Friday, November 25, 2011

Suite Success



It's been 5 months from start to finish but yesterday our Cornerstone Grant funding came in the mail. We started building the secondary suite in July and final approval came around November 15, 2011, seven days later we got our cheque. Here, here and here are the steps we took through the whole grant process.

The biggest delays were permits the longest one took about 6 weeks, our contractor (the guy seriously lost the plot) and finally fireproofing the furnace room ceiling with drywall. 95% of the people we spoke to said it couldn't be done but it was. It took 3 inspections by the city but finally we got it right. The first shot is with gypsum board which is not to code the second two we have drywall and some fireproof duct tape throughout the ceiling.



After our whoops of joy we thought lets do it again. The first attempt was a bit rough going but once you've done the program and been approved it's easier to get your reno team in place and anticipate delays.

4 comments:

Ali Fern said...

Now, there's a real life, in the trenches, how to. Love it! Thanks for showing us the details on how to really do it. That program 9Cornerstones) is incredible. I wish we had something like that in Toronto. Thank you for the great blog post. Ali Fern, Realtor

Land Marvel Properties said...

Land Marvel Media
Customising and providing residential homes & commercial space as per clients requirements

Genji said...

Thanks for providing some details on your personal experience with this program, as I'm considering applying, but wanted to know if it was worth it. Who was your contractor, if you don't mind recommending?

Suite Success Design & Drafting said...

I liked your story and would like to offer my Design and Drafting Services for you homeowners that want to manage the project yourself. Start off on the right foot with a great set of plans, submit them for City of Edmonton approval, and the rest is up to you. Hire your own contractors, save yourself some money, and be in charge of quality control. As this couple has proven, it can be done!