Calgary Infill Buyers Guide – Lighting
- August 24, 2017
- By Cody Battershill
Calgary Infill Buyers Guide to Natural Light
Who turned out the lights? That's one question you never want to ask yourself in the middle of the afternoon inside of your home especially when you've just bought a property in the inner city!
New infill properties in Calgary are designed to maximize privacy and natural lighting. For example, two infills built on one large lot may have very few windows on the side of the homes that face one another.
Usually the builder will develop a design with lots of windows at the front and back and sometimes with skylights to allow natural light in from above.
But despite what the builder has done, as an infill buyer you'll want to consider several variables when evaluating if the amount of natural lighting entering your home is a good amount and sufficient enough to keep your interest in the property.
Lot Exposure & Windows
Start with considering the infill lot exposure and where the windows are located.
Some questions you'll want to answer:
- What direction are the windows facing?
- How big are the windows?
- Are there trees that may hamper some light flow when fully bloomed?
- Are there trees that don't bloom but stay fully leaved year round?
- How effective are the skylights?
Another is to consider what path the sun will take in the sky during different seasons. If you're buying a new infill in the summer, its exposure to natural lighting may be quite different in the winter.
One way to determine if there's enough natural lighting for your liking is to visit the property at different times of the day. This way you'll get a first-hand feel for what its like inside the home at breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Flow of Natural Light
Walking inside a prospective infill, your first impressions will be based on the layout and openness of the interior.
Some questions you'll want to consider:
- Are there enough windows in the first place?
- Does window placement and size allow for the spread of ample natural lighting?
- What kind of floor plan is it and how does it allow natural light to spread through the interior?
In general, the interior design should facilitate a natural flow of light. This is where skylights can really have a big impact.
This is also where you'll want to consider where you put your choice furnishings and how they may affect the flow of natural light within your home.
Skylights & Artificial Lighting
Skylights should be in the right places in a new infill home. For example, if you have a skylight above the stairwell and an open-style stair design, this will act as a "light well" and spread natural light throughout the home.
On the upper level, skylights should especially be in the right places. I've seen skylights in closets and laundry rooms; as nice as they are, they wont nearly be enjoyed as much as in the stairwell or master en-suite.
When considering artificial lighting in your inner city home, this is always something you can change or alter fairly easily. If the lights are not bright enough for your liking then change or upgrade the bulbs.
If you don't like the fixtures to begin with, change them to give your home the interior decor and natural lighting it deserves!
More Inner City Guides
Natural lighting is a critical consideration for your future value and most importantly for your day to day quality of living.
Taking the time to make sure that this detail will be satisfactory for you is important in being 100 percent satisfied with your transaction!
Also see:
Questions about Calgary Infill Homes for Sale?
As a highly experienced inner city real estate agent and REALTOR® in Calgary, I promise to guide you every step of the way through your transaction while making sure you have all the information needed to make decisions that fit your wants, needs and lifestyle best.
Call me anytime at 403-370-4180 or message me below for a prompt response. I am looking forward to helping you accomplish your inner city real estate plans!
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