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Laneway and Garden Houses (various)

Found a new laneway housing project on facebook and currently building on Hamilton’s West Mountain
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Guess I should post my own project. I'm building a laneway house in my backyard here in Hamilton. I demolished an existing garage (not in good enough shape for conversion) and I'm building a 1.5 storey house. Same footprint, a bit taller. I have a private laneway off to an adjacent street on one side. I started the process in December 2022. Permits issued in October and excavation began in December of last year. Ask me any questions!

I'll bite!

I'm not familiar with Hamilton's planning regulations - did this require a zoning variance, and if so, how did that process go?

How was the permitting process?

How easy/hard was it to find a contractor for this sort of build?

Have you been able to keep on budget?

Anything unexpected come up over the course of the project so far?

How long do you expect it to take until completion?

Keep the photos coming, please & thank you!
 
I'll bite!

I'm not familiar with Hamilton's planning regulations - did this require a zoning variance, and if so, how did that process go?

How was the permitting process?

How easy/hard was it to find a contractor for this sort of build?

Have you been able to keep on budget?

Anything unexpected come up over the course of the project so far?

How long do you expect it to take until completion?

Keep the photos coming, please & thank you!
Good questions! This was all new to me, but I am not on a deadline so that helps...I can learn as I go.
- I needed a variance for the setbacks. I went to Committee of Adjustment and although staff recommended approval to some and denial to other variances, the committee overwhelmingly approved everything in a few minutes. I'm in downtown, so that seemed to help.
- I started with an architect in January. Variance granted June 1. Needed to get a full survey and grading plan to accompany the permit application package, but permits finally issued in October. It wasn't bad; a bit of back and forth but not unreasonable.
- I'm acting as GC and subbing everything out. Quotes have been pretty varied. It's coming in where I expected so far. I am still debating whether to hang the drywall myself. I've done a lot in the past but there is some tricky ceiling access here.
- Nothing unexpected yet, thankfully! I need to figure out access to the loft still, as it's "storage" space and I don't have room for a full staircase. The approved plans have an access hatch (attic style) but obviously I want a better way.
- It should be enclosed tight by end of this week, pending decent weather. Then we start interior stuff (HVAC>plumbing>electrical>insulation>drywall). So ideally get occupancy this summer?

Andy
 
I wonder if the city would ever explore allowing retail uses in laneways. A pilot could look at areas such as Baldwin Village/Chinatown. I think these areas could be even more interesting with fine-grain retail along the laneways.

I know SOCA recently put on a exhibition exploring this type of land use, hopefully these ideas can gain some momentum with the city:

 


567 EUCLID AVE


To construct a new two-storey ancillary building (laneway suite with a second storey balcony on the southeast corner), in the rear yard of the property, abutting the laneway (Jewish Folk Choir Lane). The existing two-and-one-half-storey semi-detached dwelling will remain unaltered on the site and the existing rear detached garage will be demolished.


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