Joel, like Noel, is Laneway Custom Builds, a red seal framer from North Bay came to Toronto nearly a decade ago and jumped into urban construction. Joel has come across almost every type of “urban” scenario, neighbors, deliveries, inspections, tradespeople, working in very tight lots and spots, did we mention neighbors? Getting started with garage building, with his own being the first due to the neighborhood arsonist being kind enough to set his car on fire. Joel had absolutely nothing to do with the fire. He built his garage, another neighbor wanted a garage, and another and off he went with his construction business.

Laneway approval is only a couple of years old in Toronto and the city is starting to make things a lot easier for more and more homeowners to apply and construct more laneway homes. Visit the web site https://www.toronto.ca/city-government/planning-development/planning-studies-initiatives/changing-lanes-the-city-of-torontos-review-of-laneway-suites/

We get into all the utilities attached in building the laneway and how all of it has to come off the main home. Best to review all the options and possibly handle these upgrades and changes before the building permit is even issued. Joel even scopes all of the drains to see what they may be up against and the homeowners might consider upgrading the waste lines at that point. From there the construction begins and it’s conventional building, 2x6 framing, batts, mechanical run throughs. Joel is finding working with forward thinking architects and homeowners is allowing him to take the conventional to new levels and build more efficiently. Joel is currently working with Solares Architecture https://www.solares.ca and what are the odds, there office is at 1113 College Street, the home where Manny used to live as a kid.

Joel introduces the listeners to a new way to do a slab on grade, ICF slab on grade by http://www.legalett.ca well worth checking it out. This product was used at the University of Toronto laneway homes and that is how Joel heard about it.

Joel has a new title given to him by his trades, #Air Boss, it’s all about air leakage and making sure trades do not make unnecessary holes and correctly seal any and all necessary holes. We discuss design layouts and really thinking outside the drafting box. We also chat about costs and realizing that laneway building is a premium construction budget and clients should understand that when they research. Laneway Homes are a great idea and time to move away from the fact only cars live back there.

Thank you so much Joel for finally being on the show and sharing your day to day. Love to have you back talking a lot more about construction. Find Joel @lanewaycustombuild on IG, www.lanewaycustombuild.ca and email him for your next project hello@lanewaycustombuild.ca

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