What is a lane house?

Answers to your questions about small homes and laneway houses.

What is laneway housing?

A lane or laneway house is a small home or cottage like structure located at the rear of a property lot. Basically, lane houses replace current structures like garages or carports. Lane houses provide a great solution for families who need more space to meet their specific needs for family living as well as for the growing population in Vancouver by providing both an affordable solution for new residents plus secondary income for owners through the rental of a lane or backyard home.

Why did the city pass this new initiative?

The city recognizes the challenges people face in providing liveable spaces to support family members. It also wants to provide more affordable living solutions for new residents as the density increases in Vancouver. Through its eco-density program laneway housing became a clear winner out of all the choices the city examined.

Smallworks has been participating with both city councillors and with the city engineers to improve understanding of the concept and its positive impact on the city and in developing building specs based on feedback from potential customers.

How does the zoning work for laneway homes?

Zoning differs by municipality but in Vancouver:

Find out about the size and zoning of your property.

How will a small home on my property impact my taxes?

Based on communication from the city we do not anticipate any significant impact on property taxes. Because this initiative is open to anyone who falls under the appropriate zoning (close to 95% of homes in Vancouver) the property tax on land value will not change because of laneway housing.

If you are looking at the option of building a lane house, we do recommend that you visit the city of Vancouver planning website to review criteria and potential impact.

How did Smallworks get involved in laneway housing?

Over the years the founders of Smallworks, Jake Fry and Aaron Rosensweet, recognized that current home building concepts were not going to meet all the needs of the city of Vancouver and alternative solutions were needed. They had a desire to build homes that would not only provide new and affordable living opportunities but more importantly provide families with a home solution that would meet their changing needs. They recognized that families may require more space for parents who are in need of support and looking to live closer to them. They decided that the opportunity and the desired outcome met the values and beliefs of the company. Therefore it was a natural evolution for this group.

When will Smallworks build these lane houses?

We have already built 5 small homes where allowable. See our Project Gallery. Based on the recent changes to the Vancouver city by-laws we are well on our way to getting building permits for our current clients. We have been planning for this change for the past 2 years and have a list of clients committed to building a laneway home. We will be working hard to get this done for them as soon as possible.

How long has Smallworks been involved in building houses?

The team at Smallworks has over 40 years combined experience in home building and renovations. We have focused specifically on building smaller homes for the last 4 years.

What makes Smallworks different from other builders?

We specialize in small home building. We are also a complete design build company. We manage and execute all aspects of the development and build of lane houses and small backyard homes.

How environmental are Smallworks homes?

We have a definite desire to build in a sustainable manner. Our base design takes advantage of many of the sustainable building practices and fixtures available today. We also provide many options for our clients who want to build in a sustainable manner. More on our commitment to sustainable building.

What does it cost to build one?

Obviously this depends on which design you choose and the exterior and interior finishes. Our priority is to build you a quality home and to ensure that we develop a strong reputation in this market. We want to live up to both the expectations of our clients and ourselves in the quality and craftsmanship of a Smallworks' home. Therefore, we work according to both the needs of our customers and our need for uncompromising quality in what we build.

Do you build to my specs?

We have 3 standard designs to choose from that are in accordance with city zoning and provide both exterior and interior options that will likely allow for all your needs. However, if you have more specific demands, we do have a component of our company that will work to develop custom solutions where required for your laneway home.

Do you use local suppliers and materials?

Yes. Smallworks has a strong desire to use local suppliers and materials at all times. Not only is this good for the local economy but it is also makes good business sense as it ensures sustainability. More on our commitment to sustainable building.

How do I get started?

Visit our Where to Start information or give us a call or send us an e-mail.