Nowadays, the prices of single detached houses in Victoria are the highest ever recorded and is considered as Canada’s highest also. Victoria homes now have an average price of $1 million and up, and for many of the new searching home buyers and fresh graduates, such price doesn’t offer many options. And it’s not becoming easy for new families who are looking to buy their first house.

Because of the housing problems of Victoria, a rising answer to their problem comes in the form of laneway homes. Laneway houses in Victoria BC are detached homes, much smaller and normally situated where part of the lot serves as the garage. Since 2010, the permits for laneway homes have been increasing, which reached 357 last 2014.

Laneway houses have also been a popular option for many homeowners in Victoria, for the city was able to issue the same number of permits with that of rental homes.

The trend of laneway homes is continuing its rise in Victoria and it’s even getting more prevalent. Since the city has permitted laneway homes back in 2009, the number of permits that the city of  Victoria has issued to date has reached 2,500, with another 500 permits issued last 2016.

The city of Victoria has also considered major changes to their affordable housing, the well-designed laneways houses that are constructed facing the alleys.
Victoria has been steadily promoting living in laneway homes as an “option aside from owning a house or renting a basement apartment” and as a mean to raise rental house across the area.

Just recently, the city of  Victoria held a series of community meetings to assess proposed amendments that will let the laneway homes to be constructed much quicker, bigger and flatter.
At present, a laneway house has an average area of 590 square feet. According to city records, about 2% are studio suites, 38% are two bedrooms and 60% are one bedroom units. The construction of the houses is still limited to designated “single family regions” all over the city.
Since the city has proposed certain changes to the design of the laneway homes, the area of the homes could increase to 150 square feet for both one and one and a half storey units and could develop to other zoning areas.

The number of permits signed off by the city has increased as the popularity of laneway homes increased. Due to its affordability and practicality, it is no surprise that the demand for these houses has steadily increased. With the city supporting such home types, the hype of laneway homes will continue to rise.

Contact Lida Homes if you are looking for someone to build a laneway home for you.