Daily Informative Updates on
New Residential Real Estate & Construction News
for Vancouver Island Communities

Can you imagine living in a beautiful home that is also quiet and virtually free of all dust and pollen? That’s exactly what you’ll get when Nutmeg Homes builds your new custom home on Vancouver Island. An award-winning custom-home builder in the Comox Valley, Nutmeg Homes specializes in creating custom homes with insulated concrete form (ICF) construction methods.

From their Comox location, Nutmeg Homes deploys innovative concrete construction techniques to build energy-efficient green homes that will flourish for generations. Several of the new custom homes they’ve built in and around the Comox Valley since 2000 are highlighted on their website. You can also follow along as owners Paul and Shareen Witt blog about building their own ICF home in the Comox Valley!

Nutmeg Homes is currently exploring options for building LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified homes. They’ve also begun developing living roofs, also known as green roofs. Living roofs are covered in vegetation, which lowers cooling costs and reduces storm water run-off. The Vancouver Island Visitor Centre in Cumberland is a fabulous example of a Nutmeg Homes living roof.

To find out more about Nutmeg Homes and their innovative ICF construction methods, please visit their website.

Canada's Scientific Research and Experimental Development SR&ED) program is a federal tax incentive program designed to encourage technological development by offering a substantial rebate on every research dollar spent. If you own a Vancouver Island company and are pursuing business innovations, technical modernization, or other improvements, Island SRED in Qualicum Beach can help cut through the clutter to ensure you get the most for every research dollar.

How does the process work? Island SRED​ provides a free consultation to determine whether your company qualifies for SR&ED program benefits. If you do, they work with you to complete the paperwork and submit it to the government on your behalf. There is no charge for their services until the claim is approved and you receive your government rebate.

Vancouver Island companies can apply for SR&ED investment tax credits for expenditures such as wages, materials, machinery, equipment, some overhead, and SR&ED contracts. Island SRED is highly thought of in the SR&ED community. Their well-rounded team of full-time professionals in taxation, accounting, science, and engineering offers personalized service tailored to your company’s needs and goals.

Their sister company, Incentive Access Group, supplies SR&ED services to clients in British Columbia and Alberta. Together, Island SRED and Incentive Access Group have helped 270 satisfied clients file more than 600 SR&ED claims for projects during the last year. Why not join them? Contact Island SRED today at 1.866.613.9190 to find out how to earn tax rebates on your research dollars!

TESTIMONIAL

1stView has used Island SRED's services for the past three years, and we've been extremely happy with the results! We've received rebates from the federal government based on our proprietary research and database development. We highly recommend Island SRED to anyone who thinks they might qualify for a Scientific Research and Experimental Development claim. ~ Clarice Coty

Do you need a reliable electrician on Vancouver Island? Call the experts at Tilley Electrical Contracting for quality completion of your electrical contracting jobs. Serving the Comox Valley and Vancouver Island for more than 10 years, these electricians specialize in controls, communications, and residential and commercial wiring.

Tilley Electrical's specialties include residential and commercial wiring, light industrial, renovations, and new construction. Choosing Tilley Electrical Contracting for your electrical needs means punctual quality service; knowledgeable electrical technicians; and reasonable rates.

They also offer 24-hour emergency electrician services in the Comox Valley.

Their commitment is to provide quality service and dependability to their customers at competitive prices. Call Tilley Electrical at 250.331.1844 for 24-hour emergency service or to schedule an appointment. Free estimates are always available. For more information, visit their website.

Mild weather, wineries, artisanal producers, organic-produce suppliers, and slow-food chefs are just some of the wonderful discoveries that await at Stone Manor Estates in Cowichan Valley. Residential lots and new custom homes are now selling in Phase 2 of this new Vancouver Island real estate development minutes from downtown Duncan.

New homes in Phase 2 will sport the distinctive craftsman and heritage styles that proved so popular in Phase 1, but Phase 2 upgrades include several building lots backing onto green spaces, a no-through road, and a cul-de-sac. Prices for single-family lots range from $137,900 to $169,900, while two duplex lots are priced at $184,900 and $189,900.

As Canada’s only Maritime Mediterranean climatic zone, the Cowichan Valley offers a unique, mild microclimate and the warmest mean year-round temperature anywhere in Canada. The residents of Stone Manor Estates relish the Cowichan Valley’s natural beauty and easy access to lakes, marinas, and recreational activities, without sacrificing the convenience of city living and close proximity to shopping, restaurants, schools, and community services in Duncan.

So, come live and play in Canada's Maritime Mediterranean by building your new home at Stone Manor Estates​; you'll experience Vancouver Island living at its finest. For more information:

• visit the Stone Manor Estates website;
• view an interactive site plan;
• call 250.597.1952; or
• stop by the open house at Stone Manor Estate's Presentation Centre, now open Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00 Noon to 4:00 p.m.

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The Comox Valley's newest patio home development, Railside Lane, is located at 1620 Piercy Avenue in the heart of Courtenay on Vancouver Island. New homes for sale at Railside Lane range in price from $249,900 to $269,900.

These new Comox Valley townhomes and duplexes in Courtenay feature three different floor plans, are available with two or three bedrooms, and range in size from approximately 1,300 to 1,700 square feet. Beautifully finished hardwood floors and tile grace the open-plan, main-floor living area and spacious kitchen.

Master bedrooms feature his-and-her closets with custom wooden organizers, while en-suites boast heated tile floors, stylish sinks, and dual showerheads, one of which is a rain head. Affordably priced, the new townhomes and duplexes at Courtenay’s Railside Lane offer custom lighting throughout, complete appliance packages, and now include window blinds.

Railside Lane offers the convenience of strata combined with the living space of a single-family home. These Courtenay patio homes have attached garages, additional driveway parking, and guest parking spots.

To tour the townhomes and duplexes at Railside Lane in Courtenay, drop by an open house at 3 - 1620 Piercy Avenue, held Saturdays from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. For more information, contact Scott Fraser, PREC, of Royal LePage at 250.334.3124.

The Ridge at RiversEdge is a new residential community located in Courtenay on Vancouver Island. Fringed by the Puntledge River, The Ridge at RiversEdge is a unique development in which each house is perfectly suited for its individual lot, yet still complements neighbouring homes to create a harmonious community with impressive curb appeal. The gentle sound of the river and the forested parkway along two sides of the development intertwine to create a magical setting for residents.

A preplanned single-family neighbourhood on a no-through street, The Ridge at RiversEdge is home to 24 single-level ranchers only. There will be no two-storey homes looking down on your property. In addition, you'll never have a neighbour in your back yard. Your investment is protected by a sensible registered Homeowner Schedule of Restrictions designed to enhance quality of life and increase the future value of your home.

"The builder, Southwind Developments Corporation, is the only company in the Comox Valley that controls the entire development and building process from start to finish," says Courtenay Realtor Art Meyer, project realtor. "For projects that Southwind undertakes, they buy the raw land, service it, build the homes, and warranty each home for 10 years. You know precisely what your neighbourhood will look like. That’s the secret to Southwind’s success."

As well, the owners of Southwind Homes actually live at RiversEdge. When developers live in a neighbourhood, you can feel secure knowing they'll be there for all and any issues that arise during the 10-year warranty period. The new ranchers at The Ridge at RiversEdge are also the lowest-priced new homes anywhere in the Comox Valley. Considering the quality of workmanship and materials, Southwind provides the very best products for your money, says Meyers.

Your RiversEdge Specialist is Realtor Art Meyers of Royal of LePage in the Comox Valley. For more information, call Art at 250.207.1879. You can also view a site plan, information package, slide show, virtual tour, or commercial online.

When you're looking for a new Vancouver Island home, turn to Comox Valley Realtor Tina Vincent, PREC,"Your Comox Valley Connection."

Tina currently has a beautiful four-bedroom, 2,200 square-foot home for sale at 2099 Evans Place on a quiet cul-de-sac bordering Comox and Courtenay on Vancouver island. Tasteful upgrades throughout give this home a "like new" feel and look, but you'll pay no GST as you would on a new home. Check out these highlights:

• oversized bedrooms;
• engineered hardwood and Italian tile;
• nine-foot ceilings;
• large great room with gas fireplace and vaulted ceilings;
• stylish ensuite;
• large kitchen with maple Shaker-style cabinets and island;
• heat pump;
• fully fenced with underground sprinklers;
• sunny mountain views from your yard or deck; and
• close to all schools, shopping, and walking trails.

Priced at $459,900, this amazing home won't last long. For an online tour of 2099 Evans Place, click here. For more information on this listing, call Tina Vincent, PREC, Comox Valley Realtor, at 250.792.2776. You can view Tina's other Vancouver Island listings on her website.

Experience a wet and wild, West Coast winter at Reef Point Cottages in Ucluelet!

Nothing is more exhilarating than the fury of the wind, rain, and waves during a winter storm on West Vancouver Island. The raw power of nature has become a fascinating draw for tourists to Ucluelet and has created a new winter activity in the area: storm watching.

With your own vacation cottage at Reef Point Cottages, you can enjoy the storm from the comfort of your own hot tub. The resort currently has a private waterfront cottage for sale: a low-maintenance 956 square-foot home with two bedrooms and two bathrooms.

Luxury touches in this waterfront home include teak, marble, and slate flooring; granite countertops; and pine wainscotting and ceilings. Curl up by the fireplace on stormy nights or bask in your private hot tub on the oversized covered deck overlooking Spring Cove. Unit 273 is competitively priced at $279,000.

This Ucluelet vacation cottage for sale is part of the Reef Point Cottages rental program, and the owner is entitled to six months of personal use per year. Cottage owners can also leave their vacation home in the rental program full-time and earn revenue with this hassle-free investment.

Reef Point Cottages are located on the breathtaking west coast of Vancouver Island near Tofino, only minutes from Ucluelet’s isolated pocket beaches and beautiful Long Beach in Pacific Rim National Park. Stunning vistas of the Wild Pacific Trail are virtually steps away from Reef Point Cottages. For more information, visit their website or call 1.877.726.4425.

Did you know you can own a new three-bedroom Comox Valley home for well under $200,000 at Woodcote Mews in Courtenay? Prices of the final three remaining units at the Woodcote Mews townhome development have been lowered to only $189,900. These new homes offer the opportunity to choose your own paint colours and finishes, yet still move into your new three-bedroom Comox Valley home within a month.

Seventeen of these 1,320 square-foot duplex homes on Cumberland Road in Courtenay have already been sold. The remaining three townhomes have all been completed to lock-up, ready for finishing to the buyer's specifications. The developer will complete the interiors of the units based on the new owners' selected colour schemes.

Woodcote Mews has been popular with young families, empty nesters, and those looking for a Vancouver Island vacation home. These new Vancouver Island duplex homes feature a spacious layout, with three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Each townhome is finished with a quality appliance package including a refrigerator, stove, dishwasher, washer, and dryer. A small private yard is at the back of every unit, and there is a common outside area for all residents to enjoy.

For more information, view the Woodcote Mews video or contact Scott Fraser, PREC, at 250.334.3124.

Vancouver Island residents know that the green landscape in which we live means that our west coast climate is sometimes a little damp. The moisture and humidity that render our landscape so lush can also cause problems with products affected by high moisture levels.

Humidity can wreak havoc when building a house, installing hardwood floors, prepping drywall, or building cabinets. A dry job site can save money and avoid humidity-related problems such as checking or shrinkage. It can even prevent or eliminate mold. So, before the insulation goes in and the drywall goes up, doesn't it make sense to start with a moisture-free work site?

Dehumidifiers Are a Great Solution

WesternOne in Courtenay carries the perfect solution for a wet work environment: the Quest PowerDry 4000 Pro. This large-capacity, stainless-steel dehumidifier offers a perfect combination of high-performance and portability. Capable of removing an astounding 176 pints of water a day, the Quest PowerDry 4000's multiple ducting options allow for ducting both intake and processed air, giving you amazing flexibility on any job site. Multiple ducting also makes it easy to combine the unit with a HEPA air scrubber, air conditioner, or desiccant dehumidifier.

Great Rental Options and Rates

The Quest PowerDry 4000 Pro is available for daily, weekly, or monthly rental from WesternOne's Courtenay location on Moray Avenue. To find out more, call Greg Phelps at 250.667.0665 or WesternOne in Courtenay at 250.331.0748.

Rentals, Sales, and Service

WesternOne, your one-stop shop on Vancouver Island for tool and equipment rentals and sales, is North Vancouver Island's only authorized Polaris ATV and Ranger/RZR Utility Vehicles dealer. WesternOne is also Vancouver Island's exclusive dealer for Polaris snowmobiles. Factory-trained and factory-certified Silver/Gold technicians are on hand for any servicing or repair need, and financing is available. For more information, call 250.339.4518 (local) or 1.877.339.4518 (toll-free). You can also use their Request a Quote online form.

Do you need to store your RV, boat, or other recreational vehicle in a heated storage facility? AA Mini Storage in Nanaimo has the perfect solution for all of your storage needs!

Nanaimo's AA Mini Storage features a variety of self-storage options for businesses and households, including vehicle and RV storage, heated units, and drive-up storage units.

These Nanaimo self-storage rental units range from 5x5x5 to 20x30, so you’ll find the perfect spot to store almost anything, including furniture, household items, business equipment, house contents, boats, vehicles, and RVs.

AA Mini Storage provides multiple levels of security, including video surveillance and gated access. Friendly and helpful resident managers are on site, and units are available seven days a week. With drive-up doors on units 10x10x10 and larger, your storage locker is always accessible.

When you need additional short-term or long-term storage space for your home or business, AA Mini Storage is your "go to" storage facility in Nanaimo. They're conveniently located in central Nanaimo at 2399 Cienar Drive. Call 250.758.7422 for more information, availability, and pricing. Are you a student? Be sure to inquire about our student pricing.

Nestled between the sea and mountains atop a hillside in the small town of Ladysmith, BC, you'll find The Gales, a new 68-home residential development on Vancouver Island.

Featuring 26 condominiums and 42 patio homes in two buildings, The Gales offers unparalleled luxury set amongst a backdrop of spectacular ocean and mountain views. Imagine gazing on sunrise and sunset panoramas of Ladysmith Harbour and nearby islands from the comfort of your home, a retreat from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, a retreat that feeds and nourishes your soul.

Homes at The Gales are designed and built in West Coast contemporary architectural style and floor plans are open, ideal for entertaining. Warm earth tones throughout complement the coastal landscape. High-end finishing and attention to detail throughout each home are hallmarks of this spectacular new development. Luxury touches at The Gales include:

• granite countertops;
• exotic hardwood and porcelain-tile floors;
• heated flooring;
• 9' to 12' ceilings;
• five-piece en-suite;
• stone fireplaces;
• Hardie Plank siding;
• closet organizers;
• custom finishing and trim; and
• exceptional lighting packages.

New homes at The Gales are priced from $499,000 to $599,000. For more information, contact Realtor Keith Mazurenko of Coast Realty at 250.245.0545 (local) or 1.866.315.0545 (toll-free). You can also contact Keith via email or use the "Send Message" below. We guarantee you'll be blown away by The Gales!

It was a glorious sunny day when we arrived to tour The Ridge today. It was very warm for a November day in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island, a mild 14 degrees Celsius (57 degrees Fahrenheit). The sky was clear and blue, and we could see the ocean and Comox Glacier from the show home. In fact, the Comox Glacier, in all of its shining glory, can be seen from many of the available new lots for sale at The Ridge.

New custom homes are now under construction, and a new show home is available to view on Lot 18 at 3439 Stoneridge Avenue. Come take a tour of this beautiful piece of Vancouver Island real estate. Phase I includes 69 lots, and 17 lots have been sold or spoken for. The available lots for sale feature ocean and mountain views. For more information, call Bruce at 250.650.8588 or send an email to theridge.bruce@mail.com.

A new style of housing is coming to the Town of Comox, and Gower Design Group is embracing its arrival!

The decision by Comox Town Council to allow coach houses on most residential lots has opened the door to exciting development opportunities for Comox homeowners and home builders. Most Comox properties with a residential designation are eligible for coach houses (also known as garden suites and lane-way houses), and owners can go through a more simplified rezoning process that will cost $250 for a building permit.

Gower Design Group, a Vancouver Island based residential design firm located in the Comox Valley, has expanded its design portfolio with several new ideas for coach houses. One notable addition is named The Piercy (pictured), and it features a distinctive butterfly roof seen in many full-scale designs pioneered by Gower Design Group.

Company principal John Gower believes that coach homes offer many advantages, including:

• affordable shelter on land already purchased;
• low building costs;
• rental revenue for paying down a mortgage;
• versatile use as a guest cottage or an independent living space for family members;
• a convenient, low-cost option for people looking to downsize;
• lower heating and utility costs; and
• a reduced carbon footprint for a happier planet.

Gower Design Group’s coach houses feature ingenious use of storage space to ensure that your most treasured possessions are close at hand, while abundant windows, skylights, and vaulted ceilings infuse your living area with a sense of spaciousness. Glass patio doors with a walkout help connect the home’s interior to its surroundings.

“An open plan and efficient, multi-purpose space are integral components of any good coach-house design,” says Gower.

Having designed the first coach house approved for construction in Victoria, Gower Design Group has modified their portfolio of house plans to conform to building specifications outlined by the Town of Comox.

“Each plan can be customized to suit your personal needs and lot requirements,” states Gower. “Give us a call, and we’ll be happy to discuss options with you.”

For more information, contact Gower Design Group at 250.871.8765 (local), 1.877.366.2502 (toll-free), visit their website, or follow them on Facebook. You can also browse and order stock house plans via Gower Design Group's online catalogue.

Give workplace accidents the boot with the help of Double A Safety Services on Vancouver Island!

Based in Campbell River on Vancouver Island, Double A Safety Services helps companies of all sizes improve and maintain the integrity of their workplace safety programs. Their extensive experience in implementing workplace safety for small, medium, and large construction projects throughout Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan will ensure a top-notch safety program for your company.

Double A Safety Services can help you with safety training, evaluating current safety procedures, program development, safety documentation, and due diligence procedures. They’ll also work with you to ensure that your company’s safety documentation meets BC Construction Safety Alliance (COR) and Occupational Health & Safety (OH & S) compliance requirements. Double A Safety Services can also assist companies with work practice development to industry best practices, incident investigation, workplace safety inspection services, HSE safety manual development, and claims management.

Providing a safe workplace saves time, money, and, most importantly, workers’ lives. Double A Safety Services will work with your business to develop a health and safety program that meets best industry standards. Call them today for a free consultation at 250.914.4699.