Can anyone let me know how expensive about 2/3 acres of building land would be within a 50 mile radius of Vancouver and what about planning is it as difficult as uk and what about the cost of living ? I am a Catering Engineer and have just finished building a house in UK

How long is a peice of string!

I think you will have to be a bit more specific about areas and ammenities to get a good answer.Im sure there is some dirt cheap land around, but it will be cheap for a reason. Likewise, I am sure that a nice waterfront lot nearer vancouver will cost big bux. Cant speak for BC, but planning in Ontario is no big deal usually.

You know you can but prefab kits for log houses here?

What about Kampoola or Calgery we would like to be about 20 miles from a town.

Yes, Iain is correct - according to StatsCan and the Real Estate Board of BC and Canada we have the most expensive land and housing in Canada - but from what I understand it's still a bargain compared to the UK.

If you're talking about Calgary, AB we get a lot more snow than Vancouver gets - 20 miles is pretty far - the highways get snowploughed first, you need might a 4WD with your own snowplough attached to get to the end of your driveway.

Log cabins are very romantic, but relatively expensive to buy and maintain in comparison to a manufactured or modular home.

Outrageously expensive! :scared: But only by Canadian standards. Vancouver and Toronto are the places where land costs the most in Canada. Finding building lots is very difficult. It will no doubt be in a rural area. The lot will be un-serviced and un-serviceable (well and septic system). And will probably be larger than an acre (to accommodate the well and septic system). It’s one of those things where if you have to ask, you probably can’t afford it. That said, rural building lots around urban areas are only going to get rarer. So it can be a very good investment (and income tax free if you live on it).

80 km from Toronto (50 miles), buildable rural lots cost upwards of Can$100,000. Add 50% for Vancouver thanks to those annoying mountains. The building will have to respect the BC building code (almost identical to the Canada National Building Code). As long as the property is on a public road (check, don’t assume), and not swamp land, you should be able to build your dream house. But check with the municipality to confirm the zoning.

Be aware that house insurance will cost you an arm and a leg depending on where the nearest fire hall is.

Something to consider would be to purchase a pre-existing house in Vancouver and then get a secondary residence in the BC interior. Land that isn’t within commuting distance goes for a song. Remember that Vancouver has been booming for a while, but other areas of BC (anywhere north) have been hurting badly.

My immigration web site:
http://www.geocities.com/merdealorsen/immigration.html

Sam

You can by your own small bit of Alberta prairie for a lot less than that ... if you don't mind featureless landscape, no amenities and unpredictable weather.

lol

some of your post do make me laugh - still can't decide whether you like Alberta or not?!!!! So true...one of the most boring roads we have ever been on was from Grande Praire down to Edmonton.........2 hours of totally flat, straight road cut through the trees! Even as an adult I kept saying "are we there yet....how much longer etc etc" sooo boring.

JJ

We got rained out of our "summer" vacation this week and came home early.
We then had the bright idea of going to look at some low price weekender property south of Calgary - we then spent most of a day driving through miles and miles of identical arrow straight roads, running past acres of identical fields of wheat and looking at identical small towns, with not a lot going for them apart from cheap property.
I do actually like Alberta - it's just the weather that drives me nuts