Re: Photos of Winnipeg
 

I think that newbies arriving in any City/Town with no more than a recces worth of knowledge would do well to rent for a time. Take that time to educate themselves on what's available first hand while also finding out what requirements their new lifestyle/job/schools might dictate. There are many tales on the BE threads of folks buying before, on or soon after arrival only to sell shortly after.

It often works out financially, as well as emotionally, more expensive than the cost of 6-12 months rent.

It will also allow time to get your head around the options and workings of all "things" Real Estate.

Just my opinion based on having moved around a bit, this last move being my forth Inter-continental move.

Rob ;)

Re: Photos of Winnipeg
 

You might be able to find some photos of Winnipeg here

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/forumdisplay.php?f=129

I found a lot of renderings of the new Blue Bombers stadium etc. but I didn't look all through!

Re: Photos of Winnipeg
 

I agree with ROB4BC it is best to rent for the first 6 months or so (we rented for 2 years), that way you can pick an area that suits you and your family's needs.

Re: Photos of Winnipeg
 

Sorry, just being pedantic and technical here...

In the UK, in traditional brick & block construction, both the brick and block skins are load bearing, and it is the non-loadbearing walls that are made of timber (studs).

Traditional UK brick & block construction with mortar joints, and tiled roofs are not ideal for Canada's extreme freeze/thaw cycles. I understand that you like it because it's "what you know", but you must be prepared for more careful and regular maintenance than you might expect.

Re: Photos of Winnipeg
 

......i'll have to stick to being an Accountant then!:thumbsup:

Re: Photos of Winnipeg
 

Forced air is popular and almost the norm as the choice for heating

This is because the air ducts double up in the summer for the air conditioning needed in almost all Canadian summers

British ideas of construction have no place in a climate where the temperature range can be -40 to +40 over a year , where the ground can move several inches during a freeze thaw cycle and footings may need to be 7 foot down to get below the frost line, add in humidity ranges from 0 to 100% and a English house would start cracking in 1 year and be lucky to make maybe 10years at best

Having said that most Canadian housing is built to be 'good enough' and not much more, its life cycle can be expected to be around 60 -70 years and will need much more upkeep than a similar house in Europe

Re: Photos of Winnipeg
 

Hi there,

We were in Winnipeg back in June for a recce. Mozzies only started a few days before we left and we were up at Winnipeg Beach (one of best beaches in North America) - I got bit a few times on my left foot and that was it. Hubby got bit one. My friend who lives there says it's only bad for mozzies a couple of months of the year, and though their winters are long and cold, it's a 'dry' cold (you'll hear that a lot) and you get used to it, and it's apparently better than the 'wet', damp cold we get in the UK.

We stayed in a gorgeous b&b in River Heights called Galbraith House (google it), I'd thoroughly recommend it. Hosts were lovely and friendly and it was a beautiful period house (Edwardian I think). Was short cab ride from downtown but lovely and quiet, and very safe. I'll try and get some piccies but I'm not sure how to put them on here??? :confused: Maybe I'll just copy and paste and take up a whole screen with one pic, hehe :rofl:

Weather was very hot when we were over there - 30 degrees most days. I came back with a better tan than I got in Thailand on our honeymoon (and it's all but faded in the British summer, although the recent warm weather has renewed it slightly :)). Apparently (according to my friend) it gets to 40 degrees in July and August.

Everyone goes on about how big the mozzies are in Winnipeg but at the end of the day a mozzie bite's a mozzie bite - the size of the mozzie doesn't make it any worse! It just means you can see the buggers coming and run like hell to avoid them, haha :rofl:

Enjoy your recce and if I think of anything else I'll let you know (about to head up the stairs to Bedfordshire now!).

Anita :thumbup:

Re: Photos of Winnipeg
 

And if at all possible, look for a house with a piled foundation. I used to work for a strucural engineering consultancy in winnipeg, and the amount of houses we inspected that were built on footings and required underpinning was phenomonal, and incredibly expensive.

Re: Photos of Winnipeg
 

Thanks for the pointers Anita, great if you can get some photos up :thumbsup:

Andrew - whats a 'piled' foundation and would realtors know which properties have it?

Re: Photos of Winnipeg
 

Its when concrete posts are either drilled and poured, or pre-formed and forced, into the ground to a depth as advised to you by the City or your engineer, this forms the strength of your foundations.


For Winnipeg it normally forms the best foundation and is found on most modern houses.

Realtors will only know if their sellers know, and can confirm the existence of the Piles..

Re: Photos of Winnipeg
 

I think 60-70 years is optimistic, but maybe if it is well maintained from day 1 it will last that long. I don't have a high opinion of construction quality here. :thumbdown:

Re: Photos of Winnipeg
 

I beg to differ.

You don't know how evil a mosquito bite can be until you've been attacked by the little monsters in Korea.

And Scandinavian bites seem to last forever - and itch for even longer!!

Re: Photos of Winnipeg
 

Phew, thank god we're all going to Canada then! :blink:

Re: Photos of Winnipeg
 

Just to expand a little, the piled foundations negates the effects of seasonal ground movements by basing your foundations on bedrock or until there is enough resistance in the ground that movement will be minimal.

Often footings are not cast deep enough and hence the building deterioration when substantial ground movements occur over the course of many years.

A few pointers-if you view the house any see any kind of cracks in the basement, exterior cladding spalling/damage or even significant cracks in the interior dry wall, it could be a sign of foundation movement, and best to pay the relatively small fee for the opinion of a professional engineer. An underpinning project can cost anywhere from $20,000-$80,000, and in extreme cases even higher, so the $500-$1000 fee for an engineer is really worth it in my opinion.

And finally, I see more and more houses advertised specifiying the house was built on piles, if not hopefully the existing owner will know or at least have a copy of the house drawings. Failing that, even the city or archives may have a copy.

Andrew

Re: Photos of Winnipeg
 

Foundations are in Winnipeg the major problem with Houses of all ages.

I have yet to see a basement floor without cracks (though basement floors here are designed to be able to heave without damage to the structure).

When showing house I always say lets start in the basement, as if there are problems there we don't need to look at the rest of the house (unless the buyers are up for major foundation repairs).

Andrew is correct that if there is any doubt about the foundations a clause should be added to an Offer to Purchase about a satisfactory engineers report.