The Valemountain Vistas Project

Project Background – or – How We Came to Invest in Valemount

In January of 2006, one of the partners in this project was looking for a place to go snowmobiling. At the time, it had been at least two years since the Edmonton area had any appreciable snow on the ground to pursue activities such as snowmobiling. So, in his search for snow, he decided to go as far as Valemount, British Columbia, an area renowned for its sledding opportunities.

The rest — as so many have said in so many similar circumstances — is history. On his visit, he fell in love with the area, noticed the abundant real estate for sale, and decided to look into it after his trip.

Location of Valemountain Vistas project

Two months later, we began the paperwork on the purchase of eleven lots. We eventually purchased one more, a mobile home lot on which we relocated a new unit (a story in itself) for housing purposes. Ten of the twelve lots are located together along 6th Avenue, across from the site of the former high school. This is where the Valemountain Vistas project will be built.

Prime Valemount Location

Click on this link for pictures of the location and its views.

As any real estate agent will tell you, location is everything. In a place like Valemount, you would be correct in guessing that there are still significant parcels of land available in the surrounding areas. That is to say, if you're looking for true seclusion, you'll find it. However, if you're looking for quaint community living where you can easily walk to nearby stores and services, you need to find yourself a location in the town site.

"Downtown" Valemount is located along 5th Avenue. When you turn off Highway 5 to drive into the village, you will drive in on 5th Avenue. Valemountain Vistas will be located one block off this main thoroughfare, ensuring easy access to shops, banking and restaurants while avoiding main street traffic. As mentioned above, the development is opposite the location of the old high school, which was demolished in the summer of 2006. This land is slated for development into a mix of (condominium) residential and retail in a "town square" concept.

The bottom line is, if you're looking for a location in Valemount to call your second home — one that will surely increase in value over the years — look no further than Valemountain Vistas.

Townhome Living in Downtown Valemount

The lots along 6th Avenue were originally zoned for duplexes, but at some point, we decided to maximize the opportunity by considering three (back-to-back) fourplexes instead. In the end (and particularly as we grew to understand the Valemount market over the past few years) we came back around to the duplex style and will look to constructing ten units.

Own Your Own Piece of Valemount Paradise

Who will buy a home at Valemountain Vistas?

If you already run back and forth to Valemount to sled or quad, you obviously know that pulling trailers full of toys back and forth eats up a lot of gas money, not to mention wear and tear on the towing vehicle. And what about the ensuing chaos when you pull out of your hotel in the morning with your load, lining up with the rest of the boys and girls to get out of the parking lot? Who really needs that? The generously proportioned drive through garages in these units will allow you to keep your toys in town. This unique design will enable you to get in and out easily directly from the front drive to the back alley or vice versa.

If you are looking for an investment property that isn't a condo, then this is also something that no other planned development in Valemount can offer. Each of the ten units will be sold and owned outright; i.e., they will not be strata (condo) units. To ensure uniform care of the overall complex, a small monthly fee will be charged for grounds maintenance. Unlike a condominium development, however, you will not be required to pay for any other amenities or programs that you may or may not want or use.

For those planning to purchase with friends or family to share the use of the home, we will also offer housekeeping options ranging from simple "between visit" cleanings, to managing, securing, and scheduling access. In essence, if you're interested in using your unit as a timeshare without the hassle and restrictions of an actual timeshare, we'll help you do it.

Valemountain Vistas Floor Plan

As soon as preliminary floor plans for our revised design are finalized with our builder, we will post them here. At the core of the new duplex design are side by side garages, designed for single vehicle pass-through, but wider and higher to accommodate a truck pulling a utility trailer. Each unit is finished off with a patio at the front entry, leading to an open concept living room/kitchen. A guest bedroom and a small three piece bath is located at the back. Stairs lead to an upper loft above the garage, containing the master bedroom and second bathroom. (Depending on demand, an option to downsize half or all of the units to a single bedroom and bath configuration may be considered.)

Preliminary Pricing

Depending on the location of the unit, the timing of the purchase (before or after construction), and final square footage (expected to be in the neighbourhood of 900 to 1,100 square feet of living space), the anticipated pricing for a standard spec unit will be in the range of $175,000 and $225,000. Individuals interested in this project should contact us to be put on a priority list. This will ensure first choices on units and access to best available pricing. As this is a small development; with only ten units available, they could go quickly.

Valemountain Vistas Preliminary Specifications

The following is a preliminary list of the standard specifications for the Valemountain Vistas project. Those who purchase prior to the start of construction will have the ability to select upgrades and various finishing options. Note that all specifications are subject to change without notice.

Structural Design & Exterior Finishing

Professionally engineered open web steel joists; 11 7/8" @ 19.2" on centre
Double perimeter GANGLAM BEAMS; 11 7/8"
23/32" tongue and groove oriented strand board subfloor, glued and screwed down
Premium 5/16" plywood underlay in all linoleum areas
2" x 6" exterior wall studs @ 16" on centre with 1" x 4" cross-bridging studs notched in horizontally 2 rows
2" x 4" interior wall studs @ 16" on centre with 1" x 4" cross-bridging studs glued and screwed 2 rows
3/8" exterior oriented strand board sheathing, glued and stapled
Typar house wrap or equivalent overlay, sealed and caulked at all joints
Choice of colour in vinyl siding
Professionally engineered roof trusses @ 24" on centre
7/16" oriented strand board roof sheathing
30 year IKO Cambridge asphalt roof shingles on underlayment as required
Single gable style roof with roof pitch of 4/12 and module width of fourteen feet with our standard 18" eave overhang
Roof ventilation as required
Standard 18" overhang with prefinished aluminum soffits and 6" aluminum fascia
Double vaulted great room and single vaulted Kitchen and dining room

Insulation

Blown-in polyurethane foam insulation in all exterior walls, minimum R-26
Blown-in fibreglass insulation in ceiling, minimum R-40

Windows & Doors

Gienow maintenance-free, double-glazed, low E, argon gas, heat shield PVC windows with painted wood jambs
Casement and awning windows with cam locks for extra security
Narrow white muntin bars (grill) in windows on front elevation
Gienow 36" R-15 fiberglass, 6 raised panel front entrance door with Weiser door handle, deadbolt and hinges
Gienow 32" R-15 fiberglass, 6 raised panel rear entrance door with Weiser door knob, deadbolt and hinges

Electrical

100 amp service with copper wiring and 32-64 breaker panel
Joining of wires between two modules and hook up to electrical panel on-site
Smoke detectors as per code
Electrical receptacles and switches located as per code
White receptacle covers and toggle switch covers
GFI circuits in all bathrooms
220 volt outlet for range
Weatherproofing of exterior outlets on GFI circuit
Christmas light soffit plug receptacle built-in to exterior soffit and switched from inside house
Light fixture allowance of $0.50 per sq. ft. (chime kit and dual speed power range hood fan included in light fixture allowance)

Plumbing & Heating

Translucent water line pex piping
Rough-in for dishwasher
Double stainless steel kitchen sink with back ledge with 8" chrome single lever faucet and vegetable spray
One additional stand up shower in ensuite; one whirlpool c/w skirt and 1 foot ceramic surround
Main bath, 3 piece c/w neo-angle shower
White water-saver water closets and china lavatories with single lever 4" center set and mechanical P.O.
White register covers
Central vacuum roughed-in with two outlets
Bath ventilation fans vented to exterior
Main fan ventilation switch on main floor and standard thermostat

Flooring

100% Polypropylene Olefin 40 oz. carpet on chip foam underlay with 10 year residential wear warranty and 10 year stain proof warranty
Congoleum Prelude maintenance free vinyl flooring with 5 year limited warranty (or equivalent brands)

Cabinetry & Baths

Standard cabinets are custom-built colonial-style raised panel white cabinets with brushed chrome knobs and handles
Standard laminate countertops with 6" x 6" ceramic tile backsplash in kitchen and baths
Single row of white 6" x 6" ceramic tile backsplash around all tub/shower surrounds/enclosures
Brushed chrome bath hardware accessories
Bathrooms have full-size vanity wall mirror

Woodwork

Painted (white) pine colonial-style 3 1/4" baseboards and 2 1/2" casings
Colonist-style raised panel interior passage doors and bi-fold doors; "Classique" profile
Weiser brushed chrome interior door passage sets with matching radial brushed chrome triple hinge sets
Solid melamine closet shelving and solid wood closet hanger rods

Ceilings & Walls

1/2" CDSR drywall on all ceilings
White California knock-down ceiling texture throughout
Attic access with white colonial trim surround
Standard flat ceilings at 8' wall height
1/2" drywall on all walls
Single color (3 coats) high-hide eggshell premium latex paint from General Paint

Valemountain Vistas Project Partners

This project is being overseen by Boromach Inc. (former owners of Fibertel Communications) and Bar-C Electric. The two companies hail from Edmonton and were/are in the communications wiring and electrical industries respectively.

We have chosen a manufactured home builder, Celtic Homes, to assist us with this project. The advantage of going the manufactured route is a much faster build. As it has become obvious to us that labour and scheduling of trades is an issue in the local market, this option will enable us to get into the ground and have entire units put up very shortly afterwards. The current timeline is to have our first units completed by the fall of 2010.

If you are interested in getting in on the ground level of the Valemountain Vistas development, please send an email to the address above (mail@valemountbusiness.com) to be put on our priority mailing list.