The third-floor trend

It’s as easy as one, two, three. Calgary is seeing a new trend in home design these days, as the third-floor option gains in popularity and many single-family home builders, and even townhome developers, are getting into the picture.

This captivating extra private space atop the home has become popular for lots of reasons. It gives an extra living space that’s quite a bit more sunny than a basement development, it can provide an extra suite that’s handy for families with teenagers craving their own space, and adding a rooftop patio gives owners a quiet, calm spot where they can enjoy the enchanting views from up high.

That last advantage is especially handy when you’re living in one of Calgary’s many naturally endowed communities where the extra height brings a more generous vantage point to enjoy the panoramic vistas of nearby river valleys and mountains.

The third-floor option isn’t a new concept, Excel Homes has been offering these plans in their single-family line for some 10 years now, and it has always been a popular feature among custom home builders in the inner-city. Just imagine having an extra room on the third-floor and then adding another suite in the basement – that’s a lot of home!

Now, with the popularity of multi-generational households, more homebuilders and townhome developers are seeing a marked demand for these types of homes.

“We have seen an influx in the number of people requesting lofts,” says Excel Homes marketing manager, Kristina Plank. “It is a great addition to any home and allows our customers to plan ahead, leaving plenty of room for their family to grow in their new home. Lofts can be used as their kids’ play spaces, extra bedroom/hangout spot for teenagers, or spare bedroom for extended family when they come to visit.”

Cedarglen Homes says they got into the three-storey home picture when they saw a great opportunity to build one that they couldn’t pass up in the southeast riverside community of Cranston’s Riverstone. “We saw an opportunity to capture an amazing view that Cranston’s Riverstone offers while creating a unique space,” says Cedarglen Homes’ sales and marketing manager, Allison Harvie.
Now, Cedarglen has three-storey showhomes in Cranston’s Riverstone, The Parks of Harvest Hills and Encore West Grove Estates where visitors can get a glimpse of what this three-storey lifestyle offers. Additionally, they also offer these three-storey models in Belmont, Livingston, and Rockland Park.

Unlike a basement development that can be finished at a later date, third-floor options have to be pre-determined at the planning stage when building a new home. Buyers have to indicate that they want this extra feature in their initial plans. After all, it’s doubtful one can add an extra room on top of your roof once the house is built, not without incurring heavy, impractical costs.

Excel Homes was one of the first builders to offer this option, and their three-storey homes have been a consistent best-seller. They now offer this in 11 of the communities in Calgary and Edmonton and surrounding areas where they currently build.

“The response has been overwhelmingly positive!” Plank tells Calgary New Home + Condo Guide. “Buyers love the additional personalized space that they can tailor around what they need as a family. The addition comes with an extra bathroom, bedroom and living space that can be used for all ages, giving older children, family members or guest their own private space within your home.”
Plank says that because of this surge in demand, Excel’s existing home models are being redesigned to accommodate a third-floor addition.

Harvie points out these three level homes provides buyers the extra living space without increasing the size of their lot. Cedarglen also designed variations in these homes that allows the third floor module to be placed in front of the home or the rear to ensure that owners can enjoy the best views.

“The space becomes that much more flexible this way. Homebuyers choose to build it as a entertaining space, home office, art studio or family room,” Harvie says. Cedarglen has five home models with a third-storey option to choose from, and these can add anywhere from 314 to 415 additional square feet to the home.

At Cedarglen, prices for a home with a third storey option varies depending on the community, but the lowest is in the $530,000s in the new southeast community of Belmont.

Three-storey townhomes are not new, and it is how many row townhomes are built. But a third-floor patio is something that Avalon Master Builder has introduced in their line of ZEN townhomes.

“We wanted to offer a unique multi-family product in the Calgary market; to provide more living and outdoor space for multi-family homeowners,” says Avalon’s Sales and Marketing Coordinator, Marni Chenier.

“We debuted this design at ZEN Urban District, in Seton. The third level was so successful in the first project that it’s now a standard in our communities and is synonymous with Avalon’s ZEN brand.”

She adds that feedback has been phenomenal to the rooftop addition. “Buyers instantly fall in love with the home when they tour the third-floor option. They are even more excited when they walk out onto the private rooftop patio and see the view!”

Chenier says this is the feature most requested by their homeowners. “In our stacked townhome communities, we offer products with a first home buyer’s budget in mind. Our buyers can choose a two-storey home, with the third level and private rooftop patio being optional.”

In ZEN Sequel, the starting price for a two storey townhome is $263,800, while a two-storey townhome with the third level and rooftop patio options is $302,000. Both starting prices are net GST included, Chenier adds.

Avalon offers third levels at ZEN Sequel in Seton, ZEN Riverstone and ZEN Rockland Park.

For more information on these three-storey homes, visit www.excelhomes.ca, www.cedarglenhomes.com, and www.avalonmasterbuilder.com.