Living on the Lane
By Alyse Nelson
Akua Schatz and Brendon Purdy’s dream was to live near relatives, but they couldn’t afford a home in Vancouver, BC’s Dunbar neighborhood. Instead of moving to the suburbs, they decided to build a 500-square-foot laneway home in Brendon’s parents’ backyard.
Brendon and Akua’s laneway home, view from the alley, photo used with permission from http://buildsmall.blogspot.com
A few years ago, this wouldn’t have been an option for the young couple. Rules for laneway houses, as these backyard cottages are called in Vancouver, were adopted in 2009. Laneway homes are small backyard cottages that face alleys in traditional single-family neighborhoods. The density is hidden from the main neighborhood streets, leaving the appearance of Vancouver’s single-family neighborhoods intact. But while you might not see this hidden density, it could have a huge effect on the number of people able to call Vancouver home – nearly 70,000 single-family lots are eligible for an additional dwelling unit.
The Vancouver regulations allow a one-bedroom 500 square-foot laneway house on 33-foot by 122-foot single-family lots. The larger 50-foot wide lots can have a two-bedroom 750 square-foot cottage. Continue Reading »
Stone House Woodworks Log Cabin
Guest Post by Dave Stonehouse
Dave Stonehouse from Stonehouse Woodworks in Golden, BC. Here are some pictures of my 16 x 20 log shell that I built last winter. The shell is complete and currently for sale.
I have begun building my first “littlefoot” log cabin. The sub floor is built, it will be 8ft 4″ x 12ft 6″. That size was chosen because we can build 104 sq ft without a building permit around here so that squeeks just under. It is designed to be moved in two pieces, floor walls and loft as one with a steep prefabed roof that gets set on top like a hat being the second piece. It is going to have a steep 18/12 pitch roof that will give standing room at the peak even though it is only 8ft 4″ wide. There will be a dormer on the one side of the roof.
I am currently building a full sized log house for a client so I am working on the “Littlefoot” as I find time. I am hoping to have it done by late fall.
I have a new website at http://www.stonehousewoodworks.com/
On the site I talk about my plans for mini log cabins, know as Littlefoot Log Homes.
I’ve attached a couple of photos of the 16 x 20 for sale. It is made of large douglas fir, with a 13 x 16 foot loft. I’m asking $16,000 for the shell.
If you are interested please contact me by phone at (250) 344-7804 (Monday to Friday: 9am to 5pm) or Email: dave{at}stonehousewoodworks{dot}com
