Construction & Renovation Services in Panorama Hills & Coventry Hills

After 20+ years, your windows are likely past peak performance even if they still open and close properly. The signs that replacement is overdue: condensation between the glass panes (indicating failed seal and lost argon gas fill), drafts around the frames even when closed, and visible deterioration of the vinyl frame material (chalking, warping, or cracking from UV and temperature cycling). Whole-house window replacement is usually more cost-effective than doing it piecemeal because of setup and removal logistics. For a typical Panorama Hills two-storey home with 15-20 windows, expect $15,000-$30,000 depending on product grade. Entry-level vinyl replacement windows (good quality, like North Star or All Weather) run $500-$900 installed per opening. Premium triple-pane vinyl or fiberglass (Duxton, Inline) run $900-$1,600 per opening. Triple-pane is worth considering in Panorama Hills specifically because the hilltop exposure means more wind load on windows, and triple-pane provides both better insulation (R-5 vs R-3 for double-pane) and better sound attenuation — relevant if your home faces Stoney Trail or Country Hills Boulevard. However, the payback period on the incremental cost of triple over double is 12-18 years for energy savings alone, so the decision is partly comfort and partly financial. One important note: if your home still has the original builder-grade windows and you're also planning a furnace replacement, do the windows first. A new high-efficiency furnace in a leaky building envelope is like putting a high-performance engine in a car with the windows down — you won't realize the full efficiency gains.

The hillside topography that gives Panorama Hills its views also complicates accessory building projects. Whether you can build a detached garage or workshop depends on several factors specific to your lot. First, check your lot's grade differential from front to back. If the grade change across your rear yard exceeds 1.5 metres, you'll face significant site preparation costs — retaining walls, soil import or export, and potentially engineered foundations — before any building construction begins. For steep lots, a helical pile foundation for the accessory building may be more practical than a conventional concrete slab-on-grade because it accommodates the slope without massive grading. Second, check your rear setback and lot coverage limits. Calgary's land-use bylaw limits total lot coverage (all buildings combined) to 45% in R-1 districts. Many Panorama Hills homes already consume 35-40% of the lot with the principal dwelling, leaving limited room for an accessory building within the coverage allowance. The maximum size for an accessory building (detached garage, workshop, garden suite) is 75 sq m (807 sq ft) or 12% of the lot area, whichever is less. Third, drainage: any building placed on a hillside lot must not redirect surface water onto neighbouring properties. The City's grading requirements are strict, and your building permit application will need to include a grading plan showing how stormwater will be managed around the new structure. Cost for a 24x24 detached garage on a hillside lot in Panorama Hills: $60,000-$100,000 (versus $40,000-$65,000 on a flat lot) due to the additional foundation and grading work.

Probably, yes — and the timing isn't coincidental. Panorama Hills was built out in concentrated phases, meaning entire streets of homes had their roofs installed within the same 1-2 year window using the same products. The 25-year architectural shingles that were standard in the early 2000s are reaching end of life community-wide. But don't replace your roof just because neighbours are. Instead, get an inspection. A qualified roofing contractor or independent home inspector can assess your shingles' remaining life. They're looking for: granule loss (the fine grit that protects asphalt from UV is wearing away, leaving dark patches), curling or cupping at shingle edges, cracked or broken shingles (especially on south-facing and west-facing slopes that take the most sun and wind), and any evidence of moisture intrusion in the attic space. If you do need a replacement, the wave of simultaneous re-roofing across Panorama Hills actually works in your favour for pricing. Roofing crews can work multiple homes on the same street in sequence, reducing their mobilization costs. Some contractors offer street discounts of 5-10% when they can book 3-5 homes in a row. Coordinate with your neighbours. For product selection, upgrade from the builder's original 25-year shingle to a Class 4 impact-resistant architectural shingle (GAF HDZ, CertainTeed Landmark IR, or IKO Dynasty). The Class 4 rating means the shingle has passed UL 2218 hail impact testing, and most insurance companies offer premium discounts of 15-25% for Class 4 roofing — in Calgary's hail-prone climate, this discount often pays for the cost premium ($1-$3/sq ft more than standard architectural) within 3-5 years. For a typical Panorama Hills two-storey home (1,800-2,500 sq ft of roof area), a full tear-off and Class 4 replacement runs $12,000-$22,000.

Calgary's May 2024 blanket rezoning to R-CG means you can build a secondary suite in Panorama Hills without a land-use redesignation — it's now a permitted use on all residential lots. You still need a building permit, and the suite must meet specific requirements under the Alberta Building Code and City of Calgary bylaws. Basement suites in Panorama Hills homes are the most common approach, and the community's housing stock is well-suited to it. Many homes have walk-out basements with at-grade access on the downhill side — this provides the separate entrance that a secondary suite requires without major construction. For homes without a walk-out, you'll need to create a separate entrance, typically by converting a basement window opening to a door opening on a side wall and adding an exterior stairwell. Budget $5,000-$12,000 for the entrance construction depending on complexity. Building code requirements for a secondary suite: fire separation between the suite and the main dwelling (5/8" Type X drywall on the ceiling, sealed at all penetrations), interconnected smoke alarms (hardwired with battery backup in both units), CO detectors near sleeping areas and furnace rooms, at least one bedroom with an egress window meeting the 3.77 sq ft minimum clear opening, and independent heating capability (the existing forced-air system can serve both units if ductwork is properly configured, or you can install a separate heating system for the suite). A full basement suite development in a Panorama Hills home typically costs $60,000-$100,000 including the separate entrance, one bedroom, one bathroom, kitchen with appliances, living area, in-suite laundry hookups, and all required fire separation and safety features. Rental income for a legal basement suite in the Northern Hills area ranges from $1,200-$1,800/month depending on size and finishes, providing a reasonable return on the investment.