Opinion
I take daily neighbourhood walks with my dog. There are several unoccupied homes on our route. In speaking with neighbours, I’ve learned one of these is owned by the bank. Other houses have absentee owners who rarely visit. This situation grew acute when two houses became targets for squatters, causing alarm. Then the police came. There were arrests. Later, there were two boarded-up empty historic homes.
Winnipeg and Canada have housing shortages. Government, at all levels, is trying to fund and redefine city building regulations to boost infill and new builds.
However, there’s another way: renovate existing housing stock. It’s often faster, better for the environment, and sometimes even less expensive. Yet, there are few incentives or supports in place for individuals or contractors to take advantage of this opportunity.
There are heritage grants available to renovate public structures with historic designation, but these aren’t accessible to individuals to fix housing. There are also some ‘energy efficiency” opportunities for individuals to do upgrades to older housing. However, there are few tax incentives or other efforts by government to try to help Canadians restore, reuse, and recycle the materials and buildings that already exist.
Is it faster to renovate older building stock? Each home is a different case. In Winnipeg, if the intended use of the structure is the same, (single family or duplex, etc.), the renovation doesn’t even need a zoning change. Developers or demolition experts often suggest that demolition is necessary.
If you’re a hammer, everything is a nail. Those who restore older structures for a living may disagree when it comes to the “demolish everything and start again model.”
Often, fixes require skill, creativity and knowledge, but nothing is impossible. I have lived in several 100-year-old homes where foundation repair, chimney rebuilds, complete rewiring, plumbing repair, asbestos removal, insulation, roofing and/or replacing structural beams have been necessary. Yet, these repair costs never reached the cost of a new build.
After renovations, my family lived in a historic home with a future. Families might live there comfortably for another 100 years.
When we’ve undertaken renovation, we’ve discovered the craftmanship or materials used long ago. These building supplies are well worth keeping. Old-growth wood, tile mosaics, plumbing fixtures, mouldings and chair rails abound in older homes. When I’ve watched Winnipeg homes face demolition, everything ends up in the landfill. Cast-iron radiators, quarter-sawn oak, brass fixtures and more are lost in the rush to clear a site for a new build.
Environmentally, we can do better. Before a necessary demolition, salvaging as much as possible is the best approach. Reuse is much better for the Earth and for us. Reusing older materials as one renovates can also drastically reduce the cost of supplies, particularly as we face tariffs and rising costs. Reuse also can improve our health as we live in older homes, as many new construction materials off-gas in living spaces.
Yes, this requires creative solutions. Old materials are not always easily available in standard sizes.
However, through connections to old-school, smart tradespeople and artists, second-hand materials can work. It takes time searching online marketplaces, going to the Habitat Restore, salvage yards, and junk shops. The result is often amazing.
We’ve found new lives for high quality, expensive materials that stood the test of time. Mahogany cabinets, cast-iron bathroom fixtures, walnut pocket doors, stained and leaded glass, and solid interior doors with high end door hardware found new use in our “new” old homes.
Reusing older materials means the “sunk costs” of the original purchase passed long ago. Old-growth hardwood sometimes can’t even be purchased anymore. By repurposing these items, we extend their useful lives and keep them out of the landfill. We regain higher quality building materials.
Many say energy efficiency is essential. Old homes are simply not as efficient as newer ones, no matter how one renovates. Older homes can be made far more efficient simply by updating HVAC, insulating roofs and walls and closing leaky windows.
Some “tight” new homes are more economical in terms of energy costs but also must use air exchangers due to new building choices, which takes energy too. Choosing new materials requires supplies. Manufacturing, shipping and installation may make the environmental sustainability of these builds less of a net positive.
During the pandemic, we did an energy audit to improve efficiency. We wanted to avoid heat loss while we did an old home renovation. While we made great strides, we recognized a different benefit. The original homeowners prioritized air flow for their health. Good air flow drastically reduces infection risk from airborne contagions like COVID-19, flu, or other viruses. An airtight envelope in a new build comes with downsides, too.
Yes, we need new builds, infill and density to create housing quickly.
However, government doesn’t have to focus exclusively on the development mantra of fast demolition and new construction that eats green space and adds more black, grey and glass to our surroundings. Instead, we might create training programs to educate tradespeople to do historic and environmentally sound renovation.
There might be tax incentives or rebates for renovating uninhabited homes for reuse. Governments could legislate salvage and reuse of building materials, thus creating access to more materials and small business opportunities. Finally, when construction supplies may become drastically more expensive due to tariffs, we could find better materials, workmanship and affordability, close to home.
Our established, tree-lined neighbourhoods deserve new neighbours rather than empty homes, squatters, and fire risks. Let’s find ways to prioritize rehabilitation. These old home renovation projects offer more available housing and at least another hundred years of use.
It works in Europe and on the east coast in North America. Let’s make it work here, too.
Joanne Seiff, a Winnipeg author, has been contributing opinions and analysis to the Winnipeg Free Press since 2009.
