Contents 18 sections
- What we found
- How do they compare side by side
- What does that mean on a 33 ft lot
- What does that mean on a 50 ft lot
- What does the same 33 ft lot produce each way
- How do the buildings differ in design
- How do fees change with the number of homes
- What are the family-size home rules
- How long does each option take
- How does ownership differ
- Which one gets the GST rental rebate
- What are the building and risk trade-offs
- How does the choice change in other cities
- What if you want to stay on the property
- What should you ask before choosing
- Which suits your goal
- Questions
- Sources
In Vancouver’s R1-1 zone, a duplex gets 0.70 FSR and up to four homes with suites. A triplex or multiplex gets 1.00 FSR. That’s about 43% more floor area, for three to six homes you can sell, or up to eight rentals. A duplex is simpler. A multiplex usually creates more value. In 2026, multiplex permits passed duplex permits for the first time.
What we found
From our analysis of City of Vancouver building permits, up to October 2, 2026:
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157
Multiplex permits in 2026, against 131 for duplexes and 112 for new houses. It’s the first year multiplexes came out ahead.
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−74%
Fewer new-house permits in 2025 than in 2017 (180 against 698). Owners are building more homes per lot.
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184
Laneway house permits in 2026, still the most common new building on low-density lots.
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43%
More floor area for a multiplex than a duplex on the same R1-1 lot (1.00 FSR against 0.70).
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3.6
Homes in the average multiplex project, from projects whose permits list the count. Most have three or four.
- Multiplex
T-City analysis of City of Vancouver open data: issued building permits, January 2017 to October 2, 2026. Multiplexes: “Multiple Dwelling” permits in the low-density category
How do they compare side by side?
These R1-1 numbers separate the three options:
| Item | Duplex | Triplex | Multiplex (4–6, or up to 8 rental) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Floor space ratio | 0.70 | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Narrowest frontage | 7.3 m | 10.0 m (no more than 13.3 m) | 10.0 m for 4 · 13.4 m for 5 · 15.1 m for 6–8 |
| Smallest lot | 306 m² | 306 m² (no more than 463 m²) | 306 m² for 4 · 464 m² for 5 · 557 m² for 6–8 |
| Homes you can sell | 2 (suites stay on title) | 3 | 4 to 6 |
| Other conditions | Up to 2 suites or lock-offs | Lane access, 30.4 m deep, not in the flood plain | Same, plus family-size home rules |
What does that mean on a 33 ft lot?
A standard 33 by 122 ft lot (374 m²) with a lane qualifies for all three. As a duplex, you get about 2,820 sq ft. As a triplex or fourplex, about 4,026 sq ft. It can’t take five homes: that needs 13.4 m of frontage, and a 33 ft lot is 10.06 m wide.
That extra 1,200 sq ft is the whole case for a multiplex. Split four ways, it makes four homes of about 1,000 sq ft, each with its own title. A duplex makes two halves of about 1,410 sq ft, plus suites. Which is worth more depends on your market and plans, not just floor area.
What does that mean on a 50 ft lot?
On a 50 by 122 ft lot (566.7 m², 15.24 m wide), you can build six homes to sell, or up to eight rentals, at about 6,100 sq ft. A triplex isn’t allowed there. A three-home multiplex is capped at 463 m² of lot and 13.3 m of frontage.
Two more rules apply on bigger lots. A six-home strata building needs at least three homes with two or more bedrooms. And on the west side, lots west of Ontario Street and Carrall Street that are at least 623 m² and 17.1 m wide must give 5% of their floor area to social housing, or pay cash instead. All-rental projects are exempt. A standard 50 by 122 ft lot is under 623 m². Bigger west side lots may not be.
What does the same 33 ft lot produce each way?
Here are the options side by side on one standard 33 by 122 ft lot with a lane:
| Option | Homes | Floor area | Titles you can sell |
|---|---|---|---|
| House + suite + laneway house | 3 | House about 2,415 sq ft, laneway about 1,000 sq ft | 1 |
| Duplex with 2 suites | 4 | About 2,820 sq ft in total | 2 |
| Triplex | 3 | About 4,026 sq ft | 3 |
| Fourplex | 4 | About 4,026 sq ft | 4 |
The laneway option keeps your house and disrupts the least. See what a laneway house costs. The duplex gives two big homes with suite income. The triplex and fourplex give the most floor area and the most titles, but the building is bigger and more complex.
How do the buildings differ in design?
A duplex is two homes, side by side or front to back. Each usually runs from the ground up.
A triplex or fourplex fits more homes in the same space. So some homes are often stacked, one above another. Or they’re split between a front building and a back building around a courtyard.
Stacking changes how homes live. Upper homes need their own stairs or entrance. Fire and sound walls run between floors as well as between homes. Homes with their own front door at ground level sell well, but need width.
None of this makes a multiplex harder to live in. It makes it harder to design well. That’s why the floor plan deserves the most attention on a multiplex.
How do fees change with the number of homes?
Vancouver’s City levy is charged per square metre, so it follows floor area. On a 33 ft lot, it’s about $21,200 for a duplex and about $30,300 for a triplex or fourplex. Metro Vancouver and TransLink charge per home, so every extra home adds to the bill.
Other cities differ. Burnaby charges $81,833 per main home for a house or duplex, and doesn’t charge for suites. A triplex or multiplex pays $56,297 on every home. So a duplex with two suites (four homes) pays $163,666. A triplex (three homes) pays $168,891. In Burnaby, the fees alone can favour the duplex. In Vancouver, a fourplex pays about $130,500 in charges: see what a multiplex costs.
What are the family-size home rules?
Vancouver wants bigger multiplexes to include homes for families, so R1-1 sets bedroom minimums. In a triplex, at least two of the three homes need two or more bedrooms. If all three are rentals, only one does. In a six-home strata building, at least three homes need two or more bedrooms.
A duplex has no such rule, because each half is already a family home. For a multiplex, the rule shapes the plan. Two-bedroom homes take more space, so the mix of home sizes and their prices have to be worked out together.
How long does each option take?
A duplex is usually the fastest to design and build, because it’s the smallest, simplest building. Our analysis of City permit data found a median of 130 days from application to permit for a duplex in 2026, against 192 days for a multiplex project. The City’s new fast-track has cut some multiplex approvals in half, but the gap is still there.
A bigger building also takes longer to build. And five or more strata homes need a disclosure statement before you can market them. If selling quickly matters most, a duplex or fourplex is usually the faster route.
How does ownership differ?
This is where the options really split:
- Duplex with suites. Two titles. The suites stay on the same title as their half. You can rent them, not sell them
- Triplex or fourplex. Three or four titles, each sold on its own. Under five homes, no disclosure statement is needed
- Five or six strata homes. Five or more makes it a “development property” under BC law. A disclosure statement is filed before you market the homes
- Rental multiplex. Up to eight homes on one title, kept as rentals. The owner can live in one
A disclosure statement is real work: legal costs and time before you can sell. That’s one reason many projects stop at four homes. See what strata titling costs.
Which one gets the GST rental rebate?
This matters if you plan to rent. The federal government refunds 100% of the GST on new rental buildings that qualify. The building needs at least four homes, each with its own kitchen, bathroom and living area. At least 90% must be long-term rentals.
A duplex with suites doesn’t qualify. A rental multiplex of four or more homes may. For a landlord with a wide lot, that can tip the choice. Check the details with your accountant first.
What are the building and risk trade-offs?
More homes means more of everything: kitchens, bathrooms, fire walls, entrances, electrical services and meters. Each adds cost and work. A bigger building takes longer to build and to sell. A duplex has fewer moving parts and two big homes that are easier to price.
Selling is the other risk. Four smaller homes may sell faster than two big ones in some markets, and slower in others. A duplex is easier to hold if prices dip, because two suites bring in rent while you wait. See what new duplex halves sell for. There’s no single right answer, so we model the options for your lot side by side.
How does the choice change in other cities?
The same comparison plays out differently across Metro Vancouver:
- Burnaby. No FSR cap. A duplex with suites pays city charges on two homes, not four. Six homes are possible near frequent transit
- Richmond. The same floor area whatever the number of homes. An architect is required from five homes. Six homes come with an affordable housing contribution
- Surrey. A three- or four-home houseplex needs a corner, through or lane lot. Duplexes made up 71% of homes approved under the new rules up to July 2026
- Coquitlam. Four homes is the most. The floor area rises from 0.65 to 0.75 when you go from two homes to three
- City of North Vancouver. Up to six homes in central Low Rise Neighbourhood 2 areas, at 1.0 FSR
- New Westminster. More homes earn more floor area: 0.6 FSR for two homes, up to 1.0 for five or six
- Port Coquitlam. A triplex is only allowed near frequent buses, so most lots choose a duplex with suites
- Delta. No fourplex building. Four homes come from a house or duplex, suites, and garden suites or coach houses
What if you want to stay on the property?
Then the choice changes. A duplex or multiplex means tearing down your house and moving out for the whole build. A laneway house, or a suite, lets you keep your house and stay in it.
For owners who want to stay, the real choice is often this. Keep the house and add a laneway home now. Or rebuild as a duplex or multiplex and move into one of the new homes later. The first is faster and easier. The second creates more homes and more value, but you need somewhere to live in the meantime.
In Vancouver, a laneway house can’t be added to a duplex or multiplex later. So choosing the laneway now shapes the lot for years. We lay out both paths before you decide.
What should you ask before choosing?
These questions settle most decisions:
- Do you want to live on the property after it’s built?
- Do you plan to sell every home, some of them, or none?
- How wide and deep is the lot? Does it have a lane?
- Is it west of Ontario Street, and over 623 m²?
- How much can you borrow, and how long can you carry the project before selling?
- Would suite rent help while you wait to sell or refinance?
- How much market risk are you comfortable with?
Your answers, plus the lot’s numbers, usually point to one option. Where two stay close, we price both.
Which suits your goal?
Start with what you want the property to do:
- Live in one, rent the rest, keep it simple. A duplex with suites: two big homes, two rentals, one simple building
- Sell every home. A triplex or fourplex. Every home gets its own title, and 1.00 FSR gives you more to sell
- Rent long term. A rental multiplex on a wide lot, up to eight homes. You can live in one
- Keep your house. A laneway house or suite, or keep a character house and add infill
More homes aren’t always better. Each one adds a kitchen, bathrooms, walls, services and charges. The right answer depends on your lot, budget and plans. That’s exactly what a feasibility study sets out.
Sources
Every outside figure traces to one of these pages, all opened on September 21, 2026. Rates and fee schedules change, so we recheck them for your lot during feasibility.
- City of Vancouver Open Data: Issued building permits (January 2017 to October 2, 2026)
- Vancouver R1-1 District Schedule (June 2026)
- Vancouver Zoning By-law Section 11, s.11.3.8
- City of Vancouver DCL Bulletin (amended Aug 25, 2026)
- City of Burnaby: Development & Amenity Cost Charges
- Real Estate Development Marketing Act, s.1
- CRA: GST/HST purpose-built rental housing rebate
- City of Vancouver: Multiplex approvals 50% faster (June 2026)
