Housing in Canada
#16
Re: Housing in Canada
i agree with a lot of the replies!
very true is the fact that the UK is not without its fair share of ugly housing estates in most towns, houses that all look the same etc...
also true is the fact that there are many nice houses in Canada too.
But i feel that if you take most cities in canada, you are more likely to see a higher ratio of "flat pack" houses than houses with character.
I have read elsewhere on this forum the remarks by newcomers who notice the "strange houses" and the reply was something to the effect of "get over it".
Another comment i read that is true is that much of canada is relatively "new" and so you will have less variety of building styles or eras (victorian / Edwardian etc) apart from on the east side of the country which was populated earlier - hence my "except for quebec" comment.
I must reiterate that my posting is based on an impression rather than based on hard statistical fact. It's an impression based on my experience of living in Vancouver and Calgary. We have noticed that, for example, in calgary as it expands, the newer estates are getting increasingly high density and also more boxy, and "samey" without many trees or anything. Not saying I would rather live in a Coronation street house though....! Canadian houses are FAR better value.
very true is the fact that the UK is not without its fair share of ugly housing estates in most towns, houses that all look the same etc...
also true is the fact that there are many nice houses in Canada too.
But i feel that if you take most cities in canada, you are more likely to see a higher ratio of "flat pack" houses than houses with character.
I have read elsewhere on this forum the remarks by newcomers who notice the "strange houses" and the reply was something to the effect of "get over it".
Another comment i read that is true is that much of canada is relatively "new" and so you will have less variety of building styles or eras (victorian / Edwardian etc) apart from on the east side of the country which was populated earlier - hence my "except for quebec" comment.
I must reiterate that my posting is based on an impression rather than based on hard statistical fact. It's an impression based on my experience of living in Vancouver and Calgary. We have noticed that, for example, in calgary as it expands, the newer estates are getting increasingly high density and also more boxy, and "samey" without many trees or anything. Not saying I would rather live in a Coronation street house though....! Canadian houses are FAR better value.
#17
Re: Housing in Canada
I find many of the new subdivision areas very bland and samey, but I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I dont think new housing in the UK is significantly better, its just the end result of property developers building on new sites to only a handful of set designs. You just dont have to go so far to get away from it in the UK and find some real old places I guess.
Someone else made the point that this is a fairly modern phenomenon, and that older neighbourhoods with "more character" were more likely built one at a time to the initial plot buyers taste. One thing about canada is it seems far more common here decide to redo your whole house periodically, largely eradicating the old features, so maybe thats part of it too.
My house is 50 or 60 years old and is apparently on its third face lift. Not that it has bags of character, but at least if I come home drunk, I'm not in danger of trying to let myself into someone else's house...
Someone else made the point that this is a fairly modern phenomenon, and that older neighbourhoods with "more character" were more likely built one at a time to the initial plot buyers taste. One thing about canada is it seems far more common here decide to redo your whole house periodically, largely eradicating the old features, so maybe thats part of it too.
My house is 50 or 60 years old and is apparently on its third face lift. Not that it has bags of character, but at least if I come home drunk, I'm not in danger of trying to let myself into someone else's house...
#18
Re: Housing in Canada
I find many of the new subdivision areas very bland and samey, but I suppose beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I dont think new housing in the UK is significantly better, its just the end result of property developers building on new sites to only a handful of set designs. You just dont have to go so far to get away from it in the UK and find some real old places I guess.
Someone else made the point that this is a fairly modern phenomenon, and that older neighbourhoods with "more character" were more likely built one at a time to the initial plot buyers taste. One thing about canada is it seems far more common here decide to redo your whole house periodically, largely eradicating the old features, so maybe thats part of it too.
My house is 50 or 60 years old and is apparently on its third face lift. Not that it has bags of character, but at least if I come home drunk, I'm not in danger of trying to let myself into someone else's house...
Someone else made the point that this is a fairly modern phenomenon, and that older neighbourhoods with "more character" were more likely built one at a time to the initial plot buyers taste. One thing about canada is it seems far more common here decide to redo your whole house periodically, largely eradicating the old features, so maybe thats part of it too.
My house is 50 or 60 years old and is apparently on its third face lift. Not that it has bags of character, but at least if I come home drunk, I'm not in danger of trying to let myself into someone else's house...
#19
Re: Housing in Canada
I find it quite the opposite to the UK where there are rows of identical housing or estates made up of 100s of houses based on about 3 or 4 different designs.
We rarely have 2 houses alike in most streets here in the town of New Glasgow. Lots of Cape Cod and Colonial type housing. Even the fairly new small subdivision close by doesn't have 2 houses the same.
We rarely have 2 houses alike in most streets here in the town of New Glasgow. Lots of Cape Cod and Colonial type housing. Even the fairly new small subdivision close by doesn't have 2 houses the same.
#20
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 156
Re: Housing in Canada
I was just in the UK and was shocked by the lack of well maintained houses. In the outskirts of London almost all of the houses look the same - dilapidated with almost identical interior layouts.
Hi everyone,
Forgive me if this topic has been covered elsewhere in the forum, but i could not find it.
I have been itching to talk about one aspect of Canadian life that doesn't seem to get much coverage in the forums from what I see at least.
It is something i feel needs to be covered for people who are about to move here.
That aspect is "housing"; more specifically, "character".
I have travelled quite a bit around the country, from the east to the west side. I have been to all the major cities in Canada.
Apart from Quebec, i just can't help but feel that the average house, although much better value / bigger than in the UK, is actually more likely to be totally without any character or charm.
Not for a second would I swap my canadian house for my UK house, but our new home is totally characterless! And so many others are too. I'm not saying every house is characterless in Canada. Just that an awful lot are.
Driving around Vancouver, a lot of the residential areas are total eyesores blotching the totally eye-popping landscape. What a shame! A lot of houses are simply shacks. (let's not include North-west or West Vancouver in this...!)
Even in Calgary, a lot of houses, although big and full of mod-cons, look like large IKEA sets that you assemble yourself, made out of LEGO or something.
In contrast, we have the architecture of Montreal or Quebec city where you have some real old world charm and BRICK, not plastic weatherboarding or Stucco (= icing sugar pasted onto plywood). Our house has Stucco. Yellow Stucco. Mmmmmm nice.
Put it this way. when we watch any TV filmed in Greenwich Village (Manhattan), we start to yearn the old brick and stone buildings....
Anyway, interesting to see what people think on this highly controversial matter ().
Coming next week: "Why does everyone need to have an 8 litre, 22ft. long truck in Canada?!?!?!?"
Forgive me if this topic has been covered elsewhere in the forum, but i could not find it.
I have been itching to talk about one aspect of Canadian life that doesn't seem to get much coverage in the forums from what I see at least.
It is something i feel needs to be covered for people who are about to move here.
That aspect is "housing"; more specifically, "character".
I have travelled quite a bit around the country, from the east to the west side. I have been to all the major cities in Canada.
Apart from Quebec, i just can't help but feel that the average house, although much better value / bigger than in the UK, is actually more likely to be totally without any character or charm.
Not for a second would I swap my canadian house for my UK house, but our new home is totally characterless! And so many others are too. I'm not saying every house is characterless in Canada. Just that an awful lot are.
Driving around Vancouver, a lot of the residential areas are total eyesores blotching the totally eye-popping landscape. What a shame! A lot of houses are simply shacks. (let's not include North-west or West Vancouver in this...!)
Even in Calgary, a lot of houses, although big and full of mod-cons, look like large IKEA sets that you assemble yourself, made out of LEGO or something.
In contrast, we have the architecture of Montreal or Quebec city where you have some real old world charm and BRICK, not plastic weatherboarding or Stucco (= icing sugar pasted onto plywood). Our house has Stucco. Yellow Stucco. Mmmmmm nice.
Put it this way. when we watch any TV filmed in Greenwich Village (Manhattan), we start to yearn the old brick and stone buildings....
Anyway, interesting to see what people think on this highly controversial matter ().
Coming next week: "Why does everyone need to have an 8 litre, 22ft. long truck in Canada?!?!?!?"
#21
Cynically amused.
Joined: Oct 2002
Location: BC
Posts: 3,648
Re: Housing in Canada
My goodness you must have been busy. Not sure I'd spend my time on a visit to the UK getting access to almost all of the dilipadated houses with almost identical interior layouts in the outskirts of London. Its a bit like walking through all the paper and wood housing that is overpriced rubbish in Vancouver. Silly really.
#22
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 21
Re: Housing in Canada
That's funny and so true for lots of Vancouver.
Another thing that I have noticed in Canada is that the drainpipes are really quite unsightly, jutting out from buildings, propped up on poles and taking up half the garden/yard!! and they're really plasticy and flimsy....oh well....
Another thing that I have noticed in Canada is that the drainpipes are really quite unsightly, jutting out from buildings, propped up on poles and taking up half the garden/yard!! and they're really plasticy and flimsy....oh well....
#23
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,054
Re: Housing in Canada
My goodness you must have been busy. Not sure I'd spend my time on a visit to the UK getting access to almost all of the dilipadated houses with almost identical interior layouts in the outskirts of London. Its a bit like walking through all the paper and wood housing that is overpriced rubbish in Vancouver. Silly really.
#24
Soulless bureaucrat
Joined: Aug 2006
Location: Ottawa
Posts: 361
Re: Housing in Canada
I reckon building protection might have something to do with this too.
We live in neighbourhood of 100ish year old homes. Some people love them, others seriously consider pulling them down if they are too small, don't have two or more bathrooms etc. As far as I know, there is nothing to stop them doing this, or changing the character of their home with brutal additions.
Generally I'd say that people don't seem to be as interested in preserving old stuff here - which is strange considering how excited some people get when going to see old stuff in Europe.
If old buildings weren't buldozed, there would be more old stuff for them to see here in 100 years time...
We live in neighbourhood of 100ish year old homes. Some people love them, others seriously consider pulling them down if they are too small, don't have two or more bathrooms etc. As far as I know, there is nothing to stop them doing this, or changing the character of their home with brutal additions.
Generally I'd say that people don't seem to be as interested in preserving old stuff here - which is strange considering how excited some people get when going to see old stuff in Europe.
If old buildings weren't buldozed, there would be more old stuff for them to see here in 100 years time...
#25
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,054
Re: Housing in Canada
I reckon building protection might have something to do with this too.
We live in neighbourhood of 100ish year old homes. Some people love them, others seriously consider pulling them down if they are too small, don't have two or more bathrooms etc. As far as I know, there is nothing to stop them doing this, or changing the character of their home with brutal additions.
Generally I'd say that people don't seem to be as interested in preserving old stuff here - which is strange considering how excited some people get when going to see old stuff in Europe.
If old buildings weren't buldozed, there would be more old stuff for them to see here in 100 years time...
We live in neighbourhood of 100ish year old homes. Some people love them, others seriously consider pulling them down if they are too small, don't have two or more bathrooms etc. As far as I know, there is nothing to stop them doing this, or changing the character of their home with brutal additions.
Generally I'd say that people don't seem to be as interested in preserving old stuff here - which is strange considering how excited some people get when going to see old stuff in Europe.
If old buildings weren't buldozed, there would be more old stuff for them to see here in 100 years time...
Having said that I don't think it's really that different in the UK with the exception of truly historic or unique buildings. I guess one can't really stand in the way of progress - sad really:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xobtIRRdjFA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFHoN4kz6IM
These areas are now a god awful housing estate shopping precinct and a Morrisons store. There was also a splendid theatre-The Oxford Picture House - circa 1920 - that was pulled down to make way for a gas station.
Gas town in Vancouver was recently declared a national historic site and will hopefully preserve the area - there is a development co called Salient that is on a rampage at the minute saving old buildings and restoring them - very, very happy to see:
http://www.thesalientgroup.com/commercial/
Last edited by dboy; Aug 20th 2009 at 4:20 am.