Duplexes
Building a Duplex in Vancouver
The rules, the fees, the permit timeline and the build, from the team that designs and builds duplexes on one contract.
- 0.70
- FSR in Vancouver R1-1
- Up to 4
- homes, with a suite in each half
- 20.0 wks
- median City permit time
- 25+ yrs
- Family building experience
Drag to compare
See the Difference
A duplex puts two self-contained homes on a single lot, either side by side or front to back. Under British Columbia’s small-scale multi-unit housing rules most Greater Vancouver lots now permit at least three units outright, so a duplex is usually the most conservative thing you can build — and often the fastest to permit.
Before
After
- 01
Two homes, or four
Side-by-side or front-to-back, with an optional secondary suite in each half.
- 02
Simple to strata and sell
Each half can be strata titled, so you can live in one and sell or rent the other.
- 03
Permitted outright
Allowed without rezoning on most Vancouver R1-1 lots of 306 m² or more.
- 04
One contract
Design, permits and construction under one contract, with the price in writing before we break ground.
Two layouts
Two Ways to Split a Lot
Side by side or front to back. Lot width, the lane and how you plan to use each half usually decide it.
Side-by-Side Duplex
Two homes share one party wall and both face the street, each with its own front door, yard and address.
- Layout:
- Mirror-image halves running from the street to the lane.
- Suites:
- Each half can add a secondary suite: up to four homes.
- Title:
- Two strata lots, simple to sell or rent separately.
Front-to-Back Duplex
One home faces the street and the other faces the lane, with a courtyard between them.
- Layout:
- Two separate buildings, or one long building split across the lot.
- Suites:
- Each half can add a secondary suite.
- Fits:
- Lots where width is tight but depth and a lane are not.
The details
Everything to Know Before You Build
Rules, costs and timelines, checked against each city’s own bylaws and fee schedules.
01
What is a duplex, and how is it different from a multiplex?
A duplex is two dwelling units on one lot. A multiplex is three or more. The distinction matters less than it used to: since Bill 44 came into force, municipalities across BC have had to allow small-scale multi-unit housing in areas that were previously restricted to single detached houses, which means a duplex is rarely the ceiling of what your lot allows.
Duplexes are still the right answer for plenty of owners. They keep unit counts low, produce larger individual homes, avoid the parking and massing complexity of a six-unit building, and are the simplest form to strata title and sell. If your goal is one home to live in and one to sell or rent, a duplex is usually the cleanest route to it.
02
How many units can I actually build on my lot?
Provincial rules set the floor, and your municipality sets the detail. The provincial framework requires municipalities to allow three dwelling units on lots of 280 m² (3,014 sq ft) or less, and four units on lots between 280 m² and 4,050 m² (one acre). Where a lot sits within 400 m of a bus stop with frequent service — every 15 minutes or better — up to six units are permitted on lots in that same size range, and minimum parking requirements are removed entirely.
That is the provincial minimum a municipality must permit, not a cap on what makes sense. Frontage, setbacks, floor space ratio, tree retention and servicing all shape what actually fits. This is exactly what a feasibility study is for.
Key points
- Lots under 280 m² (3,014 sq ft): three units
- Lots 280 m² to 4,050 m²: four units
- Within 400 m of frequent transit: up to six units, no minimum parking
03
What are the duplex rules in Vancouver?
In Vancouver’s R1-1 zone a duplex is permitted outright. It can hold two strata homes, and each half can add one secondary suite, so a duplex can reach four homes without becoming a multiplex. Suites stay on the same title as their half, so they can be rented but not sold separately.
| Rule | Duplex in R1-1 |
|---|---|
| Floor space ratio | 0.70 |
| Minimum site area | 306 m² (3,294 sq ft) |
| Minimum frontage | 7.3 m (24 ft) |
| Height | 11.5 m (38 ft) and 3 storeys. The third storey is a partial storey, no more than 50% of the floor below |
| Site coverage | 50% of the site. Hard surfaces no more than 75% |
| Suites | Up to 1 secondary suite per duplex unit, as a conditional approval |
| Laneway house | Not permitted with a duplex. A laneway house only goes with a single detached house |
On a standard 33 ft by 122 ft lot (374 m²), 0.70 FSR works out to about 2,820 sq ft of floor area across both halves, before exclusions. A multiplex on the same lot is allowed 1.00 FSR, so it’s worth comparing the two before choosing.
04
What does the duplex build process look like?
Our process is the same six steps on every project, from a laneway suite to a six-unit multiplex. We start by listening and running a feasibility study on your lot. Our in-house team then takes the design from concept to permit drawings, and we act as your representative through the city permit process so you are not the one chasing the file.
Interior design meetings begin while permits are in motion, so nothing waits on anything else. Before construction starts we set out the price and the schedule in writing. Once we break ground you get daily photo and video updates through a private client portal.
05
What drives the cost of a duplex build?
We quote after feasibility and design, not before, because an honest number depends on things that are specific to your lot. The variables that move a duplex budget most are site conditions, form, and finish level.
Site conditions come first: slope, soil, tree retention, and whether existing services can be reused or have to be upgraded. Form matters next — a side-by-side duplex on a wide lot builds differently from a front-to-back on a narrow one. Then finishes, which is the part owners have the most control over and the part we work through with you during interior design.
Key points
- Site conditions: slope, soil, servicing, tree retention and demolition
- Form and layout: side-by-side versus front-to-back, and unit sizes
- Structure and envelope: foundation type, framing complexity, glazing
- Finish level: kitchens, bathrooms, millwork and flooring
- Whether units are strata titled for sale or held as rentals
06
How long does a duplex permit take in Vancouver?
The City’s own data shows a median of 20.0 weeks from application to issued permit for new low-density homes, including duplexes, based on 60 permits issued in August 2026. Complete, well-coordinated applications move fastest, and that is the part a builder controls.
The City’s process runs in this order, and we manage each step as your representative:
Construction follows once the permit is issued. We set the construction schedule and a target move-in date before we break ground, and you can follow progress against it daily in the client portal.
Key points
- Check eligibility. Zoning, lot dimensions, trees, and site issues such as aquifers, underground tanks or archaeological sites
- Sewer and water connection permit. This must be applied for before the development and building permit
- Apply. One combined development and building permit, plus a demolition permit if a house is coming down
- Pay fees and meet conditions. Development cost levies and regional charges are paid before the permit is issued
- Permit issued. Work must start within 6 months, and trade permits (plumbing, electrical, gas, sprinklers) follow
- Build and inspect. Inspections at each stage, then an occupancy permit
07
What city and regional fees does a Vancouver duplex pay?
More than most owners expect, and they are due before the permit is issued. For a typical 33 by 122 ft lot built out to the 0.70 FSR duplex limit (about 262 m² of floor area), the 2026 charges look like this:
| Charge | Rate | Duplex estimate |
|---|---|---|
| City-wide DCL + Utilities DCL | $81.13/m² ($7.53/sq ft) | about $21,200 |
| Metro Vancouver sewerage DCC | $10,498 per home | $20,996 |
| Metro Vancouver water DCC | $10,952 per home | $21,904 |
| Metro Vancouver parkland DCC | $491 per home | $982 |
| TransLink DCC | $2,837 per duplex home | $5,674 |
| Total | about $70,800 |
On top of that come permit fees, the sewer and water connection, and Vancouver’s new Amenity Cost Charge from September 30, 2026. Metro Vancouver’s rates rise on January 1, 2027: sewerage to $11,553, water to $15,532 and parkland to $1,237 per home. That adds about $12,800 to the same duplex, so the date your permit is issued matters. An application already in progress can sometimes keep the earlier rate.
08
What energy rules apply to a new duplex?
Vancouver’s building by-law requires electric space heating and hot water in most new low-rise homes, which in practice means heat pumps. A duplex can still have gas for an unenclosed exterior space, such as a patio heater or barbecue. Every new home also needs an Energy Advisor, an EnerGuide energy model, a blower door test and a final evaluation, so these are built into our design and schedule from the start.
09
What warranty comes with a T-City duplex?
New homes built by a BC Housing Licensed Residential Builder must carry third-party home warranty insurance, known as 2-5-10 coverage: materials and labour for 12 months on most defects (24 months for major systems such as electrical, plumbing and heating), 5 years on the building envelope, including water penetration, and 10 years on structure.
We confirm the warranty provider and policy for your home in writing before construction starts.
Project showcase
From Vision to Reality.
The journey
How We Work
A clear, step-by-step process from the first lot check to the day you get the keys.
01
Lot check & feasibility
Zoning, frontage, site area, trees and servicing, checked before any design money is spent.
01 / 0602
Architectural design
In-house design to your zone’s rules, with suites, layout and energy needs planned from the first sketch.
02 / 0603
Permits
Sewer and water connection permit first, then the development and building permit, with us as your representative.
03 / 0604
Interior design
Finishes chosen while the permit is in review, so the two run side by side.
04 / 0605
Price & schedule in writing
A quote that sets out what is included, and a schedule with a target move-in date.
05 / 0606
Construction & keys
Daily photo and video updates in your client portal, inspections at each stage, then the keys.
06 / 06The T-City promise
One Team, No Surprises.
Most delays and surprise costs start in the handoffs between a designer, a permit consultant and a builder. We keep all three with one team, and put the price in writing first.
Price in writing. The price and schedule are set out in writing before we break ground.
One contract. Design, permits and construction with one team, so nothing falls between consultants.
Rules checked at the source. Every zoning figure is checked against the city’s own bylaw before design starts.
Daily updates. Photos and video from site in your private client portal.
Questions about warranty or after-care?
Ask Our Team“The team was professional, helpful, and easy to work with throughout the process. They paid attention to the details, communicated well, and made sure everything was done properly.”
Common questions
Questions, Answered.
Can I build a duplex without rezoning in Vancouver?
In most cases yes. Since the provincial small-scale multi-unit housing legislation, municipalities have had to permit multiple units on lots that were previously restricted to single detached houses, without a rezoning application. A feasibility study on your specific lot confirms it.
Can each half of a duplex be sold separately?
Yes, if the duplex is strata titled. Stratification is a separate legal process from the building permit, and we factor it into the schedule from the start so it does not hold up your completion.
Is a duplex or a fourplex a better return on my lot?
It depends on lot size, frontage, transit proximity and what you intend to do with the units. More units is not automatically better once parking, massing and construction complexity are priced in. The feasibility study compares the realistic options on your lot side by side.
Do I have to demolish the existing house?
Usually, though not always. Some lots suit retaining and converting the existing home while adding units. Which is cheaper depends heavily on the condition of the existing structure, and we assess it during feasibility.
Do you build duplexes outside Vancouver?
Yes. We build across Greater Vancouver, the Sea-to-Sky and the Fraser Valley, including Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey, Coquitlam, North Vancouver, New Westminster, Port Coquitlam, Delta, Squamish, Whistler, Abbotsford and Chilliwack. Each municipality interprets the provincial rules through its own bylaws, and we deal with those differences as part of the permit process.
Ready to Start Your Project?
Send us the address. We reply within one business day, with no obligation. Or call 778-239-2078.