All Forum Posts by: Ken Didychuk

The requirement for the second HVAC system isn't to reduce noise transfer between floors, but to accommodate the requirements for a completely isolated and separate heating system. Besides, having upper and lower ductwork trunks that run parallel to each other (as most HVAC techs are prone to do) transfer just as much sound as them being directly tied to each other anyways. I really don't think that anyone writing the those codes in Edmonton have any clue how sound dampening really works in this scenario. And please note, I used the word "dampening" instead of "proofing". Huge difference there. Nearly all of the efforts you describe, although logical, won't reduce the sound transfer nearly as much as everyone thinks it will. The double 5/8 drywall will do more to dampen sound than any amount of so-called "acoustic" insulation. The resilient clips work, but only if installed properly and they are easy to bugger up. No matter what your efforts, unless you completely seal the floors from each other with no penetrations, you will likely fall short of your intentions. That being said, there are of course things that can be done to help mitigate the transfer of sound. As mentioned above, a heavy (MLV-type) underlayment does wonders in reducing sound vibrations at the point of impact. This limits the amount of vibrational noise that gets transferred through floor joists to the basement. I run my two ductwork "zones" on each side of the support beam in the basement. I end up with a bulkhead on each side, but creative planning reduces this annoyance. I also isolate each half above the support beam as best I can with two layers of 5/8 drywall to limit sound transference between each set of ductwork.

I've developed 6 of these up/down suites now, each one getting better and less expensive in my efforts to reduce sound transference. Something to think about is how much of a better tenant are you really going to get due to your extra efforts in sound dampening? Any prospective tenants won't really realize it's effectiveness until they've lived there. I'm all for putting in more effort, but only if it yields the proper results. Another angle to consider is your efforts in screening and placing your main floor tenants. This will go a lot further in a smooth running portfolio than any amount of cost and effort done during the development.

If you really insist on going the extra mile here, please read all you can from home studio and recording forums. These guys are the best and audiophiles are exceptionally OCD about sound quality. Do not accept what you read from marketing pamphlets on any product. The catch is they may work, but only under "ideal" laboratory conditions. Think how well your reported fuel economy measures up during real life Canadian winters. Those reported fuel economies are produced on a flat track near sea level in California. Same difference.

I'm ranting on like this because I've been duped for many, many thousands myself during my renovating career. It was only after attempting a home studio build that I started learning the science behind it all. Feel free to PM to discuss more if you like. I can also offer alternative suggestions to cutting a door in the foundation. You very likely will not get all this money back on your ARV.

Cheers

Hey Chris ....I'm an investor in Red Deer, and just recently received my agent designation. I don't use property management for my portfolio, but I've certainly been around enough and been part of enough conversations to realize who *not* to use lol. I won't publicly go into any detail, but PM me if you want to run some ideas back and forth.

Cheers

@Zorya Belanger may be able to add some insight or open up a few more avenues of inquiry. Out of curiosity, was there any indication as to why any of the property management companies declined any assistance? I don't see how anyone could not appreciate the value in what you are proposing. 

@Account Closed @Zach Denny

My fiancé, originally from the Stratford area inherited some land a few years back (Point Prim). We've been wanting to develop the land and put up a potential vacation home/short term rental/long tern rental. Very open to any possibilities. Looking to try and connect with someone local to line up development contacts. Currently a teardown house on site with a lot of yard cleanup to be done. Was thinking of putting a mobile home on site to rent out until full development if complete. Any suggestions?

Cheers!!!

@Ellie Nasir Approach it from both sides of the coin. Find some listings online and go through the motions of inquiring about them. Often, the delay in communications is terrible and they are a nightmare to set up for viewings. Even the listings themselves are inconsistent from one another and don't do a very good job of representing the property.

Now imagine selling a property using these services. After experiencing the buying process, would you feel confident that your property would get maximum exposure to the marketplace? Probably not, but it may very well be just my limited experience on the matter.

As @Zorya Belanger states, you get what you pay for.

@Brianne Chard, if I may ask, what software are you planning on switching to? And what software are you currently using? I still haven't got on board with any of them yet (I only have 10 units), but I'm always on the lookout for features that can streamline being self-managed. I expect to be adding 6 units a year (at a minimum) so I will be needing something to help out and that I can grow into.

Cheers! 

Investor from Red Deer, but have been looking at SK and MB markets for a while now with the idea of expanding eastwards. I'd certainly be interested in participating in any online meetup!

Do the math. How much do you feel the property will be worth after renos? (Subtract 10-20%) How much do you think it will cost to develop the property? (Add 10-20%) How much will you be able to raise the rent afterwards? Will you be able to pull the reno costs back out after the refinance? How long will the renos take? How much will your holding costs be on the property while you are without tenant(s) during the renos?

Look into local restrictions. Is the property legally suited? Many municipal governments will not allow duplexes to be suited, but of course, totally depends on Calgary's bylaws on such matters. The cost differential to re-develop into a legal suite versus starting with an unfinished basement for instance are quite significant.

Are you doing the renos yourself (in-house, being your own general contractor), or are you planning on getting a GC to take care of everything?

Seems that in Western Canada at least (prairies), the numbers likely will not work if you are hiring a contractor to do all the work and are just "upgrading" and existing property. Adding a secondary suite will drastically swing the numbers in your favour, along with being your own general contractor. A strong word of caution: Be VERY critical when assessing your skills and abilities if you choose to GC your reno. Even more so if you are doing the actual work. HGTV and YouTube have created a population of individuals that figure doing renos on a property is as easy as the click of a mouse button. The result is terribly sub-par and even dangerous renos that do nothing to increase the value of the property. If you are handy and absolutely certain of your skills then sure, go get your hands dirty (I do and still f**k up badly from time to time). Otherwise, trust me, it really is not worth your time, money, and effort.

Oh, and watch HGTV and the like for entertainment purposes only, NOT educational purposes.

Cheers

REIN Canada has a forum, but I believe the bulk of their forum content is reserved for members only. There still seems to be many "sub-members" that converse on the public forums there though. Could be a useful reference tool. Just be wary of their constant marketing to get you to join.

Should be obvious not to go with candidate #2. If the first one has solid references and you feel they will rent for the long-term, then why not? Aren't the vacancy rates in CGY still pretty high? You may have to wait a month or two for a decent tenant to present themselves anyways so why not lock a good one up early and take only a one month hit?