Brian and his wife were working out where to go when he retires. Then their daughter and son-in-law bought the house, and the answer became obvious: stay, and build downstairs.
Brian Paul, Millbrook · 3 min 04 · Full transcript below
“We continued to watch the project develop on time and on budget. This was no horror story. It was perfect first time.”
Brian Paul, Millbrook
The decision
Sell and move somewhere new, or stay and build. Their grandson would be upstairs. Moving from a three-bedroom house into a basement suite takes some honesty about downsizing, and Brian is direct that it did. He is equally direct that it was worth it.
What 1,300 sq ft buys
An open plan kitchen with an island and sightlines through to the living area. Bedroom, bathroom and living space laid out for two adults downsizing from a full house. Windows and layout planned around the view of the trees at the back of the property.
The order of operations
“They design, they recommend, you make the decisions, then they execute.” That order is the whole method. Most renovations go wrong because the deciding and the executing happen at the same time, on site, under pressure.
On time
“Timing and execution of a project is huge, and they set the timeline and made the renovation within that timeline, which is usually a horror story with a lot of contractors. This was no horror story. It was perfect first time.”
What it returned
Not rent. Three generations in one house, and someone to watch the place while Brian and his wife travel, which he says is most of what they do now.
The project
Read the full transcript3 min 04
My name is Brian Paul and I hired BCR to complete our in-law suite basement apartment.
The main reason we transformed the basement into an in-law suite was we wanted to be one family under one roof. Our daughter and son-in-law and grandson wanted to buy this house, and we felt we wanted to be with them. There was enough space, it needed to be done, and we hired BCR to do a professional job.
The experience working with BCR Design Build was quite amazing. Right from the very beginning, the design strategy and the design input from professionals made our decisions much better. The plan was articulated and set out in a nice, easy reading format, and we continued to watch the project develop on time and on budget.
The best part of the basement so far is the kitchen, the island, the functionality of the kitchen, and even being able to look over and see the living area, and of course the magnificent view of the backdrop of the trees.
Moving from a three-bedroom house to a basement in-law suite will take some strategy around downsizing. But the positives outweigh the negatives. We are with our family and we are with our grandchild. We also have someone to oversee our area when we are travelling, because that is what we are doing these days.
What I would say to someone considering a renovation with BCR is that it is a full service turnkey operation. They design, they recommend, you make the decisions, then they execute. They set the timelines, they work the plan, and they deliver the product on time and in a very professional manner. If you want the best, hire them.
Again, timing and execution of a project is huge. They set the timeline and made the basement renovation within that timeline, which is usually a horror story with a lot of contractors. This was no horror story. It was perfect first time.
Brian Paul, Millbrook · recorded on site after completion
Thinking about the same thing?
Read about in-law suites, or what a basement renovation involves in Millbrook, Ontario. Ninety minutes on site tells you what your basement can support and what it would cost.
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