ATTENTION TO DETAIL
Quality on offer at Viridian — Portrait Homes’ 57-unit townhome development in South Surrey
“If you don’t build good bones, you won’t have a good home.” So says Robert Grimm, principal and co-founder of Portrait Homes, the company behind a new development of two- and three-bedroom townhomes in South Surrey called Viridian.
To show what he means, a guided tour of the display home at Viridian finds Grimm jumping up and down in the kitchen to demonstrate the sturdiness of the floor that is provided by extra joists under the island. Elsewhere on the project site, an unfinished home gives Grimm the opportunity to demonstrate the quality of construction to be found in the walls.
“There’s solid wood behind the walls in places where we’ll have things like handrails for the stairs,” said Grimm. “Even the toilet roll holders will be anchored into wood panels instead of just drywall so our customers will know that they’ll never come off. The point is that the beautiful finishes you’ve seen are not just lipstick. These homes are built to last a lifetime.”
The homes at Viridian are designed by Burrowes Huggins Architects. When the project is complete at the end of 2018 or the beginning of 2019, it will have a total of 57 homes between 2,226 and 2,486 square feet. There are two main types of home available in the initial release: two- and threebedroom homes with two levels and master bedrooms on the main floor; and three-bedroom townhomes on three levels. All homes come with two-car garages.
“These units are significantly wider than the normal high-density townhomes you’re likely to find on the market,” said Grimm.
“We’ve got vaulted ceilings in the master bedrooms and with prices starting at $919,900 for a three-bedroom family home, they’re also more affordable than you’d expect.”
ROSEMARY HEIGHTS
Viridian is located in the Rosemary Heights neighbourhood of South Surrey. Amenities in the area include Grandview Heights Aquatic Centre, Morgan Creek Golf Course, more than 20 local dining options and easy access to a wide range of schools and educational institutions. There’s also plentiful shopping at Morgan Crossing. Outlets include London Drugs, Thrifty Foods, Gap, Everything Wine and Lululemon.
The development draws on Portrait Homes’ nearly three decades of experience in the residential
construction industry. Robert Grimm founded the company with his brother Harry in 1990 and they’ve sold more than 1,300 new homes in the Lower Mainland since that time. Grimm explained that a big part of the company’s philosophy is respect for the environment and Viridian will be no different. The project backs onto parkland and is located just above the Nicomekl River.
“We’re always very aware of the environment we build in and we make sure that we protect it,” said Grimm. “The homes here are all oriented towards green space, the river and the agricultural land reserve behind it. The site is terraced in a way that maximizes the view corridors from each home. On a clear day, there’ll be views as far as the North Shore mountains.”
“We’re building special rock beds below the development,” Grimm added. “These will capture the runoff water from higher up the hill and make sure that we keep those trees alive to preserve the natural beauty of this spot.”
Buyers can choose from two interior colour schemes created by 13 Design Group, there are nine-foot ceilings on the main levels and fully trimmed windows and doors with baseboard trim throughout.
Selected homes come with the option of a wet bar and/or a wine cellar in the basement and other notable features include USB charging ports with plugs in the kitchens, dens and every bedroom as well as exterior fireplaces on covered decks.
Kitchens feature LED pot lighting throughout and contemporary Shaker-style cabinetry with softclose hardware. There are ceramic tiled backsplashes, under-cabinet lights, quartz countertops and stainless-steel sinks with pullout faucets and in-sink waste disposal.
“We did some research on the best and most popular kitchen appliance manufacturers on the market,” said Grimm. “The two that came out on top were Samsung and Fisher & Paykel so that’s what we’ve gone with — Samsung as standard and then you can upgrade to Fisher & Paykel.”
Bathrooms feature free-standing soaker tubs and tile surrounds, custom quartz countertops with double under-mounted porcelain sinks and oversized frameless glass-enclosed shower stalls. There are customized accent tiles and luxury Moen pressure-balanced faucets, low-flush Toto toilets and heated ceramic tile floors. Other features in what Grimm describes as some of the highest quality homes to be found on the market include laminated fibreglass shingles with a 30-year lifespan, high-efficiency gas furnaces, rough-ins for central vacuum systems and energy-efficient low-E windows.
Grimm expects the masteron-the-main style homes to be snapped up by downsizers and empty nesters, while the threelevel townhouses are already proving popular with young families. Viridian’s first phase of homes are on sale now and are priced between $919,900 and $1,158,200.