Our philosophy: A war time home reno is a marriage of function and history.

We’re sure you are familiar with Ottawa war time homes, the historic 1-½ storey homes built between 1945 and 1960 that pepper our surrounding neighborhoods. To satisfy the demand for affordable housing after the war over 300,000 of these homes were built throughout Canada. The typical war time home has a ground level bedroom, two bedrooms tucked upstairs under the eaves, a small isolated kitchen, and a full bath on the first floor. Fortunately, many of these homes are situated on large lots, which make them perfect candidates for additions or whole house renovations.

Lagois’ approach towards renovating an Ottawa war time home is unique. Rather than tearing down the home and replacing it with an oversized home or duplex unit, we prefer to preserve it’s history by opening up the interiors to create integrated spaces for family living and create more efficient upper levels by adding dormers or altering rooflines. The result is a beautiful and functional home that fits in perfectly with its neighbors!

Here are a few Ottawa war time home renovations we are working on or have completed.

The transformation of this war home is truly amazing. With a tight lot and restrictive yard setbacks, we decided that an angled side addition would allow us to move the stairs out of the main living space and strategically place windows to bring more light into the new second and third levels. On the second floor we added three bedrooms and a bath. We also added a third level loft that functions as a family room and offers picturesque views of the Rideau Canal that were previously out of sight.

This home is much more open and bright and provides the necessary floor space this family needed for functional living.

Lagois Design Build Renovate is currently completing this war time reno in Westboro. The project includes a rear addition and second floor rebuild, plus a new kitchen and bathroom.

If you own an Ottawa war time home and have been considering a renovation, please contact us to schedule a consultation. We’d love to talk with you about your ideas on discuss how we can work together to improve your home’s functionality and beauty!