INFILL HOUSES

Infill House Vancouver

An Infill house is a single-family dwelling unit that is built in the same development or neighborhood. Either a new house is built in an adjoining empty lot or by subdividing an existing house to adjust the construction of new units.

Ideal Location for Infill House

An Infill house may be permitted as an incentive to hold the original existing house by making another separate dwelling unit on the back yard of the house, just the lane should be developed which the infill house is facing. 

These houses are built in a modest manner, not affecting the neighborhood to any extent and neither do they disturb the privacy of any adjoining houses. Another important thing to be considered is that the infill house should be built such that it follows the pattern of neighboring houses or the community. It should be examined that no pillars, government property or trees should be damaged while building the house.

Criteria for an Infill house

The city of Vancouver supports the construction of Infill houses if proper guidelines are followed. There are some minimum standards that should be followed while building an infill house.

• An original, primary roof should be built with no unnecessary alterations
• A separate, individual entrance is mandatory.
• New era- approved original cladding should be present.
• Windows should be built for cross-ventilation; the size and shape of the window should be regular one.
• The street scape should be such that at least 2 adjoining houses on each side, facing the same block face, should be included in it.

Eligibility

The City of Vancouse is highly concerned about the safety of its people, that’s why few other measurements are taken off the already existing property, before signing the permit to build an infill house. You have to prove yourself eligible to avail the incentive of building an infill house on your property. 

Floor Space Ratio 

An infill house should be made under a 0.25 Floor Space Ratio or 185 square meters

Yards, Separation and Building Width

The minimum distance between an infill house and the original existing house should be 4.9 meters so that an adequate amount of space is on the site and the neighboring sites do not get disturbed. The total maximum width of the combined structure should not exceed 80 percent of the site width.

The side yard is given a minimum space of 1 meter.

While the rare yard is usually of 0.9 meters.

Height

The height of the Infill house is restricted to be as tall as a full and another half double-story house.

There are different measuring scales approved for different kinds of roofs.

Pitched Roofs

The overall height of the pitched roof should be a maximum of 7.7 meters, not exceeding that. The minimum pitch is expected to be not more than 7:12.

Dormers

The Dormers are expected to be of 3:12 pitch. The height of the Dormers is made as low as possible, to reduce the scale of the partial half upper story. The largest Dormers are made to face the lane and the entire width of the Dormer should not exceed 75% of the partial upper story’s width.

Flat roofs and shed roofs

The flat roofs and shed roofs are designed in such a way that their appearance seems to be minimal. The overall height could reach 5.8 meters at max.

Solar Panels 

If Solar panels are placed on the roof, their height is not included while estimating the height of the overall house.

Green Roofs

It is advised strongly that green roofs should be built, as they increase the natural environmental presentation and give out a docile look from neighboring houses.

Balconies and Decks

The Balconies should be designed in accordance with the original house and it should be facing the main lane.

Benefits of an Infill house

Infill houses do possess a lot of benefits in the long run. Many communities have realized the value of Infill houses over the years.

• At lower costs, community services can be provided to more people.
• Their presence can reduce air pollution and improve air quality.
• You can place it on rent and get an extra income by staying in the comfort of your home.
• It increases home ownership opportunities

Quality, Durability and Expression

The construction of the infill houses should be a good addition to the neighborhood, thus the material used in the construction should be good and all the minute details should be catered respectably. 

Various architectural styles can be examined for the construction but it should be made sure that the house follows the pattern of the neighborhood. The material chosen should be good enough to last for a long time to ensure the security of people living in the house.

Lane Frontage

An infill house enhances the beauty of the lane to a great extent. As long as some car or passerby enters the lane, they should get a fresh and open look, no cluster of jam-packed streets to look at. A single glance should reveal a well designed beautiful residential character.

The infill Houses should be facing the lane and there should be sufficient windows on the upper level, a perfect homely  look should be exposed. It should be ensured that there is a separate safety porch to ensure the safety of people and to welcome them warmly in the premises of the house instead of a jam-packed lane.

The entrance of the Infill house

The entrance of the house should be separate, the width of the pedestrian path may vary according to the number of units attached to the house. One most important thing is that the path should be able to meet the fire fighter access requirements for sure. The various measurements for different units are as follow:

Access to one dwelling unit: 0.90 meters (3 feet)

 Access to two dwelling units: 1.2 meters (4 feet) 

Access to more than two dwelling units: 2 meters (6.56 feet)

The total number of dwelling units on a site varies with a lot width but should not exceed 6 units.

Parking

One parking space per unit is sufficient and mandatory. Though in case of space constraints the number of parking spaces may be reduced eve, In some cases, with 33 feet lots, a total of 2 parking spaces may be put into consideration. In that case, one paring space will be interior while the other would be exterior.

Landscape Design

The design of the infill unit should be such that it enhances the beauty of the street, with a perfect presentation matching the neighborhood. The privacy of the neighborhood should be maintained at any cost, It should increase the environmental performance of the property.

The front yards should play a role in beautifying the street and providing it an open and fresh look. While construction, make sure the beauty of the trees remains intact, no damage should be done to the trees, otherwise, strict action would be taken by the authorities.

Walkways should be subtle to overlook cloistered patios. Planting beds should be made to screen common walkways using planting, rather than fencing, where possible. The amount of open space provided should be functional and should relate to the size of the dwelling unit.

Contact us today to get your infill house constructed from professionals.