Practical guidance on building in British Columbia — permits and letters of assurance, seismic retrofits, foundations, renovations and the structural decisions that shape a project's cost and schedule.
Rooftop units, floor openings, mezzanines, racking and a change of major occupancy push a fit-out past cosmetic. How BC tenant improvements get engineered and permitted.
How BC structural fees are actually built: fee models, the drivers that move the number, letters of assurance and field review, plus what Metro Vancouver municipalities each add to scope.
Non-structural components drive much of the damage and downtime after an earthquake. What BC expects for anchoring and bracing mechanical equipment, and who takes responsibility for the design.
A suite adds openings, not weight. What actually changes structurally when you add a secondary suite, garden suite or laneway house to a property in British Columbia.
Not every crack is a problem. How to read pattern, width and movement in a Greater Vancouver foundation, the local soil and water causes behind cracking, and what an engineer's assessment covers.
An even-handed comparison of cold-formed steel and wood framing for four- to six-storey BC buildings, from code limits and foundations to movement, envelope and panelisation.
Adopted 20 May 2025 and in force since September, Vancouver's by-law is built on BCBC 2024. What it changes for seismic demand, transition dates, mass timber, egress and energy.
Four or six units on a lot built for one house changes the structure completely. What a BC multiplex needs, from unit minimums and party walls to tight-lot foundations.
Four forms decide whether a BC building gets occupancy. Here is who signs Schedule A, B, C-A and C-B, when each is due, what field review covers, and what holds up sign-off.
Which older BC buildings need seismic strengthening, what makes an upgrade mandatory under Vancouver's Part 11, and how an assessment becomes a retrofit scope you can build.
Joist direction, a sealed beam design and the footing under each new post decide whether an open-concept renovation works. Here is the Vancouver permit set and the order of work.
Tell us what you are building and we will tell you exactly what engineering your permit needs — and what it will take to get there.
