HERITANCE IN SURREY: Family-friendly design creates a cozy nest
Vancouver Province – Sunday Homes
November 23, 2008
HERITANCE: For $7,000, standard basement will be upgraded to a legal rental suite
There’s a coziness that can be sensed as soon as you walk in the door of the three-storey detached homes at Heritance. The immediate feeling is that the design was meant to serve real people, not just impress guests.
It’s also designed to suit real bank accounts. Although the top two floors will be where owners do most of their living, a relatively small $7,000 surcharge will get your standard finished basement upgraded to a full-fledged, legal rental suite, complete with kitchen and bathroom.
Sales manager Neil Klassen estimates the owners who opt for the rental unit in the basement will be building roughly $850 to $1,000 in monthly mortgage relief into the value of the homes.
He pointed out that the entrance to the basement is located at the front of the house, so that tenants can come and go without disturbing family or entertaining activities happening in the backyard.
“This project, Heritance, is a cut above, not so much because it’s a perfect location, but because of the builder, whose reputation precedes him,” said Klassen. “The fit and finish are so perfect, it just makes us shine above other products.”
Nestled in the middle of Clayton Village, one of Surrey’s fastest growing residential communities, Heritance enjoys easy highway access and is minutes from both the Clayton Cross Shopping Centre and Willowbrook Shopping Mall.
“This is an excellent location for young families as well as retirees,” said Klassen. “The feel of the neighbourhood is very friendly and safe . . . . You can walk a block to groceries, coffee shops, and a new school is opening up two blocks away, so it’s very environmentally friendly.”
The main floor of each home is essentially open-concept, and there are three floor plans to choose from. In the show home we toured, the front door opens into a view of a bright flex-room with high ceilings and French doors, which Klassen explained is intended as an office, television room or traditional parlour.
The kitchen, dining room and living room flow together as a whole, while at the same time feeling distinct because of the Lshaped floor plan. Natural light splashes everywhere from windows on all four sides of the house, The deep-set mantle combines with the gas fireplace and tile surround to create a clear focal point in the great room.
There are two colour schemes to choose from, Dark and Light. The Light scheme features crisp, white, overheight cabinets in the kitchen and dark walnut laminate floors throughout, while the Dark scheme showcases warmer pecan brown tones on the maple, shaker-style cabinets.
Granite covers the countertops, the kitchen island, and the master bedroom ensuite counters. On the main floor, the powder room includes a heritage twist with a freestanding shaker-style marbletopped vanity and 1940s-inspired white mosaic tile floor.
Upstairs, a lounge with room for a computer work station, and angled entries to the two kids’ — or guest — rooms contribute to the home’s charm. The master bedroom and one of the smaller bedrooms both have window seats.
The master suite comes with all the luxuries discerning buyers demand, as well as a couple of extras: his-and-hers sinks, a soaker tub with a sizeable window above it, a separate standing shower, heated ceramic-tile flooring and, on the other side of the bathroom wall, a spacious walk-in closet.
All the homes at Heritance come standard with a two-car garage and space for a third parking spot outside. The presentation centre opened earlier this month, and move-ins will begin in February.
kwebb@theprovince.com
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