Look, we're not gonna promise you the moon here. What we do is pretty straightforward - we design homes that make sense, bring old buildings back to life, and try not to mess up the planet while we're at it. Been doing this for years, and honestly? Still love every project.
Each service below comes with a free process guide you can download. No email capture nonsense, just click and get it.
Here's the thing about custom homes - everyone thinks they want something totally unique, but what you really want is a home that fits YOUR life. We spend a lot of time just talking at the beginning. How do you actually live? Where does stuff pile up? Do you cook or just pretend to?
We'll sketch ideas on napkins if that's what it takes. The fancy 3D renderings come later, but first we gotta understand what makes your family tick. Usually takes 4-6 months from first coffee to final drawings, sometimes longer if the city's being picky about permits.
Old buildings have stories, man. Sometimes those stories involve asbestos and knob-and-tube wiring, but still - there's something special about preserving what came before. Vancouver's got tons of character homes from the 1900s-1940s, and we've probably worked on half of 'em.
The trick is respecting what's there while making it livable for today. You can't gut everything and call it restoration, but you also can't keep the original plumbing (trust me on this). We work closely with the city's heritage folks - they're actually pretty reasonable once you get to know them.
Okay, so "sustainable" has become kinda meaningless, right? Everyone slaps a solar panel on the roof and calls it a day. We try to go deeper than that. Passive solar design, proper insulation (you'd be shocked how many new builds get this wrong), materials that'll last more than 20 years.
BC's got some aggressive energy efficiency requirements now - Step Code isn't optional anymore for most projects. We've been designing to those standards since before they were mandatory, so we know the tricks to hit the targets without blowing your budget. Rain gardens, green roofs, greywater systems - we've done it all.
You know what nobody tells you? A house can look gorgeous from the outside and be completely dysfunctional inside. We've all seen those kitchens where the fridge blocks the doorway when it's open. Or bathrooms where you can't actually sit on the toilet without your knees hitting the vanity.
Space planning is part puzzle, part psychology. Where do you naturally drop your keys when you walk in? Can you actually see the TV from the couch without craning your neck? We mock things up with tape on the floor sometimes - sounds silly, but it works better than any drawing.
Not gonna lie, building codes are boring as hell. But they'll kill your project if you ignore them. BC Building Code, Vancouver zoning bylaws, fire regulations - it's a lot. We've spent way too many hours reading this stuff so you don't have to.
Sometimes clients come to us after another architect messed up the code compliance. We can usually fix it, but it's way more expensive than doing it right the first time. FSR calculations, setback requirements, egress rules - this is the unglamorous side of architecture, but somebody's gotta know it.
Honestly, most people can't read floor plans. That's totally fine - that's what we're here for. We build 3D models of everything now. You can walk through your house before it exists, see how the light hits the kitchen at breakfast time, figure out if that window placement actually makes sense.
The software's gotten ridiculously good. We can show you exactly what your heritage restoration will look like, or how those sustainable features integrate into the design. Way easier to make changes when it's still just pixels on a screen instead of drywall and studs.
Every project's different, but here's the general flow. Timeline varies depending on complexity and how fast the city approves stuff.
Coffee, site visits, lots of questions. We figure out what you actually need vs. what you think you need. Sketch some ideas, talk budget reality.
Usually 2-4 weeksNow we're getting serious. Detailed drawings, 3D models, material selections. Lots of back-and-forth until it feels right.
Usually 6-10 weeksWe handle the city paperwork, coordinate with your contractor, answer questions during the build. Basically we stick around until it's done.
Timeline varies wildlyFirst consultation's free. We'll grab coffee, look at your site or existing building, and give you our honest take on what's possible. No pressure, no sales pitch.
(604) 555-0182
info@windrosenquinth.info
