Heritage and Character Home Restoration Vancouver

Bringing the grandeur of a 1920s home into the 21st century is some of our favourite work. We keep the face the street knows, rebuild what needs rebuilding behind it, and handle the City's character and heritage rules along the way.

Should I restore or rebuild my character home?

Restore if the house is sound, the street matters to you, and you want the extra floor area the City allows when a character house stays. Rebuild if the structure is failing or the design cannot meet your needs. Many families land in between. A site visit settles it.

How much of the old house do I have to keep?

The City's guideline is to retain approximately 40 percent of the primary structure, meaning the exterior framing and sheathing, to qualify for the zoning incentives. Street-facing walls, the original roofline and distinctive exterior features are generally expected to stay.

On Shaughnessy Renaissance we kept 60 percent of the original structure, windows and rooflines, and more than doubled the house.

What can I add if I keep it?

In an R1-1 zone, keeping a character house lets you add floor area, convert the house into multiple units, or build an infill home in the rear yard. The City lists character retention at up to 0.85 floor space ratio, against up to 0.6 for a new single detached house.

What is different in First Shaughnessy?

First Shaughnessy is a Heritage Conservation Area. A development permit is required for new development and for any demolition, construction or alteration, and the First Shaughnessy Advisory Design Panel reviews applications. Mature trees and gardens are part of what the plan conserves.

Can a 1920s home still be comfortable and efficient?

Yes. Behind the original face, a restored home gets new structure where it needs it, new mechanical and electrical systems, insulation and modern windows that respect the old proportions. Shaughnessy Renaissance has a gym, a wine room, a theatre and a sauna, and still looks like 1927 from the street.

Homes we have built

Shaughnessy Renaissance

Hamilton on the Hill

Family Living

Questions about character home restoration

What counts as a character house in Vancouver?

The City describes a character house as one typically built before 1940 that meets set criteria. You can ask the City for a character merit assessment to find out if yours qualifies.

What if we decide to take the house down?

A house built before 1950 needs a demolition permit with green conditions: at least 75 percent of the materials reused or recycled, and 90 percent for a character house. A house built before 1910 must be deconstructed.

Is there money to help restore a character home?

Possibly. The City lists a heritage conservation grants program for privately owned homes, managed by the Vancouver Heritage Foundation. Eligibility and funding change, so we check it with you before you plan on it.

Do you restore homes outside Shaughnessy?

Yes. We have restored and renewed homes in Kitsilano, New Westminster, White Rock and across the west side.

From the journalRestore or Rebuild a Vancouver Character Home? What to Know First

Thinking of restoring a Vancouver character home or building new? What counts, what the City allows, how much must stay, and what changes in Shaughnessy.

Read it →

Vancouver character homes, brought into the 21st century.