybe it’s only one or two weekends a month right now, but what about when you retire? Will you be at your vacation home more full-time?
Planning ahead means you can design for changes in your life and how you plan to use your home, helping you avoid costly renovations down the line.
How Working with a Custom Home Designer Helps
A custom home designer gives you an expert in your corner who will not only create the blueprints for a beautiful home, but can also help advise you on municipal bylaws, development permits, and how you can best bring your dream home to life.
Our team at Ellergodt Design has designed stunning vacation homes, breathtaking acreage houses, and stylish infills right in Calgary’s inner city.
Get the Home You’ve Been Dreaming Of
Wherever you’re looking to design and build your new home, our experienced team can help guide you through the bylaw process, prioritize what matters most to you, and, ultimately, come up with a design that fits your lifestyle today and in the future.
Looking for a supportive, collaborative team to design your home? Let’s talk.