The Blue Smurf Flip Part 2

In the last post about the blue smurf property flip we discussed the lengthy and costly permit process. In this follow up post we’ll discuss the special considerations for each unit and the final design choices.

Basement Unit 

The basement of the blue smurf house was unliveable when we purchased the property. It was creepy, wet, smelly, and didn’t have any drywall or proper floors. We wanted to make a third unit downstairs complete with laundry and a bathroom. So the first few things we did when we started on the inside of this property was reinforce the foundation wall to carry the load from the beam structure above, pour a whole new foundation floor, and add a french drain to solve the leaking problem. We added drywall, lighting, flooring, electrical, and plumbing for an additional bathroom and laundry. We also moved the entrance into the basement from the rear of the building to the side of the building to allow more space in the back for parking and a ramp for accessibility. 

Reinforcing the foundation in the basement.

Commercial Unit

On the main floor we were changing the entire layout plus removing a kitchen, adding a second bathroom, moved the entrance from the back of the building to the side, and added an addition to the front of the building. We also had to add a rooftop unit HVAC system which would do heating, cooling and fresh air exchange. During the permit process we learned that we would have to use this special commercial unit that did the fresh air exchange because it was going to be used for a health clinic… to this day, the rooftop unit looks ridiculous sitting beside the building (too big to actually go on the roof) because it is meant for large commercial buildings and this property is the size of an average house. At least we know the air quality in the clinic is far beyond what is required. To allow this HVAC system the space to work we outfitted the clinic offices, kitchenette, and bathrooms with dropped ceilings. 

First picture - converted into 2 bathrooms and a kitchenette
Second picture - converted into office that looks into the studio space
Third picture - converted into reception area, door now walks into front studio

Upstairs Unit

We mainly left this unit as it was. We had to do a bit of a layout tweak so that we could add  separate HVAC and electrical systems. We also upgraded all of the finishings throughout the unit as it was in rough shape when we bought it. To finish off the outside we redid the stairs/decking to this unit along with the main floor decking. 

Kitchen in upper unit

Finishings

In the commercial unit we were required to use special doors that were large enough to allow a wheelchair to move through easily and that were also fire rated. In addition, one of the offices had a window that looked out over the wooden ramp and we had to put an automatic fire curtain over the window for further fire safety. On the floors throughout the entire building we used vinyl since many months in Ontario are wet with snow or rain and they are the most durable. We chose a nice light wood grain vinyl to keep the units bright and fresh. The upper unit and commercial unit kitchenette were both outfitted with granite counter tops, wite cabinets, and stainless steel appliances. The flooring from the rest of the unit continued through the kitchen and bedrooms. 

Exterior

To finish off this project we gave the outside a complete facelift. We painted the brick white, did the addition in white siding, replaced all the windows and did black trim on the new ones. For the parking we paved the driveway and entire back, added curbing, added outdoor lighting for safety, painted parking spots, and did a brand new wood ramp/stairs to access the units. We added garbage organization units to the side of the building for each unit and labeled mailboxes by the main entrance. In the front, the city required us to add some “long grasses” to a flower bed. 

This was one of our top 3 biggest projects to date and also ended up being one of our favourites. We definitely learned a lot from this project which will change our perspective going forward on how to approach commercial property.

See you on the flip side,