Building Community

Whether you’re interested in learning more about Victoria’s heritage homes or you own one yourself, VHF has the resources to answer your questions.

GIS Map

Explore VHF’s award-winning Heritage Neighbourhoods GIS (Geographic Information System) map. Click “View Larger Map” above for a larger version with more layers and functions. In this map you can activate additional layers from the “Contents” tab, including “Aerial Photo” which will allow you to zoom in to the rooftops.

Move around the map, zoom in and out, and click on the icons to learn more about the properties on the City of Victoria’s Heritage Register. This will open a pop-up box with a thumbnail of each property and links to a more detailed description from the Victoria Heritage Foundation’s four-volume series This Old House, Victoria’s Heritage Neighbourhoods.

Although not covered in the Victoria Heritage Foundation’s This Old House series, Downtown commercial, industrial, institutional or apartment Heritage Register properties are included with links to their Statement of Significance on the Canadian Register of Historic Places, where available.

Glossary

Discover the architectural terminology you can use during your next tour of heritage homes. This glossary will deepen your understanding of the various design elements that make each property special. If you’re not already familiar with the language of housing design, this glossary makes a handy reference. By expanding your vocabulary and knowledge base, you can clearly articulate what you love about each home you see.

Alphabetically Ordered Terms

A - C
D - F
G - I
J - L
M - O
P - R
S - U
V - Z

Architrave – beam that spans from column to column.

Asphalt Shingle – mixture of bitumen and crushed rock, used as cladding for exterior walls or roofs.
Astragal – small semi-circular moulding or beading; one application is to the outside of a fence, at the point where the pickets are attached to the inside rail.
Balcony – railed platform projecting from wall, generally in front of a door or window.
Baluster – one of a row of vertical members supporting a handrail.
Balustrade – row comprising balusters topped with a handrail, sometimes having a bottom rail; used on verandahs, porches and stairways.
Bargeboard (vergeboard) – plain or decorative board fixed beneath the eaves of a gable to cover horizontal roof timbers or rafters.
Barn Sash – double-hung sash windows, each with four or six panes of glass, panes separated by muntins.
Basement – storey beneath main floor, either above or below grade.
Batten – narrow strip of wood covering joints as in board-and-batten siding.
Battered – inward tilt of wall or pier from base upwards.
Bay – window section which projects from building face, usually built from ground level, but can be jettied or cantilevered; may vary in shape – bow (curved), angled, boxed, etc.; may be one or more storeys.
Beaded or Beading – small semicircular moulding, frequently with beads and reels; astragal is one type of beading.
Bellcast – flared bottom edge of a roof or wall surface.
Belt Course – wide string course.
Bevel – sloping surface, usually on an edge.
Board-and-Batten – siding which consists of wide vertical boards nailed edge to edge, with the joints covered by narrow strips of wood (battens).
Bollard – short metal or concrete post used to tie up a boat or to restrict access, ie: vehicular.
Boxed Day – squared off bay window section; frequently cantilevered.
Bracket – projecting support from a wall, column or post; may be plain, moulded, turned or carved.
Bullnose – rounded edge on siding or front edge of stair treads.
Canopy – wide projection over doorway or window.
Cantilever – projecting beam or other member supported only one end.
Capital – decorative (moulded, turned or carved) top of column or pilaster.
Casement – window hung on frame by hinges on one of its vertical sides.
Chamfered – angled or edge cut on diagonal (bevelled).
Cladding – exterior wall covering of various materials.
Clapboard – thin, angled (thicker on bottom than top), board used to cover the exterior walls of timber-framed buildings; weatherboarding.
Clerestory – upper row of small windows or openings above main windows of a level, used for light and ventilation.
Clinker Brick – misshapen, overburned brick, used as decorative elements on Arts & Crafts buildings.
Colonette – small column, usually decorative.
Column – vertical member designed either to carry weight of projecting upper level or used as decorative element; consists of base, shaft and capital.
Coping – protective capping of brick, stone or metal on the top of a wall.
Concrete Block – concrete moulded into blocks, sometimes patterned to replicate masonry.
Corbel – projecting block or bracket built into a wall, used to support something above.
Corbelling – series of projections, each extending further outwards than the last, frequently found on the tops of chimney stacks.
Corner Board – board placed vertically over siding at the corner of an exterior wall to provide a neater appearance and protect the ends of the siding.
Cornice – projecting ornamental moulding along the top of a building, wall or arch.
Course – continuous layer of horizontal wood or brick.
Cove – concave junction between ceiling and wall.
Crawlspace – area inside raised foundation, used for ventilation and access to floor timbers, pipes, etc.
Crenellated – having battlements, a pattern of repeated indentations.
Cresting – moulded, turned, carved or cut row of decoration along roof ridge.
Cross-Axial – building plan with overlapping sections or wings at right angles to one another.
Cupola – small structure on a roof, used as lookout or for ventilation, frequently hemispherical on circular or polygonal drum.
Cutwork – carpenter decoration in which part of the wood is cut away, as in embroidery cutwork.
dentil – a small, ornamental block used in rows, resembling a row of teeth.
dentilated (denticulated) – ornamented or embellished with dentils, as in a cornice or gable moulding.
dormer – structure containing windows, which projects from roof slope, and has a flat, sloping (shed), gabled, hipped or other shape of roof.
unevenly-coursed shingles – two rows of shingles laid close together, creating a rhythmic pattern, more frequently used on walls than roofs.
double-bevelled siding – exterior wall cladding consisting of a single drop siding board, usually ship-lapped, milled to present the shadow lines of two boards. Commonly used by 1910. Also referred to as double-wave or double ogee siding.
double-glazed – window with two panes of glass set apart in the same sash.
double-hung sash windows – window with two sashes hung in same frame; by use of
weight-and-pulley system, one sash goes up and the other, down.
dowel, dowelling – pin of metal or wood used to secure two members together.
drop finial (pendant) – ornamental feature placed inside apex of roof, below wall overhang, etc.
drop siding – horizontal exterior wall cladding, usually shiplapped, but sometimes with tongue and groove versions. Also referred to as channel siding.
duckboard – platform of slats or duckboards laid on cold or wet surface to form a pathway.
duroid – type of asphalt shingle.
eave – lower edge of roof.
elevation – face or facade of building, or drawing of face.
entablature – band of horizontal elements above column capitals, composed of architrave, frieze, and cornice.
entasis – slight convex curve on columns and other structures used to create optical illusion and make sides appear straight; sometimes exaggerated for decorative effect.
façade – face or side of building; most often used when describing the front of a building.
fanlight –  window in arched opening over door.
fascia – horizontal board which covers rafter ends along eaves of roof.
fenestration – window arrangement on building facade.
finial – ornamental feature placed at apex of gable, hip, etc., or (rarely) where bottom of gable meets eaves.
floor plan – scale drawing of arrangement of rooms, etc., of one level of a building.
frieze – decorative horizontal band at top of exterior and interior walls below cornice, or as porch cornices.
gable – triangular top of exterior wall at end of ridged roof.
gable roof – peak formed with single slope on either side of ridge.
gambrel roof – roof with pair of shallow pitched slopes above steeply pitched slopes either side of ridge.
half-hipped gable – gable with top truncated or clipped back to ridge; also called jerkinhead gable.
hip – angle formed by intersection of two sloping roof surfaces.
hipped roof – roof with surfaces sloping in four directions; can be pyramidal, ridged or flat-topped.
hood moulding – projection from a wall above a doorway or window to keep rain away from opening.
horn – projecting upper or lower ends on side bars of moveable window sash which prevent sash from hitting upper rail or sill of window frame.

jerkinhead gable – half-hipped gable.
jettied (jettyed) – projection of an upper storey or other member of a structure over the part below.
keep – chief tower of a castle.
keystone – highest and central stone, frequently wedge-shaped, of an arch.
lancet window – long, narrow window topped by pointed arch.
larder – small room where food is kept (pantry).
lintel – horizontal member laid across top of doorway or window opening to support wall above.

mansard roof – two-pitched roof with steep lower slope that rises from all facades of a building; generally has many windows in lower slope.
modillion – horizontal ornamental block or bracket under eaves.
mortar – mixture of lime, plaster or cement, fine sand and water, used for bonding and pointing brick or stone.
moulding (molding) – decorative finishing strip.
mullion – vertical bar of wood, metal or stone which divides a window into two or more parts.
muntin (also munton bar, sash bar) – thin strip of wood holding panes of glass in window.
newel (newel post) – principal supporting post for handrail at bottom or angle of staircase.
oriel – small curved or angled window section, projecting outward from wall and supported by brackets.

Palladian window – window consisting of central arched sash flanked by smaller side lights, not arched; aka: Venetian or Diocletian window.
pantry – small room where food, dishes, etc., are kept.
parapet – low wall around roof or platform.
parged, parging – covering of exterior element, such as a chimney, with mortar or form of stucco.
pebbledash, pebble-dash – external plaster or stucco normally consisting of two coats in
which pebbles or gravel are thrown into second coat before it has set.
pediment – low-pitched triangular end or gable above portico, door or window.
pendant – hanging ornament.
pent roof – visor-like roof that projects from wall.
pergola – open grid, supported by rows of columns or other upright members, for growing vines, etc.
piano window – small horizontal window high in the wall of main level, under which upright piano can be placed on interior wall; generally in living or dining rooms.
picket fence – fence with vertical pointed flat, square or round members.
pièce-sur-pièce – French Canadian type of log construction favoured by the Hudson’s Bay Company: a dressed timber frame structure with horizontal log infill, the logs notched at both ends and slid down the uprights.
pier – vertical supporting member, frequently battered and beneath posts or columns, as on porch or verandah.
pilaster – flat column against face of wall; usually projects no more than one-third to one-half its width.
pitched roof – roof with sloping sides.
pointing – finishing of rough mortar joints in masonry with special fine, strong mortar, shaped with special tools, usually coloured to contrast with brick or masonry.
porch – small, projecting, covered entrance to building; may be open, screened, or glass-enclosed.
porte-cochère – covered area over driveway at building entrance.
quarter-round – small moulding or beading which is one-quarter of circle in section, often used at junction of floor and baseboard.
quatrefoil – leaf-like motif with four lobes or circular areas; frequently the form of decorative windows.
Queen Anne sash or window – large glass pane edged with many small panes of square or rectangular glass, frequently coloured.
quoins – large stones or bricks which accentuate corners of a building; laid vertically, frequently alternating short and long blocks.
rake – slope of gable, pediment, staircase, floor (frequently in theatres).
raking moulding – moulding that follows slope of gable.
return (cornice return) – continuation of moulding, where bottom of raking moulding on a gable is carried a short distance back and horizontally towards centre of gable.
riser – vertical portion of stair step; can be open riser.
roughcast – exterior plaster or stucco with rough aggregate (gravel, broken bottle glass, etc.) thrown in, such as pebbledash.

saddlebag dormers – pair of low-slung, shed-roofed dormers, on either side of a roof ridge.
sash – window frame which slides open vertically.
scullery – small room off kitchen where dishes, cutlery, etc., are washed or cleaned.
section – drawing illustrating view if structure were cut vertically, and interior exposed.
segmental arch – arch in which the curve is a segment of a circle but less than a semicircle.
shake – large, split wooden (generally cedar) tile used as wall or roof cladding; thicker and more rustic than shingle, and not tapered.
sheathing – material used to enclose and strengthen walls.
shed roof – roof consisting of a single slope.
shingle – sawn, tapered wooden (generally cedar) or asphalt tile used for exterior wall or roof cladding.
shiplap – grooved, interlocking boards laid diagonally over timber structure, as base for external wall cladding.
sidelight – narrow windows on one or both sides of entry door.
sill – structural framing member on bottom of door or window.
soffit – enclosed underside of overhanging eave.
spindle – decoratively turned or circular member in balustrade, porch frieze or gable decoration, etc.
spire – pointed top part of tower or steeple.
steeple – high tower of church.
storm window – supplementary window, put within same frame either outside or inside, to prevent loss of heat in winter and as sound barrier; if placed outside, it also protects main sash from effects of weathering.
stringcourse, string course – horizontal division of a building marked by band of wood, brick, metal or stone running across face of building (belt course).
tar paper – heavy building paper coated with tar to make it waterproof, used on walls and roofs, generally between layers.
terracotta – fired ceramic tile used as decorative architectural element.
transom window – small window or series of panes above door or window.
tread – horizontal portion of individual stair step.
trellis – lath lattice used as screen.
tongue-and-groove (T&G) – boards which join together by rib (tongue) on long edge of one board locking into groove on long edge of next board.
tripartite – composed of or divided into three parts.
trefoil – leaf-like motif with three lobes or circular areas.
truncated – top or end cut off, shortened or abbreviated.
Tudor arch – late-medieval style of flattened arch with vertical sides, rounded shoulders and a point.
turret – small slender tower, frequently at building corner.
tuscan column – simplest order of Classical styles, unfluted with plain round capital and base.
tympanum – triangular space enclosed within pediment.

V-joint – tongue-and-groove boards with chamfered edges on top side of boards.
verandah – large roofed space (sometimes a big porch) attached to exterior wall of house, with roof supported by columns, posts or piers.
vernacular – structure built or designed by someone without formal training, structure not conforming to established styles except possibly in some ornamental details.
wainscoting (wainscotting) – panelling, usually wooden, on lower portion (wainscot) of interior walls.
wall dormer – dormer flush with face of wall, or rising up from wall, breaking through eaves and roof plane.
water-table, water table – horizontal wooden or metal strip set at angle between exterior wall cladding, between main and lower levels, to divert water away from foundation.
whitewash – water-soluble white liquid, usually of lime and water, which was used as paint on walls and fences.
widow’s walk – flat top of roof and its surrounding cresting or parapet.

Heritage Houses & Insurance

There have been recurring questions regarding the escalating costs and availability of property insurance for heritage houses. In addition, it has become evident that in relation to Heritage-Designated properties, some clarification may be helpful.

What Does Heritage Designation Mean?

There are over 600 houses that are listed on the City of Victoria Register of Heritage Properties. Approximately 400 are Heritage-Designated and 200 are Heritage-Registered.

A Heritage-Registered property does not have legal protection and Council approval is not required for maintenance or alterations to a Heritage-Registered property that is not located within a Development Permit Area or Heritage Conservation Area.

A Heritage-Designated property is protected through a municipal heritage designation bylaw and may not be altered or demolished without Council approval.

A heritage property is not designated because of its age, but rather, by its heritage value.

The intent of designation is to preserve the historic, physical, contextual or other community heritage value of a property.

Most designations cover only the exterior of the building, not the interior. For properties whose interiors are not designated, the owner is free to alter the interior, provided that it does not impact the exterior of the building and it satisfies applicable building codes.

Owners of Heritage-Designated properties should consult the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada (Government of Canada, 2010) to determine what changes are acceptable and the appropriate design approach in order to ensure the conservation of heritage values.

If a designated building is completely or substantially destroyed, it is most likely that the heritage values associated with the property would also be destroyed. When heritage values no longer exist, the corresponding designation bylaw that designated the property would have no relevance. In addition, a designation bylaw does not oblige the owner to replicate any lost heritage attributes. A replacement building, for example, can be of a different design.

Will Heritage Designation Affect My Home Insurance?

In recent years home insurance rates have escalated across the board affecting all properties within certain areas.

Due to recent natural disasters around the world, home insurance companies have reassessed risks, tightened their underwriting criteria, and some insurers are reluctant to take on risks that may not have been a concern in the past.

Insurers are looking for ways to minimize their risks.

Given the above clarifications as to what heritage designation means, designation itself should not place additional requirements on the insurer and therefore should not affect premiums.

A variety of other reasons may cause insurance companies to increase premiums for older buildings if there is a higher level of risk, such as out-dated wiring, old heating systems, etc. These risks are not unique to heritage houses. Many hazards (aluminum wiring, certain types of plastic water pipe, asbestos, vermiculite insulation) are often found in newer houses.

Since there are no insurance industry standards, each insurance company can develop their own policy requirements.

Some insurance companies may not insure heritage houses or those over a certain age.

Several companies will insure older houses. Some may carry out site inspections to identify specific perceived risks which can then be addressed.

As with any insurance plan, it’s best to research the various insurance providers in order to find the most competitive rate and best service from your insurer.

If you are having issues with insuring your heritage house in Victoria, we may be able to assist by providing names of companies that have been heritage-friendly, based on reviews from other heritage homeowners.