February 2022

All posts from February 2022

How to Build a Foundation

by Bevony on 20 February 2022 Comments Off on How to Build a Foundation

The foundation of a house is the concrete base that the house sits on. It is the professionals that get these tasks done, but we understand you could be curious as to how it’s all done. So here we will guide you through the process of the basic steps of building a foundation for your home or garage. 

Types of Foundations 

A foundation ensures that a building will stay in place. There are three general foundation types. There are differences in how foundations are made across the region due to climate. Warmer places have slab foundations and crawl spaces, while in other places homes will have basements. 

  1. The most common type of foundation is the concrete slab foundation. These foundations are manufactured with poured concrete with reinforced steel bars. The concrete is typically between four and eight inches deep. 
  1. Then there are basement foundations that are made with subterranean concrete walls supporting the structure above-ground. These types of foundations offer more square footage, but it is of course more work and requires more material. This makes this type of foundation more expensive. 
  1. A crawl space foundation is made with concrete footings underneath the ground. There are short concrete walls extending one foot above the surface, and the house rests on these. 

Any type of foundation that makes use of concrete must have secure footing. The footings serve as a support for the foundation, which supports the house. A foundation is designed based on the soil conditions and the size of the building, which it will support. The dimensions and the depth of the footings are then based on the type of foundation, as well as other factors. These other factors include: 

  • Water tables
  • Frost line
  • Flood zones
  • Stability of soil 
  • Type of soil 
  • Drainage of site
  • Slope 
  • Local building codes

Building the Foundation 

Foundation size and footing calculations have to be done before any excavation can be done. Forms for the footings are made with pressure-treated lumber. Rebar is installed within the forms. The forms are staked into the ground, so they will stay in place when the concrete is poured. Once the concrete has cured, the forms are then removed. 

The next step all depends on the type of foundation that is being built. Mortar and cinder block can be added on top in courses until you reach the top of the foundation. Or a concrete wall can be cast with the use of wooden forms similar to those used when making the footings. It is very important that all of these walls are level and plumb. 

For slab foundations, a layer of compressed gravel is necessary to be added to the perimeter of the foundation to ensure proper drainage. You also need to add a vapor barrier along with a layer of sand. Wire mesh is needed for reinforcement, then concrete poured in the defined area after you have placed your necessary conduits for electrical work and plumbing. Porous, clean backfill is used in the space between the complete foundation and the excavated dirt. Surface level ground is graded to form a slope to take water away from the house. 

Building the Foundation for a Detached Structure

The general outline for building a home’s foundation is similar to that of building one for a detached garage. You always want to obtain the necessary permits for any type of foundation or construction you are doing.  Then you can follow the necessary steps found here: 

  • Lay out the foundation area and mark the perimeter
  • Ensure the absence of underground utilities
  • Follow building and safety codes to dig out dirt for the footings and slabs
  • Build forms for footings and slab
  • Install Rebar
  • Pour concrete footings
  • Pour concrete for the slab 

Did this information provide you with insight into the process of building a foundation? Because if it did, we would love to know. Therefore, let us know in the comments! And when you are ready to build a home, let SilverBeam Homes become your homebuilders of choice! Contact us today.

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BevonyHow to Build a Foundation

The BC “Cooling Off” Legislation and What It Means 

by Bevony on 11 February 2022 Comments Off on The BC “Cooling Off” Legislation and What It Means 

Some new measures have been proposed by the provincial government. The aim of these is to protect the rights of consumers during the buying process. 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we all watched the housing and mortgage markets heat up to unprecedented levels. One of the most common occurrences is condition-free offers. 

Competition is high, and there were bidding wars everywhere. Many potential buyers are submitting offers without financing. This trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down, and we expect to see it remaining fierce throughout the end of this year. 

The provincial government in British Columbia took steps to address the situation. The legislation allows buyers to back out of a sale. This is only allowed in a “cooling-off” period. 

The legislation is nice, since people know they are protected while making such a big decision as purchasing real estate, which is also investing in their future. This is especially necessary during a time like this, when the housing market is heightened. People want peace of mind, and an assurance that they are making the right choices. 

When We Can Expect The Legislation?

The legislation is expected to arrive in Spring of 2022 at the earliest. In the meantime, the steps for changing the current system remain unclear. 

The intention of the move is to provide protection for consumers during purchasing processes. Some think this measure may stoke the BC housing market further than it already is. Realtors believe it will complicate the buying stage of the process, making it more difficult. If anybody can walk away at any time, it will make it hard for the realtor to make sense of the quality of what they are offering/listing or receiving. 

At the buyer end of the spectrum, if buyers don’t have to show financial conditions, we can find other bidders increasing the purchase price or the size of a down payment. This will be bad for the already high house prices on the market. 

Lenders have been slow to react and make adjustments. But they are aware of how commonplace, condition-free offers are, and that they are increasing in the marketplace. 

If you want to own a home your alternative to buying is building your own. Here at Silver Beam Homes, we can help you with this dream. Call us today.

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BevonyThe BC “Cooling Off” Legislation and What It Means 

 

by Bevony on 4 February 2022 Comments Off on  

Canadians Seek to Grow Wealth Outside of Housing

The housing market across the country has soared to heights that so many of us cannot reach. Buying a home is entirely unaffordable for the majority of Canadians and for many others the debt that a mortgage incurs is simply not justifiable. Many potential buyers are using their down payment for investments such as art and stocks so they can appreciate their wealth. 

Canadian stocks are very advantageous today because they have high free cash flow yields. The real estate market is offering the opposite of this. People are finding investment opportunities in index funds of natural resources and financial. Both are expected to do well even during inflationary times, like we are experiencing now. 

The risk of rising interest rates makes it even harder for some people to justify a mortgage. Consider a rate increase that could make a million dollar mortgage hard to carry. And what does one million get you in this market anyway? Depending on location, it could be only a one bedroom apartment. Yes, for many, renting is now better than owning. Along with trading stocks, there are also cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens – NFTs that make investors money. There has also been a boom in digital art. 

In December 2021, the average cost of a Canadian home was $713,500. That price was up by 17.7% from 2020. Costs have risen even higher in more populated areas of the country. In Vancouver, the average cost is $1,910,200. Clients who were waiting on prices to drop find the market is now completely out of their reach. Any house currently under 2 million will have a bidding war when it hits the market. 

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Bevony