HOWE SOUND HOUSE

WATERFRONT VACATION HOME RENOVATION
Design by Woven Design
Main House 6480 sqft Single Family Home with Secondary Suite + Triple Car Garage

From its inception in 2021 to the final handover in 2025, our Sunset Beach project stands as one of our most rewarding and challenging builds to date. Nestled between a steep gradient, a narrow working corridor, a bordering creek to the south, and the vast Howe Sound to the west—not to mention exceptionally poor soil conditions—this site threw every obstacle our way.

The journey began with a full year of intensive planning alongside an exceptional design team led by Julian Carnrite of Woven Design, with Allester Structural Engineering, Magee Landscape Design, Bailey Environmental, and Bennett Survey. After tireless coordination, we secured both the Environmental Development and Building Permits from the City of West Vancouver.

In early 2022, site work commenced with the demolition of the original cottage and the strategic repair of the marine access boat ramp during the critical low-tide environmental window. Once our heavy iron was mobilized, excavation and shoring got real. With soil so poor that 10-inch diameter piles drilled and driven 14 metres deep were required, we took precautions to ensure site stability and safety during the foundation phase.

The scale of the anchoring and shoring resembled a commercial project in complexity and scope. Every step was executed with safety, value, and quality top of mind. Once we reached subgrade, our crew installed a heavily reinforced 18-inch-thick concrete raft slab supporting the entire building footprint.
Our talented team constructed the foundation formwork—again, commercial in nature—which featured reinforced end zones to support the second and third-floor concrete slabs. Simultaneously, they achieved the demanding architectural finishes, including board-formed concrete and precise snap tie detailing.

The hybrid structure, combining massive concrete, steel, and timber elements, delivered open, sweeping views. The result is nothing short of spectacular—crafted to stand as a family legacy for generations to come.