If you’re anything like me, then you have already written down a list of fun things to do in or around Vancouver and started the  plans for a big vacation during the hotter months. But what do you do for your home? Whether your home is a custom Wallmark build or not, it has endured a rainy winter and deserves a little R&R too. Now is the best time to spruce up your home before the hot days roll in and you roll off to the beach!   With these 5 activities you can have both your home and yourself calm, cool and geared up for the fleeting backyard & barefoot months ahead.

1) Say Bye-Bye to winter!
Just as we shed our sweaters, long underwear and thick raincoats in spring, our home should shed the extra blankets, thick rugs, heaters, and candles. If you feel that your home is a little sparse with your winter decor missing you can replace them with light white mats, with fans or AC units and flowers.

2) Make room for Popsicles in your stomach (and your freezer)!
The little child in all of us loves to have ice cream and popsicles on a hot summer day. But after winter, finding room to store these delights may be a bit of an exasperating puzzle, especially if you find you haven’t cleaned up your freezer in a while. Cleaning out, defrosting and organizing your freezer will enable you to store the ice cold goodies for the summer while also opening up more space for steaks and other Bar-B-Q commodities.

3) Freshen the airflow!
It’s those few hot, sweltering days & nights in Vancouver where the air barely moves that usually has me running away from home and to any pond, creek or beach for relief. But there are ways to take your house back during those summer days and ban the humid, stagnant air from ever settling back in. Getting into the habit of leaving your drapes closed, strategically placing fans/AC units and refraining from using appliances such the dryer, oven & even your computer reduces the amount of heat entering your home.

4) Spruce up your home!
May and June are the perfect time to take on an around-the-house project. You won’t sweat as much and the drying time for paint or stain and calking jobs will be much quicker than in the winter, but not so quick that you are rushed for time when painting. Painting exteriors, decks and double checking your seals around windows and doors are just as important before summer as it is before winter. Reducing the amount of AC-cooled air flowing out keeps your home cooler while using less energy.

5) Prep for out-of-doors festivities!
Whether your version of a party during  the summer is a couple friends and family over for a BBQ and some board games or a much larger get-together with the whole shebang, prepping now will save the hassle for your future self. Clean off your patio furniture, put up a hammock, check out your camping stock, put up the trampoline, get the blender blades sharpened and double check your stock of popsicles & ice cubes.

To help you keep your home operating at its peak performance throughout the balmy summer months, check back here for more tips and tricks. If your home is bogging down under the weight of its years or you’re looking for a change give us a call. Wallmark Homes has been a top custom home builder in Vancouver and the Greater Vancouver area for over 25 years and we believe that listening is the best way to begin building.

Popular for their excellent ability to generate income, laneway houses in Vancouver have risen in demand for their flexible and sustainable approach to increasing housing within the city. More than a solution they also preserve the character of Vancouver’s cherished neighborhoods. Here are four ways that laneways are adding to neighborhoods around you and creeping into Wallmark’s building green hearts:

1) They add diversity to both your neighborhood and your back lane. They allow for a variety of renters who seek affordable housing, to be closer to their families, and those looking to live closer to work, schools or the city. Laneways also add variety to the “lanescape” just by the sheer array of unique house designs, house colours and landscaping that are created.

2) They add safety to your property and to the shared public lane. A mandatory minimum of one on-site parking space will increase the usage of the back lane increasing your neighborhood security. To add to this, the city strongly encourages the installation of pedestrian friendly lights such as porch lights or bollard lights which help to form a welcoming public lane.

3) They are built green. With Vancouver maintaining one of the greenest building guidelines in North America and
Wallmark’s custom approach to building, your laneway could be one of the greenest buildings built in your neighborhood.

4) They contribute even more greenery to one of the greenest cities out there. Literally adding green to the laneways, “lanescapes” are required landscaping along the edge of the lane including the encouragement of green roofs, walls, and the planting of deciduous trees. In addition to adding vegetation, the program encourages the retention and protection of existing backyard trees while planning the footprint of the proposed home. Finally, and much more obviously, building a laneway takes place away from the existing neighborhood character and plant life preserving the pristine streetscapes that make Vancouver city living so enjoyable.

With so many great reasons to build laneway houses in Vancouver it  is no wonder that only 4 years after its implementation over 500 laneway houses have been built in the city. Wallmark is excited to become a part of another sustainable building opportunity with the upcoming completion of two custom laneway homes. If you have any questions or would like to know more about building a laneway home in Vancouver please give us a call.

You’ve waited and now here it is the exciting cliff hanger conclusion to questions from the BC Home and Garden Show.

I’ve heard horror stories from people where the final cost of their home is much more than they expected to pay; do you offer any measures to protect the home owner?

This is a story that is all too common in the home building industry and one that we have a solution for. We at Wallmark Homes offer a fixed price guarantee, ensuring that the price that we agree upon is the price that you pay no if ands or buts. We do this by listening and working with you, your specific needs and wants regarding your home. We then use our over 25 years of experience and price your home down to the dollar.

Does this mean I have to decide on everything before the home is started?

Not at all. Throughout the building process you will work with our in-house interior designer in our custom design center. She will not only help you pick the finishing’s that are in within the budget but also use her considerable designing experience to help you create a custom home around your taste.  The added benefit of the design center brings many of the design choices under one roof making it easier and more comfortable making the tough decisions. And you guessed it; this is another part of our Constant Consultation program.

After you have finished building our home is that it?

Not even close. Wallmark gives every homeowner 2-5-10 warranty coverage. This protection covers the home for up to 10 years depending on the issue. We have a dedicated customer care team that will be there to answer any of your questions and get any problems fixed as soon as possible.

Where do you build?

We build custom homes in Vancouver, Burnaby, the North Shore, West Vancouver and all over Greater Vancouver. All you need to do is let us know where you’re looking to build and we will take it from there.

I have a lot in Vancouver; can I build a laneway home on it?

Right now that depends on the zoning that your lot is currently on. At the moment laneway homes are only allowed to be built on RS-1 or RS-5 lots, however, the city of Vancouver is looking to amend that and open up laneway homes to almost all residential lots in Vancouver. Read more about building a laneway home in Vancouver here.

Can you direct me to the food court?

Sure can, just head down this isle until you get to the other side, turn right and then left and there you have it.

These were just a handful of the questions that we got while at the BC Home and Garden Show. If this didn’t answer yours, or if you ‘re looking for more information, contact us today we love to chat.

British Columbia’s first family day is just around the corner and with it comes a day away from the regular hustle and bustle of work; instead you get to spend a day getting closer to family and friends. Having the people to spend the day with is only half the battle though, now you need to figure out what it is you are going to spend the day doing.

First let’s start out by checking the forecast and right now it is calling for sunny with a chance of rain, and why wouldn’t it be it is Vancouver after all and no weather forecast is complete without a chance of rain. Temperature wise you are looking at a low of around 3 to a high of 8 degrees.

The Vancouver Art Gallery

This year for the very first B.C. family day the government of BC will be holding a festival at the Vancouver Art Gallery on Georgia and Howe.  There you can expect to find various types of street entertainment and musical acts including Juno award winner ‘Said the Whale’ as well as other local artists. Just around the corner is the Robson Square Ice Rink where everyone will be able to enjoy the day with free skating and skate rentals.

B.C. Sports Hall of Fame

Just in case the rain does find its way into the day having a plan to get out but still stay inside is a must. The BC Sports Hall of Fame is offering 50% off all day Family day. There you will have the unique opportunity to relive great sports moments in BC’s past including Terry Fox’s historical run to the more recent 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Located in Gate A of BC place the BC Sports Hall of Fame is just a short walk from the Skytrain.

Whistler, Grouse, Cypress and More

Looking for something a little more active to fill up your first official BC Family Day, then why not take to the hills. Local BC mountains are all offering some great family day events. Whistler has a great deal on, giving all BC residents 50% of their regular lift passes. The same deal goes for Grouse Mountain and with lots of fun activities planned throughout the day this might be the popular choices. Not to be outdone Cypress is offering Family Day events all weekend, featuring nightly fireworks, live music and lots of great activities. Seeing as BC is filled with mountains it might be faster for you to look up your favorite local mountain and see exactly what they have in store for you this family day.

Local Community Centers

If you’re looking for something a little more local don’t worry each city is putting on their own special BC day events. Coquitlam has loads of great family day events planned for example Poirier Sport & Leisure Centre is offering a free day of skating, and swimming. Burnaby is offering several fun events including a Family fun day at Burnaby Village Museum (unlimited Carousel rides are included). Check out your local community centers for information regarding your BC Family Day.

Or maybe Family day can be a day to relax with friends and family in your Greater Vancouver Home.  Whatever you do, we at Wallmark Homes wish you happy first annual BC Family Day.

It’s that time of the year again where the planning begins on any major; renovations, restorations, or rebuilds, to make sure it is ready to go come the spring thaw, and right now it seems as though it couldn’t come any quicker here in Vancouver. If you’re looking for a way to stay warm and still get ideas, make sure to circle (if you still have a traditional calendar) the 20th- 24th of February for the BC Home and Garden Show. The experienced, educated and all round great people of new home builder Wallmark Homes along with hundreds of other industry experts will be there to help get the creative juices flowing.

Now time for a little shameless self-promotion, as a premier Vancouver new home builder Wallmark will be sending our experts to answer all of your new home building and construction questions. We will have everyone from real estate experts to construction experts there to make sure that no questions go unanswered.Much like previous years, celebrity guests are scheduled to come in and share their knowledge and experience on a variety of topics. Paul Lafrance host of HGTV’s Deck Wars, Decked Out & judge on Canada’s Handyman Challenge will grace the HGTV main stage, sharing his knowledge on an assortment of topics. Sarah Daniels turned in her microphone as long time host of Global’s Morning News, for a licence in Real Estate and hasn’t looked back. From time to time she revisits Global BC to share her real estate expertise and now you can see her live on the HGTV main stage. These are just a couple of the expert celebrity guest that you can be sure to see at the BC Home and Garden Show.

Looking for a way to go to the Vancouver Home and Garden show and not have to pay (because who are we kidding free is the best price) check back often or “Like” us on Facebook as we may be looking to give away some tickets in the near future.

Now if you can’t wait until then and need answers right away for building your new home in Vancouver don’t worry here is a FAQ from the previous Vancouver Home Show and if that doesn’t help please contact us, because much like you we can’t wait until the home show to talk either.

A Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) system is an essential part of any new home. As new Vancouver homes become more and more insulated from the outside, getting a fresh consistent air flow becomes increasingly more difficult especially during the fall and winter months when cracking open a window is no longer an option. This is where the Heat Recovery Ventilation system comes in play. The HRV unit is responsible for filtering new air in, maintaining air pressure and aiding in the preservation of heat during the cold months.

The HRV unit is able to accomplish all of this by taking old, warm, stale air that is already circulating throughout the house and using that air to heat an internal main cell before flushing the air outside. Once the cell has been heated; new, fresh, however, cold air is drawn into the system and heated via the main cell, maintaining a 70% – 90% heat recovery range. Then the air is sent down to furnace to be brought to the specified temperature and distributed throughout the home. In addition to heating via the main cell the air passes through several filters and grates designed to remove excess moisture, dust and debris giving you the cleanest air possible.

There are many benefits to having a Heat Recovery Ventilation system working in your new Vancouver home. Air quality is greatly increased as it is constantly being filtered and refreshed. People suffering from allergies and asthma will notice that they will feel fewer symptoms due to decreased particles floating throughout the air. Condensation will be minimized and almost eliminated altogether as the HRV unit works to remove excess moisture. Bathrooms will be less musty smelling and moisture will be greatly reduced. The cost of heating your home will also decrease since you will no longer need to open your window to get fresh air losing heat.

As you can imagine with such a complex machine, maintenance is a must to keep it running at optimal performance and to preserve the warranty here is a list of some of the items that needs to be done:

-Each and every one of the filters and grates should be either changed or cleaned monthly to allow them to operate at peak performance and to keep the unit from over working and burning out.
-Ensure that the air intake vents are clear of debris and that there are no machines or gas containers nearby, because even though the fumes will get filtered they cause unneeded strain on the unit.
-Understanding your control pad and the settings needed for your home will help you from over working the system. —Drains in the HRV unit will also need to be maintained on a monthly basis by removing any debris that has built up, failing to do so could cause the unit to back up with water and eventually flood into your home.
-Over time the unit will also need to be balanced, so that the intake and exhaust pressures and rates are the same to prevent the machine from malfunctioning.

Performing the tasks listed above will help preserve the functionality of the unit but more importantly the system will need to be serviced by a professional every 6 months to a year (check the manufacturer’s manual). This will keep your warranty from becoming void and costing you money if it breaks.

All and all whether your are building a luxury custom Vancouver Home or on to your Vancouver  home and Laneway home a Heat Recovery Ventilation system can greatly benefit you and your family by improving the air quality of your new Vancouver home and saving your money.

With the Lower Mainland looking more like a Winter Wonder Land, we couldn’t think of a better time to share some tips for decorating your home for the holidays from some of our Vancouver Home Builder experts.

Instead of the traditional evergreen wreath, why not try this fun “present wreath” as a playful accent for your front door? Using weatherproof paper (we do live in Vancouver after all), get the kids to help wrap small containers, possibly old jewelry boxes. Tie them up with some ribbon and use a glue gun to affix to a wreath form, which can be found at any craft store. Finally glue on a satin bow, and viola! An easy and festive decoration to welcome guests into your home.

A Christmas tree is one of the most important parts of decorating your home for the holidays. Whether your family chooses an artificial or real tree, there are some universal styling tips to make sure your home looks its best. When deciding where to display your tree, choose a low traffic spot away from heaters and fireplaces, turning it so that the fullest part is facing away from the wall. This year, try choosing two or three complimentary colors, like blue and silver or red and gold, to decorate your tree with. Having cohesive decorations will set the tone for the rest of your holiday decorating.

Bring the out doors in with these fun and easy to make ornaments! Fill clear glass ornaments with holly, evergreen or mistletoe by removing their caps. Replace them after 24 hours to prevent condensation from forming. Thread some ribbon through the tops and hang from the tree.  These unique ornaments will add the right amount of flair to any home, whether it`s a luxury custom Vancouver home or a new Vancouver laneway home.

Decorating your house with sparkling lights really shows that your holiday spirit but it can also be a dangerous task. To ensure your safety while decorating your home, make sure the lights you are using are made for the outdoors and that there are no cracks, frayed ends or loose connections in the cords. Hanging them with insulated tape or hooks and turning them off when you go out or to bed to the best way to make sure you and your family have a happy and safe holiday. As for where to hang the lights, highlight the stunning architecture of your new Vancouver home by hanging them along the eaves of the roof and around the windows. In addition, stringing them along a front yard fence or gate leading up to the door is a great way to highlight your front yard and will make your home look especially inviting.

From all of us at Wallmark Homes, here’s to having a happy and safe holiday season!

Get Nice and Cozy By the Fire

Thank you for reading part one of the “Get Your Home into Energy Efficient Shape before the New Year” two part series and welcome to part two.  If you find yourself here , but have missed part one and are worried that you won’t be able to follow along, don’t worry this guide has been specially designed to be read in any order.  If you still feel that you must read part one first, just click here.  Now for everyone else who has decided to stay, get a blanket, a warm hot chocolate and settle in because you are going to find out even more about caring for your Vancouver home.

Dryers – There are a few things that you can do to ensure that your dryer continues to function as intended.  The easiest is to make sure that the lint trap is cleaned regularly, ideally before every use.  This will help keep the airflow out of the dryer unobstructed preventing the motor from over working. In addition as lint becomes more and more dry it becomes extremely flammable, if it is allowed to build up the potential for a fire is greatly increased.

Keep Air Vents Clear – Air intake and exhaust vents located outside the home can become blocked by debris and snow as the weather become more unpredictable. Blockages mean your systems have to work harder to bring new air in and move stale air out. Ensuring the vents are free of blockages will help keep your heating and forced air systems from over working.

Check the Caulking and Seals Around the Windows – Before the weather turns on us, do a quick check to make sure that all of the seals around the exterior windows haven’t cracked.  It is a simple fix if you find that some of the caulking has cracked or is pulling up.  Make sure that you clean the old caulking with some soap and water and dry it thoroughly before applying any new caulking.
Before smoothing out the caulking dip your finger into some soapy water this will keep the caulking from sticking to your finger.

Vacuum – Another quick and easy maintenance tip is to vacuum the back of the refrigerator and the bathroom fan.  This will remove any dust that has gathered there over time that is making your appliances work harder than they need to.  The coils on the back of the refrigerator are designed to help it dissipate heat. If they are covered with gunk (technical term) then the refrigerator has to work harder to cool down.

Check your Fire and Carbon Monoxide detectors – This is probably the easiest one on the list.  Most detectors have a small button on them that if you hold down for 5 seconds will cause them to beep.  Also be sure to keep an ear out, some detectors will beep when the battery is running low alerting you it’s time to change the batteries.

Winter is coming and you know that you need to get your home ready for the cruel Vancouver weather right around the corner, but you don’t know where to start. That’s where we come in, we have compiled a list of some Vancouver home and Vancouver laneway home maintenance tips that will turn your home into a lean green energy saving machine. Who says that you have to wait until the new years to get in to shape?

Furnace – Much like a Car, no matter where you live; from a new Vancouver home to a heritage home in the hills, consistent maintenance is a must and the furnace is no exception.  Most heating and furnace providers require an annual service check to ensure that it continues to run at optimal performance. This is  a requirement by most furnace companies to ensure the warranty stays valid.  If your unsure of how often you need to service your furnace check the manual or give the company a call.

Clean The Ducts – Cleaning the ducts and vents of your home regularly will help keep them safe and running efficiently. Dust and debris can build up making it harder for your appliances to clear the air. The less work that your appliances have to do to move the air through you house the better and longer they work.  This will also help to improve the air quality of your home by circulating the more stale air from inside with the fresh Greater Vancouver air.

Concrete Care During the Winter –  A common practice, THAT MUST BE AVOIDED, is to use salt to melt ice on walkways. This can be very detrimental to the integrity of the concrete weakening it and causing it to crack. Salt can be very corrosive to concrete and by itself can cause some damage, however, when mixed with water it can get into the pours of the concrete, causing more damage due to an increased freeze cycle. This happens if the salt used to melt the ice mixes with the water and gets into the pours of the concrete. Then the temperature drops to below what the salt is rated for and the water freezes again. This can occur frequently if the temperature continues to fluctuate around where the salt freezes. The continued expansion and pressure from the salted ice will cause the concrete to crack over time.
A safe option to using salt is to try sand or gravel. These won’t cause the ice to melt, but it will give traction making it safe to walk on. If you must deice the walk way use an environmentally safe synthetic material, these aren’t corrosive to concrete, will usually have a better temperature rating, and won’t cause pets to get sick from walking on it.

Gutters – One downside about living near all this lush nature in or around Vancouver is  gutters need to be cleaned out regularly throughout the year, mostly in the fall and winter months. Leaves and other debris can get blown into the gutters causing them to back up or plug. During a rainfall water will flow into the gutters and won’t be able to drain. This will cause the water to over flow and start pouring out; causing a flood in areas  not deigned to receive a heavy flow of water. Another issue that can occur is fairly common during the winter months, where water freezes on the roof or in the gutters and causes an ice-dam. This dam prevents water from draining and will back the flow up in to the home by going underneath shingles and between gaps.

As a premier Vancouver home builder we are working on even more tips to help you keep your home running problem free. In the mean time feel free to start on these while you’re waiting, or if you have any that you want to share or any questions about these, come join the conversation on our  Facebook page.

Part 2 of “Get Your Greater Vancouver Home into Energy Efficient Shape Before Winter” is here.

Well the rain is here and with December just around the corner, it’s only a matter of time until Jack Frost rears his chilly head. As a premiere Vancouver Home Builder for over 25 years, Wallmark Homes has gained vast array of knowledge when it comes to building and maintaining your home. Whether you have a new custom home or a turn of the century heritage home there are several things that you can do to make sure that you and your home is ready for whatever this winter has in store for us.

Empty the leaves and debris from your gutters – Now that the trees are bare and the leaves have landed in the most inconvenient places, on the roof and in the gutters, it’s time to break out that rake. Sure it would be easier to leave them until the snow falls and covers them, however, this will create more work later. When leaves and debris are allowed to build in gutters they can create a dam preventing water from draining properly which will lead to water damage to your home.

Check the windows for drafts – This simple job can save you money down the road during a season notorious for taking it. A simple way to check for drafts or broken seals around windows is to grab a friend and have them walk around on the inside with a candle, while you follow on the outside with a hair dryer blowing at the edge of the windows. If the candle flickers you know that you have a break in the seal around your window. Now all you need to do is replace the cracked caulking, maybe the weather stripping as well and away you go.

Flip the switch on your ceiling fans – Most modern ceiling fans have a small switch on the side for reversing the direction that the blades spin. By flipping this switch the blades will now be pushing the hot air down towards the ground keeping the living area of your home from losing all of that precious heat.

Turn off and drain exterior hoses and bibs- This is important to maintaining your home during the cold winter months and it only takes a few minutes to do. Water left in hoses and bibs will freeze when the temperature starts to drop causing your hose to get ruined or worse the bibs and pipes to crack creating a much bigger problem.

Get the snow off of the roof- Once that fluffy white stuff begins falling a whole new list of jobs start to roll in. Just as important as keeping your sidewalks and pathways free of snow, is keeping it off the roof. Snow and ice buildups on the roof lead to a number of issues to the home. Ice dams can form at the edge of your roof preventing water from draining and instead can push back up and into the wall of your home.

Bundle up and stay warm – This is more of a money saving tip than a home maintenance tip but if you reduce your thermostat by just one degree you can save an average of 2% off of your energy bill.

Check back often for more tip and tricks to help you keep your home operating at its peak performance. If peak performance isn’t cutting it anymore and you’re look for a change, give us a call. Wallmark Homes has been a top custom home builder in Vancouver and the Greater Vancouver area for over 25 years and we would love to hear from you.