The development of Calgary infills have been popular in recent years because of the many benefits it brings to the homebuyer, thus increasing the demand for it. If this is your first time to hear about infill homes, these are houses that are built in old neighbourhoods in prime locations. Many of you have probably passed by a great community or subdivision within the city and have wished to live in it. However, with its good location, there is a good chance that there will be no vacant houses available. If there were, they could be in a dilapidated state or the previous owner must have torn it down and all that is left is a piece of land between two apartments. To make use of this space, a new home is built on it and sold as infill homes. There are plenty of Calgary infill builders who develop them now and they offer a selection of infill house plans to interested future homeowners.
Infill housing development is not easy, though. There are several challenges that infill builders Calgary have to face in order to construct a home that is livable and still appealing to buyers. First, they have to come up with an infill design that will fit a fixed lot size and shape. This means that they will have to make several adjustments to meet the custom designs demanded by their clients while at the same time working on a restricted space.
Second, since there are already installed utility lines, they should also consider this when making infill house plans. There is also the possibility that the neighbourhood is so old that the original documents reflecting the utility lines are no longer available. Hence, the developer should be extra cautious when digging to avoid hitting these lines, especially the gas line.
Third, Calgary infill builders also takes charge of demolishing existing homes or building that is still standing on the lot. Aside from making sure that their demolition team is well trained, they have to make sure that adjacent properties are not damaged during the process, too. Further, there could be local ordinances to be met, like they may be required to dispose of the old materials properly, which means that they will have haul them to a recycling center.
Fourth, there is the hazard of dealing with dangerous materials. For instance, if the old house was built in the middle of the past century, asbestos could have been used in some parts of the building, which needs special handling.
Fifth, there is the inconvenience of working in a restricted space. If the infill is going to be built in an existing neighborhood, for example, there may not be enough space to park construction trucks or store construction materials that will be used.
Finally, if one of the reasons why the client chose to have an infill built in that specific neighborhood is for its character or style, then the infill house plans and designs should also blend in with its surrounding.
Despite these challenges, many builders are still willing to take on the job in support of the government’s community development programs and to provide homeowners with affordable new homes within the city.
