Monday, June 8, 2009

Parade of Renovated Homes

Professionally Renovated Homes Open to Public
Renovations Magazine June 2009

The Greater Vancouver Home Builders’ Association (GVHBA) Renovation council invites the public to tour 17 professionally renovated homes in Burnaby, Coquitlam, Delta, Mission, New Westmister, North Vancouver, Surrey and Vancouver on Sunday, June 14 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The 16th Annual Parade of Renovated Homes – with the most participating homes ever – showcase 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 (Kerr Construction), and extreme facelifts of homes built in the ‘20’s right up to the ’80’s.

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.

2834 West 6 Avenue, Vancouver
(From Broadway, turn north on MacDonald St., turn left on West 6 Ave.)

When restoring this 1906 craftsman-style bungalow, the owners wanted the home to blend flawlessly with the turn-of-the-century homes in this Kitsilano neighbourhood. Kerr Construction surveyed the surrounding homes originally built in the early 1900s to meticulously re-create the home’s interior dimensions. The back deck and pergola were built to preserve the 60-year old grapevines. There were many sustainable practices incorporated throughout the home, such as using solid wood to reduce toxic formaldehyde resin and recovering old-growth fir from an abandoned Vancouver Island mill. Beautiful second-hand fixtures and hardware were also sourced. This attractive renovation captured a 2008 Georgie Award.

Kerr Construction, 604.263.0343, www.kerrconstruction.ca