Most new communities here in the Okanagan are being built into the slopes of a hillside or mountainside offering views & vistas of a glorious natural feature like a lake or simply a perspective of grand elevation from a height of land. Internal roadways are installed in a winding, or loose spiral configuration to gradually negotiate a considerable slope safely. This road system creates 2 distinctively different categories of home type.

One side of the street will have homes called walkups, grade level entry, Westcoast, high side, or raised bungalows. The opposite side of the street will have walkouts or low side, or conventional bungalows. The reference here is to bungalows because most hillside communities have height restrictions that preclude 2-storeys above ground on the low side of the street to protect the view site lines from across the street.

Walkups

With Walkups, you enter the home from street or grade level directly into the lower level [or basement] of the home. From inside, you walk up a flight of stairs to the main living area and from there you access the back yard at the rear of the home. The view is best appreciated from the front of the home, one level above street level, where there is usually a deck and lots of windows. Most often this is a “rooftop” vista or somewhat obstructed view.

Walkouts

With Walkouts, you enter the home from street or grade level directly into the main floor or main living area of the home. From inside, you walk down a flight of stairs to the basement or lower level and you access the back yard from there. The decks and prominent windows are at the rear of home where the view feature is best appreciated. This view will be only close-foreground obstructed or totally unobstructed.

When you choose your lot, you will know which general type of home can be built. However, it is only through input from your designer and Builder that you can appreciate the design and cost implications. Both types of hillside home may require site preparation, earth works, stilts, retaining walls or other drainage related items that will add to the cost of build.

Each developing hillside community, such as McKinley Beach only allows select builders like Alair Homes Kelowna to build in that community precisely because they are expert in the many nuances of hillside home construction.