On a Vanier lot, the rear yard setback (25 percent of lot depth, at least 6 m, in most urban neighbourhood zones) can leave less room to build out, which is often when a second-storey addition becomes the more practical option.
Vanier is a dense, urban neighbourhood close to downtown Ottawa, with older housing stock on generally narrower lots than the city's outer suburbs.
Older Vanier houses often sit close to the lot lines, so excavation and footing work is planned around the neighbours, and the existing foundation is checked before building up.
In Vanier we turned an unfinished basement into usable living space. The work included a new staircase with a landing, new drywalled walls and ceilings, and a hallway leading to the finished rooms. The photo shows the drywall taped and the stairs built, ready for paint and flooring.
Reviews given to us directly by clients.
We hired them to add an extra bedroom and bathroom to our Ottawa home. The workmanship was excellent, and the team kept us informed throughout the entire project. We are very pleased with the finished space.
Our new second-storey addition looks like it has always been part of the house. The builders paid close attention to every detail and kept the worksite clean and organized. I would gladly recommend them.
Vanier’s proximity to downtown Ottawa comes with generally narrower lots than the city’s outer suburbs, which means the rear yard setback can leave limited room to build out. On many Vanier properties, that makes a second-storey addition the more practical route to real square footage, provided the existing foundation and load-bearing walls can support it, which we check before designing anything.
Urban lots make this the first number worth confirming before any design conversation.
Older urban construction sometimes needs structural review before a second storey can be added. Ask what was checked.
Sized to Ontario Building Code Div. B 9.9.10.
A separate ground-floor entrance is required and generally can't be cut into the front wall. Ask how that's addressed on your lot.
Yes. Our recent basement finishing in Vanier is shown above, and when we visit we can walk you through other jobs that match your addition.
We find out before designing: we inspect the existing foundation and wall structure first. Where older urban construction needs reinforcement to carry a new floor, that is priced as its own line.
Vanier's proximity to downtown makes secondary suites and in-law suites a common request, subject to the City-wide unit-limit and entrance rules that apply everywhere in Ottawa.