Since my last instalment, Chandlerville has moved ahead at a great pace.*

Removing the roof, framing the side building for the utilities, and constructing internal ground level walls entertained me through January. Things really picked up speed in February when I could see second floor take shape, one wall emerging at a time, showcasing the enormous windows. Chandlerville will be the most sunlit place I’ve ever lived!  

Because the second story hasn’t the square footage of the ground level, its roofline is asymmetrical, a design feature that seemed great on paper but is even better in real life. You’ll see that in the photos.

The interior walls separating the kitchen from the bathroom and living area are currently being stuffed full of the essential infrastructure to make it all function - water, waste, gas, fire suppression, and electrical. One of the most daunting tasks is deciding the placement of outlets, light switches, potlights, and light fixtures. I don’t know why this is intimidating, but it is.  Perhaps because it’s only with living in a place can I truly know what areas will be my high traffic ones or maybe it’s because I know moving electrical is more complicated than repainting a wall. But I’m doing my best to predict my electrical needs and wants. Next highlights will include shingling the roof, insulating everything, drywalling, flooring, and the construction of the staircase and kitchen - both on order.  And a whole bunch of other things I will learn about!

Back in mid-December, I reported my intention to move in in March. It’s now pushed into April, but I’ve got a strong commitment from the contractor about that, so much so I’ve listed my house for rent for May 1.  (And my contractor’s promised me temporary housing if he fails to deliver so that’s a good sign, right?)

As exciting as this is for someone like me who’s concerned about the housing crisis, I’m encouraged at the interest my project is generating. Neighbours are stopping to ask questions and seem genuinely curious about the viability of doing something similar in their yards, either as rental income or a way to house other generations of their own families in a more cost-effective way. It’s estimated there are about 47,000 Toronto properties abutting laneways, and some have guessed 3/4 of those could be made to comply with the by-law. Of course, building a house in your backyard is not free and there are very limited subsidies to do so - average costs are estimated at $400-650K per laneway suite and only owners prepared to rent at below market rates are eligible for subsidies. Mine’s at the low-end cost-wise, reflecting its small size compared to many projects but it’s still a chunk of change and I don’t qualify for subsidies.

Toronto has opened the door now to garden suites - housing in backyards where there is no laneway -  creating even more opportunity. We can increase the housing stock, increase the density of our city, and allow people to live closer to work and transit, all without any public or private sector development investment. The potential is significant. 

It’s not, however, without its snags. The Laneway and Garden Suites Toronto Facebook group is a forum to share experiences with navigating the city’s approval process, to find good contractors and suppliers, and to celebrate successes with like-minded people. Forum members are reporting the city approval process has stalled, pending the resolution of an inadvertent by-law conflict which isn’t likely to be corrected until next month. All the while the housing crisis grows. Frustrating to those in the queue.

On the upside, interest is so high the National Home Show, March 10 to 19 in Toronto, have dedicated a day to discussing Laneway and Garden Suites on March 16. I’m delighted to be on the panel discussing Chandlerville with some other proud homeowners. I have two free day-passes which I will send to the first two blog subscribers to contact me. (If you’re not a subscriber yet, just fill out the form at the bottom of this page.)

I’ll let the photos below show the progress better than I can describe it. 

* Read more about Chandlerville - Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, and Part 6.

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