Previously when BMO led the charge of lower rates from the major banks it resulted in record low interest rates.  Eventually the government, led by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty, stepped in and stopped the reductions when Manulife Financial dropped their 5 year rate to 2.89%.  The fear was that the ever decreasing mortgage rates would lead to a spike in the market that would eventually have to balance out.

With Finance Minister Jim Flaherty out and the new Finance Minister Joe Oliver in, all eyes will be looking to see how they react this time around.

Joe Oliver responded to the sudden sharp decrease in mortgage rates by stating that he will be keeping a close eye on it, however, “the government is gradually reducing its involvement in the mortgage market.”

What this means for you as a home owner is that you can now lock in at an almost record rate and save a substantial amount of money over the 5 years with this significantly reduced rate.

For example on a $400,000 home with 10% down the savings on the monthly payment work out to be just under $100 per month.  Over the 5 years that’s $6000.

If you were considering a new home or perhaps a new townhome in Maple Ridge *cough* TwoBirds, and were waiting for a better rate then this is your opportunity.  With Mr. Oliver keeping a close eye on the mortgage market there is no certainty as to how long these rates will be around.

One of the biggest advantages of working with Wallmark Custom Homes is having your home built by a team of industry experts who have a years of experience  helping people build custom homes in Vancouver and all around Greater Vancouver. With over 25 years in business we have built a great relationship with several of Vancouver’s top home designers.

In this edition of getting to know the people that we know, we will feature Bob Rusbourne one of Vancouver’s premiere home designers.

Bob, a home designer, explains the difference between an architect and a home designer:

During an interview with Wallmark, Bob indicated how important the topographical survey is, not only by stating its extreme importance to a home designer but also by continually coming back to it and saying that he needed to have it before he could consider different design elements. As a home designer who works for you, one of the first things he asks you to do when prepare for your initial meeting with him is to have a topographical survey included with other documentation.

Without the topographical survey, Bob says that all drawings made are subject to change and he was hard pressed to say he could even draw without the survey saying that 2 of the more critical aspects that he needs for initial drawings are form the topographical survey. The first of these two factors is the slope of the land which will produce the viable locations for the garage. And secondly “the lay of the land”, which tells Bob how deep he can draw a basement and how high the home can be. Without the survey these aspects are virtually impossible to glean and the drawings will most likely be re-drawn later.

Bob, whom we have been collaborating with for over 15 years, says that his favourite part of designing a custom home are the moments when homeowners phone him after the home is built and to tell him how much they love their new home.

From the initial drawings to the final home plans, the entire Wallmark team works both with you and with your home designer to ensure that the home you plan is a home that not only matches your dreams but also a home that meets your budget.

When helping you to design your home, we are not only there to provide you with information on how to build your home, but also to help you understand how different design features will affect the bottomline. Moreover we are there to explain how a small change, like placing a columns to split up a great open room, affects you and your budget. That is why we felt it necessary to include this as part of our no obligation, no cost Constant Consultation Program where we help guide you through the pre-construction process ensuring your home will be built with your needs and budget in mind.  Contact us today to take full advantage of this program at no cost to you and ensure your home is built with you in mind.

Wallmark Custom Homes offers our no obligation, no cost Custom Homes Constant Consultation Program, that takes you through the full home building process from picking out a
designer and getting your home surveyed to presenting you with a down to the penny fixed price contract of exactly how much it will cost to build your new home.

We understand that building a new home is a complicated process, not only what to do next but keeping it on budget and on time can be challenging for anyone. Our Custom Home Constant Consultation program comes from over 25 years of home building experience and is designed to help everyone navigate the full home building process. We offer this program at no cost and no obligation to you because even if we don’t build your home we want to make sure that it is the home that you have dreamed of. For example, during the design stage we offer a second (and usually a third and fourth) pair of eyes to look over the design and give you our expert opinions on the functionality, look and potential costs of the home. Getting a second opinion on your home design is always a good idea because it can help keep your home on budget and ensure that it has been designed with your specific lot in mind and will make the most/best use of your space.

No matter what the stage you find yourself in give us a call we can help you navigate the home building process. Not sure if we can help? If you are looking or planning a new home, we can help.

How would you go about designing your new custom home? What do you think should be the focal point of your home? And what is the most important piece of information you must have before you even begin to design your home?

If these are questions you have asked yourself but found that the answers evade you or that you have the answers but you are unsure of them, this is for you.

Wallmark Custom Homes has been helping individuals and families like yourself build their dream homes for several decades, decades through which we have developed an approach that enables you to make the most out of the experience of building your own custom home.

This post, and the 3 posts to come, will delve into our team approach for designing your custom home to give you more of an idea of what it is like to build a custom home with Wallmark in Vancouver. We hope you enjoy this special series, and would love to hear from you should you have any questions about how we can help you.

As we have discussed before, before you begin building a custom home in either Vancouver, Burnaby, North Vancouver or Coquitlam, you need to get your topographical survey completed. This should happen, before you even begin discussing design or architects, or even builder.  Most times it is best to get this done before you have bought a piece of property as the topographical survey will let you know how big of a home you can build on the property, a key aspect for many homeowners.

“I can’t start design work without the topographical survey, especially without knowing the grades…it is extremely important” – Bob Rusbourne, Home Designer

Most people who work with Wallmark, come to us at the very beginning of the planning stage, typically  when you have property that you would like to build on, others have come to us later in the designing stage with their plans already in hand. No matter when you come to us, from the moment our you come to us we work alongside you to see the completion of your home and beyond that through the warranty stages. However, we recommend that you come to us as soon as possible so that we can:

“Ensure that there aren’t any steps missed that could result in higher than needed costs or time frames. The biggest thing to ensure is to make sure the custom home is designed within a comfortable price range. With no guidance, [homeowners] can go outside of budget, or the design can limit you.”-Brad Cowden, Sales Manager at Wallmark

Once homeowners have decided to moved forward past the topographical survey and onwards to the designing stage, Wallmark helps you find an architect. We will help you by not only finding an architect but also by going to interviews with the architects and then as you move forward with your chosen architect we will be there as a point of reference throughout your meetings, along the design phase and as you move closer to the final drawing phase.

“The whole thing is about giving guidance and helping to reassure”- Brad talking about how Wallmark helps you to find a home designer of your choice and as you move through the design phase.

Many people wonder if the Wallmark design stage comes at a price, and we love to answer saying no. “It’s a complimentary service because we find that it shows the level of expertise that we can deliver which will then translate to the level of quality during and throughout the construction of the home,” explains Brad.

If you are interested in learning more about our design phase, or are curious to know more about building a custom home in Greater Vancouver, please do not hesitate to give us a call! We’re always happy to help you!

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!

If you could build a home that was tailored to suit your family’s every need, what would it look like?

Building a new custom home can be one of the biggest projects you will undertake. And trusting that work to a  professional can help alleviate the stress and headaches that will arise. With over 25 years of building new custom homes around Vancouver, Wallmark Custom Homes would love to show you how we can help to make this lifetime event a smoother, timely process.

Over the past 25 years we have had the pleasure of working with some great home owners. Each came to us with a different vision of what makes the perfect custom home, from a gourmet kitchen to a dog washing station. That’s why before we undertake any part of the building process we meet with the home owners and get to know them and their individual needs.  Every home owner then gets their own team of custom home building experts that works with them through the full building process ensuring the home they dreamed of is the home they move in to in the end.

Now, we could go on and on about what exactly it takes to build a custom home in Vancouver (believe me we will) and how happy the home owners are not only at the end but throughout the full process, but it sounds so much better when they say it.

Here is what one of our recent custom home owners said.

“This is coming from someone who has never owned anything more than a hammer and a screwdriver.

I have to say first off, building a custom house was something we are so glad we did not try to co-ordinate or do a portion of by ourselves. From determining budgets to obtaining permits, to demolition, to foundation, to framing, to exterior finishes, to drywall to tiling and painting, to finishing touches, Wallmark was in charge of creating the home we wanted. The best part was, we knew our end cost right down to the baseboards before even starting. That added great piece of mind.

There were a few other things that made a big difference in choosing to work with Wallmark. I would say these things were even more important than originally realized now that we look back. One was being able to see several Wallmark finished homes in Birchwood Estates and Carte Blanche – it set the standard for what to expect. Secondly, was being able to work with an Interior Designer who had an opinion or a vision on how things will look when finished. It is harder than you think to actually visualize how the taps will work with the countertops or how the paint colours match the tiles and how the rooms will flow.

The demo and build took 9 months and it was completed on time and on budget. We did spend a little more money than originally planned on extras, but it is only because there were a few things we wanted to add as we went along. These couldn’t have been known as we started. We wanted to add a few things to the kitchen cabinets and spent more money on lighting fixtures to add some character to the house. We also added custom wood cubbies in a mud room and custom shelving in some bedrooms.

The trades were all great, especially the tilers who hand cut tiles to match patterns we drew on paper. If something wasn’t exactly right or up to Wallmark standards, we reviewed and it was fixed. You work with the on-site supervisor the most and he was also great in explaining everything. He was handy and little things he could do were no extra cost (at least we haven’t received a bill yet ; ) ). As an example, he was able to add motion sensors to some exterior Barn Lights we had purchased. Should also mention there was someone who cleaned up the job site every day and that made a big difference when we checked things out after work or on weekends. The neighbours were also very impressed. Again, these are all things that am not sure would have happened if we had gone another route.

It was a busy nine months and we are very happy with the house Wallmark helped us created. A colleague at work started a renovation the same time we started our house. They decided to co-ordinate it themselves with a general contractor. Their renovation is way over budget and still not finished.”

As the Interior Designers Institute of BC (IDIBC) states, “Aesthetics are an important component of any interior design project but a professional interior designer focuses on much more than appearance.”

IDIBC goes further to state that designers “bring together technical expertise and a comprehensive understanding of design to enhance the function and quality of interior spaces.”

With over 20 years of experience working with Wallmark and homeowners, Leslie puts you, your family and the functionality of your home first, much of the time acting as a facilitator ensuring you get the home you envisioned. When being consulted on home plans Leslie approaches the home plans from a functional point of view looking to make sure that the layout of the house matches the lifestyles of the homeowners. Sometimes making suggestions that make the house more functional such as switching two rooms around or even changing the location of windows to allow room for an entertainment center.

So what does this mean for you? It means that as you finalize your home plans you won’t have to worry about making changes to the structure of your home resulting in permit changes and causing delays. It means that as Leslie helps you to sort through the non major construction details, such as different types of dropped patterned ceilings, you will have a guide to rest on as you work to accomplish building one of the biggest investments of your life. One of our recent homeowners specifically mentions just how much Leslie helped them with the process.

“She made the whole design process smooth and easy – we were overwhelmed with the idea of having to pick out so many things for the house before the foundation had even been poured, but she held our hands patiently and professionally throughout, and we couldn’t be happier with the results!”

Want to try something new in your home? So do we! When working on her favorite custom home (so far) the Gold LEED certified home, Leslie explained that the reason she liked the home was because “I like keeping on top of things, so its always fun to do something you haven’t done before”. From researching the different sources and materials that would be needed to meet the LEED certification to working with the homeowners the green custom home was a new project for everyone.

“One of the great things about Wallmark is the team approach… its a fun place to go and work.” – Leslie Waters

We find that working within a team enables us to better serve you. Not only is there always someone who can help you, but during the design stage your plans are reviewed by different team members who are experts in their own fields. This gives you critical feedback that reduces the likliehood of costly changes later on and that all the deadlines can be met as the construction commences.

If you would like to know more about how our team approach can benefit you, please give us a call – 604.420.5220 – or send us a quick email and we will be more than happy to answer your questions.

Experience that translates into being able to see how the construction costs of certain elements will severely affect your bottom line, and making sure you are aware of these costs. Having a Wallmark team behind you every step of the way, means there are more people to look for possible oversights and to help you consider different aspects of your home.

When asked about what are important considerations for designing a custom home, Brad Cowden, our sales manager said that, “site orientation, view lines of the home – what you see from different perspectives of the house including the exterior or interior of the home, natural light, the structural designer of the home” were all important aspects.

Having a team like Wallmark Custom Homes, that includes such talented individuals as Bob Rusbourne and Leslie Waters, not only benefits you during the design stage but it will also continue to benefit you down the road. After all it is always easier to make adjustments earlier than in the end when they could be more costly or time consuming.

So what can you do as a homeowner to keep your project on target and your experience as great as possible? As Brad advises, “Get professionals to review [your] designs, and make sure [you] are getting feedback and guidance each step of the way.”

At Wallmark, not only are these professionals already working for you, reviewing your plans and giving you feedback as you proceed through each step of the design phase, but we are also providing this at no obligation to you. It is a complimentary service that shows you the level of expertise that we can not only deliver during the design and pricing stage but also the level of detail and quality that will translate into and throughout the construction of your custom home.

If you would like to book an obligation free consultation, please give us a call and we would be more than happy to talk with about the types of ideas that you have about your new custom home in Vancouver or anywhere in the Lower Mainland.