Townhomes
Townhome Builders in Greater Vancouver
Ground-oriented homes with their own front door, private outdoor space and real storage.
- Own door
- at ground level
- 3–6
- homes on one lot
- 1.00
- FSR in Vancouver R1-1
- 25+ yrs
- Family building experience
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See the Difference
A townhome is a multi-unit home that meets the ground: its own front door at street or lane level, living space over two or three storeys, and private outdoor space. On a single lot, townhomes are usually delivered as a three to six unit multiplex arranged side by side rather than stacked, which suits families who want a house rather than an apartment.
Before
After
- 01
A front door for every home
No shared lobby and no unit above or below.
- 02
Private outdoor space
A yard or roof deck for each home, designed in from the start.
- 03
Built for families
Ground-oriented homes that buyers and tenants will pay a premium for.
- 04
One contract
Design, permits and construction under one contract, with the price in writing before we break ground.
Two arrangements
A Front Door for Every Home
Townhomes divide a building vertically, so every home runs from the ground up with its own entrance.
Townhome Row
Homes sit side by side across the lot, each two or three storeys with its own yard or roof deck.
- Frontage:
- Each home needs width, so wider lots hold more.
- Outdoor:
- Private space at ground level or on a roof deck.
- Title:
- Usually strata titled so each home can be sold.
Front-to-Back Townhomes
Homes address both the street and the lane, keeping the ground-oriented feel on a narrower lot.
- Frontage:
- Works where a straight row won’t fit.
- Entries:
- Separate doors on the street and the lane.
- Title:
- Strata titled, or held as secured rental.
The details
Everything to Know Before You Build
Rules, costs and timelines, checked against each city’s own bylaws and fee schedules.
01
What makes a townhome different from a stacked multiplex?
Orientation. A stacked multiplex divides the building horizontally, so some units sit above others and share a common entry. A townhome divides it vertically: each home runs from the ground up through two or three storeys, with its own entrance directly outside.
That difference drives everything buyers and tenants care about — no shared lobby, no unit above or below, direct access for strollers, bikes and groceries, and genuinely private outdoor space. Townhomes command a premium for exactly these reasons, and they suit families who are priced out of a detached house but do not want a condo.
02
Can I build townhomes on a standard residential lot?
Often, yes. Townhomes on a single lot are typically delivered under the same small-scale multi-unit housing rules that permit multiplexes, so no rezoning is required in most cases. The constraint is frontage: side-by-side homes each need width, so a 33 ft lot rarely supports more than two or three, while a 50 ft lot or an assembly of two lots opens up more.
Where frontage is tight, a front-to-back arrangement addressing both the street and the lane can deliver the same ground-oriented character without the width a pure row would need.
03
How many units, and what are the frontage thresholds?
In Vancouver R1-1 a townhome row on one lot is a multiplex, so the same thresholds apply: 10.0 m (33 ft) of frontage and 306 m² of site area for three or four units, 13.4 m (44 ft) and 464 m² for five, and 15.1 m (49.5 ft) and 557 m² for six strata or up to eight secured rental units. Provincially, lots between 280 m² and 4,050 m² permit four units, rising to six within 400 m of frequent transit.
Because each townhome needs width for its own entry and stair, the practical unit count is usually lower than the theoretical maximum. Feasibility is where that gets resolved honestly rather than optimistically.
04
What makes a townhome work in practice?
The plan. A townhome lives or dies on its stair position, its daylight, and whether the ground floor gives you something better than a garage and a hallway. Getting light into the middle of a long narrow home usually means a light well, a rear extension with glazing, or careful use of the top floor.
Storage is the other thing owners underestimate. Bikes, strollers, sports gear and seasonal storage all need somewhere to live, and designing that in from the start is far cheaper than discovering the gap after move-in.
Key points
- Stair position, which determines how usable each floor is
- Daylight into the middle of a deep, narrow plan
- Private outdoor space at ground level or on a roof deck
- Real storage for bikes, strollers and seasonal items
- Acoustic separation between party walls
- Separate servicing and metering per home
05
Are townhomes strata titled?
Usually. Stratification is what lets each home be sold individually, and it is the normal route for townhome projects intended for sale. It runs as its own legal process alongside the build, and we plan for it from the beginning so it does not become a bottleneck at completion.
If you are building to hold rather than sell, secured rental changes the unit count rather than the floor area. In Vancouver R1-1 the FSR is 1.00 either way, but an all-rental project can have up to eight homes instead of six. For townhomes, where every home needs its own entry and stair, fewer and larger strata homes often plan better. That is worth modelling before design begins.
06
How does T-City build townhomes?
On one contract, through the same six steps we use on every project: feasibility, in-house architectural design, permits with us acting as your representative, interior design in parallel, the price and schedule set out in writing, then construction with daily photo and video updates in your client portal.
Every home is covered by BC’s mandatory 2-5-10 home warranty insurance: 12 months on most materials and labour defects (24 months on major systems), 5 years on the building envelope and 10 years on structure.
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.
How many townhomes fit on a 50 ft lot?
It depends on layout and municipality. A 50 by 122 ft Vancouver lot (15.24 m wide, 566.7 m²) meets the R1-1 thresholds for up to six strata units. Whether six ground-oriented townhomes fit well is a design question that feasibility answers.
Do townhomes need rezoning?
Usually not. Small-scale multi-unit housing legislation requires municipalities to permit multi-unit forms on lots previously restricted to single detached housing without a rezoning application.
Can townhomes have basements?
Often, depending on soil, water table and slope. A basement can add significant usable area, and whether it is cost-effective is assessed during feasibility.
Are townhomes cheaper to build than a stacked multiplex?
Not usually per square foot, because each home needs its own stair, entry and servicing. They typically achieve higher value per unit, which is why the form is popular.
Do you build townhomes outside Vancouver?
Yes, 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 applies the provincial framework through its own bylaws.
Ready to Start Your Project?
Send us the address. We reply within one business day, with no obligation. Or call 778-239-2078.