Front-drive garage homes are forever

What has room for two cars and a multitude of lifestyles? It’s not much of a riddle, as the answer can only be the double-attached front-drive garage home, or FDG home for short.

The FDG home is as ubiquitous as the suburbs they are generally found in. They are at the apex of the home-buying cycle. It is the home most everyone who has lived in an apartment suite, a duplex or a townhome, aspire to live in eventually. Especially when they have children, and they see their families grow.

FDG homes come in many forms. In Calgary, they are usually two storey homes usually with three-bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths and a basement development option. And of course, a garage to fit two cars – or more.
Recently, three-storey models that include rooftop living spaces have become popular too. FDG homes can be as luxurious or as functional as buyers want. But the main thing they offer is convenience.

Owning a home with an attached garage provides a handful of benefits, especially with the unpredictable weather that Calgary faces in the winter months, says Kristina Plank, Excel Homes Marketing Manager.

Wendee Bishop, Marketing Manager and Creative Director at NuVista Homes, agrees. “Our customers buy front attached garage homes purely for the convenience. In our climate, which can be very unpredictable, we can have hail, snow, heat and wind gusts all in the same week! Having an attached garage protects your family and your vehicle.”

There is a lifestyle component that remains important to many buyers, says Michael Klassen, Sales Manager at Jayman BUILT. “Convenience and safety of having an attached garage, as well as a typically higher square foot that is perfect for growing families. The larger mudroom coming from the garage, as well as larger kitchen and living spaces is very desirable.”

“The flexibility inherent in the design also allows us to offer more lifestyle options for buyers like a bigger bonus room upstairs, a more functional home office or den, or even adding prep kitchens,” says Jerry Trgina, Marketing Manager at Hopewell Residential.

For over 30 years, Excel has been passionate about helping families find their perfect home. “Our FDG homes range from 1,600 to 3,024 sq. ft. which allows for the option of adding extra space with either a legal basement suite or a loft, depending on the model and area,” Plank says. “We differentiate ourselves by providing FDG models that include three- and four-bedroom floorplans to provide versatility and room for growing families.
Calgary New Home + Condo Guide talks to homebuilders offering some of the most exciting new models in FDG homes currently, so house-hunting doesn’t have to be too much of a riddle.

Excel Homes

For over 30 years, Excel has been passionate about helping families find their perfect home. “Our FDG homes range from 1,600 sq. ft. to 3,024 sq. ft. which allows for “the option of adding extra space with either a legal basement suite or a loft, depending on the model and area,” Plank says. “We differentiate ourselves by providing FDG models that include three- and four-bedroom floorplans to provide versatility and room for growing families,” she adds.

“Our larger floorplans can include a main floor flex room, rec room, or bonus room and some of our models allow for the addition of a spice kitchen.”

The Collingwood was its best-selling model in 2020 and it’s easy to see why. “It has a floorplan that’s versatile enough to meet the varying demographics and lifestyles with a flexible main floor layout and the ability to add more bedrooms.”

FDG homes take up around 60 per cent of Excel’s production and they are adding more. “We have created brand new FDG models that are being released this year.” The Newbrook and Jasper models are sure to impress with their large and elegantly laid out floorplans, both are being released this month. The Jasper features four bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths which Excel Homes is very excited to add to their line-up. “These new models are elegant and welcoming, with spacious open concept layouts – perfect for entertaining and for growing families.” Excel Homes’ FDG homes will be available in more communities this year, including Cobblestone Creek and Creekstone.

Find out more at excelhomes.ca.

NuVista Homes

NuVista’s range of FDG homes range from traditional models just under 2,000 square-feet to over 2,600 square-foot estate homes and bungalows some even with triple-car front drive garages (depending on lot). One thing they all have in common is they are all designed for the family’s convenience.

“We make a conscious effort to create family homes that offer convenience to the homeowners,” Bishop says. “For example, many of our models have walk-thru mudroom to the pantry from the garage. This makes life easier for the homeowner when carting home groceries or children from after school activities. They often have built-in benches and lockers / hooks to help the family organized.

“We have also had many more requests for side entrances for multi-generational living. Having a separate side entrance combined with nine-foot lower level and large egress windows makes for a fabulous place for your aging parents or adult children to live and still have their own privacy. It is becoming more and more popular to have your parents at home these days.”

Its most popular model is the 2,554-square-foot Sutton that offers four bedrooms with a main floor flex room, walk-thru mudroom to the pantry and has a bonus room that separates the kids wing from the master suite
“Front attached homes make up for probably 75 percent of our overall sales,” Bishop says. Having the attached garage is important. “When you live this close to the mountains the weather can be very unpredictable so having an attached garage is something most customers cannot do without.”

Visit nuvista.com for more.

Jayman BUILT

Jayman BUILT has always been in the leading edge of Calgary’s homebuilding industry, and their compelling, stylish and functional FDG homes are a big part of their success.

“We have a wide range of front attached garage homes, from single car, double car and even triple car attached garages, ranging in square footage from 1,150 to 2,800 square-feet,” Klassen says. “Our bungalow products all include attached garages, as well!”

The wealth of options to choose from for the line of FDG homes is prodigious, including the current trend of main floor bedrooms, spacious ensuites and walk-in closets in the owners’ retreat, dedicated study spaces on the upper floor and even spice kitchens. “When you customize the basement, the sky really is the limit. Including more bedrooms and bathrooms, rec rooms, wine rooms, home theatres and gyms.”

He is seeing a shift in their market. “Traditionally we see a larger share of laned homes being sold, heavily due to the large number of first-time homebuyers. However, over the past number of months, we have seen a larger percentage of (FDG homes) due to people moving up to larger spaces or taking advantage of this market to build their dream homes,” Klassen says.

Jayman.com has more information.

Trico Homes

Trico’s front-drive garage homes vary in size from 1,943 to 2,902 square-feet, so there is literally something for everyone and every family, says Trico’s Schwartz.

“Traditionally most of our models come standard with three bedrooms, but one of our newest designs the Springhill model includes five bedrooms with an optional 2 bedrooms in the secondary suite, for a total of seven!” It’s the perfect choice for multifamily households and those wanting to let the home lend a hand in paying down the mortgage.

“As families grow and require more space, a front garage home is the perfect option. Extra rooms and bedrooms for your growing family and extended family, attached garage to store all your toys and a place to protect your vehicles from the inclement weather, and also it allows the occupants to access the garage without having to go outside.”

Trico’s most popular model is the Oxford, at 1,943 sq. ft. and staring from the high $400’s. The Oxford was created with Trico’s most popular features from our top selling models. This home offers exceptional value, with the quality of craftsmanship and customer service you’ve learned to expect from Trico Homes.

Go to tricohomes.com for more.

Hopewell Residential

Hopewell Residential’s strength has been figuring out the newest tastes and trends in the new home market and their just-released FDG homes reflect this unique touch.

Their newest showhome, the Luna which opened in the rising community of Arbour Lake West in the northwest, brilliantly expresses this ability by combining the needs of a traditional family home with a multigenerational one.

The impressive 2,062 sq. ft. Luna showhome shows this with its three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths, main floor office and a highly sought-after optional legal basement suite with full kitchen, bath, fourth bedroom and secondary side entrance.

There are a variety of options that make this home truly unique, including having up to five bedrooms, says Trgina. “We have different configurations that can accommodate most wishes of our customers to fit their lifestyles”

Other new models such as the smaller but equally diverse 1,718 sq. ft. Astrid are also adaptable to the needs of each family. “Hopewell has moved to a place where we can offer more pre-planned options that resonate with different buyer personas,” Trgina says. FDG homes make up more than half of their production and start from the high $500’s in their Mahogany lake community in the southeast, and in the $600’s in Arbour Lake West.

Visit hopewellresidential.com for more.