New houses coming on the market for the summer are snapped up quickly leading to a busy season for Phoenix Siding.
“We’re super busy,” says Blake LaBonte, who is partner in the company with his father Mark.
The spin-off from the housing boom in Vancouver is causing new construction purchases to increase and get snapped up quickly.
“New houses, spec houses are selling very quickly, before they’re even done,” says LaBonte.
He says 90% of the spec homes have vinyl siding which is popular as it is maintenance free and only takes two weeks to install.
The custom homes usually have hardi plank siding with the look of wood which takes four to six weeks to install.
“It’s more labor intensive with hardi plank, a little more difficult application,” says LaBonte.
He says hardi plank is a fibre cement with concrete cellulose and wood particles.
“It resembles wood but doesn’t shrink or crack.”
Buyers in the new housing market just want to move in and not have the headache of renovating.
The demand is putting pressure on buyers who are either snapping up new homes or deciding to purchase an older home instead.
The lack of inventory in the housing market is causing house prices to rise. So many people with older homes who are concerned about finding property are deciding to renovate instead.
Besides choosing from vinyl or hardi plank siding, they may also decide to go with cedar siding, which is a very durable long lasting product. It is also less likely to shrink or warp compared to other woods and provides the West Coast high end look that appeals to many people.
The company which serves the central Vancouver Island area also looks after metal cladding, gutters, weather barriers, leaf guard, soffits, blown insulation and windows so they can supply what is needed in construction or home renovations.
LaBonte says he sees the demand for new home construction continuing for the next four to six months “as long as the land is there.”
With current homes, owners are continuing to renovate them with newer siding with the potential for selling if the price is right.
