Viceroy Homes: An Iconic Sight In Cottage Country

An Example of an Original Viceroy Home

Traveling around Cottage Country, one might notice a proliferation of “A-Frame” style architecture.

This design choice is one of the many iconic features of Cottage Country. This design lends itself to many benefits to homeowners, including panoramic views of waterfronts and creating a sense of grandeur since these window walls typically extend two stories from the main floor. Many of these designs can be seen in our listings.

This style of architecture is sometimes just referred to as an A-Frame home, but it is also more colloquially known as a “Viceroy” style home.

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An Example of a Viceroy Style Design

Founded in 1955 by the Lindal Family, the term Viceroy, aside from being a reference to an individual who is a lord or governor, became the name of the company Viceroy Homes Ltd.

The company used timber sourced from British Columbia and specialized in manufacturing “pre-fabricated” homes, where materials would be cut to length and processed before being shipped to the site to be assembled.

This process had many benefits for Cottage Country, especially on remote/water access properties where the constant back and forth for new materials was inconvenient and precarious.

Buyers could select from many designs and features and purchase the materials for entire homes.

Typically these homes would retail between $200 - $250 per square foot. (Figures as of 2016)

Branding for the company would appear on door handles and other accessories

The company had two plants, one based out of Richmond, B.C., and the other out of Port Hope, Ontario.

The company had sold more than 70,000 homes between the Canadian and International markets.

In 2012 Viceroy Homes was Acquired by Canada Wood Frame Solutions, an organization based In western Canada.

Since then the company has taken a downturn.

In Late 2014 workers and veteran builders noticed work was slowing down despite a push to expand home sales to the Chinese market.

Unfortunately work effectively ceased at the plants in Richmond and Port Hope.

Paychecks and Extended Health Benefits ceased as of Christmas 2014 and the company was reportedly in arrears for wages and health benefits. 

An Example of a Viceroy Style Design that is not an "original" Viceroy Build

Despite a cease in operations the term Viceroy lives on as a staple of Cottage Country.

Other Prefab manufacturers continue to advertise this style of home using the company's name given its ubiquity.

The enduring legacy of Viceroy Homes is demonstrated in the quality of its craftsmanship and now that the company is no longer producing homes the value of those original constructions has increased as collector's items.