For Homeowners

What your property can become under the new rules.

Build a home for yourself, create suites for family, generate rental income, or all of the above. Here are the three paths Tri-Cities homeowners ask about most, with realistic numbers.

Cost and rent figures below are typical Metro Vancouver ranges for planning purposes, not quotes. Your feasibility check narrows them to your lot.

Path One · 3 Homes

House + two suites

Keep your main home and add two legal suites. Nobody moves, and the suites carry a meaningful share of the mortgage.

Legal means permitted: separate entrance, proper ceiling heights, egress windows, interconnected alarms
Both suites count toward your lot's three or four unit total
The building footprint does not change, so setbacks and site coverage stay untouched

Your Home

Keep the main house

You stay put. Phased construction is possible, so life continues while the suites take shape.

Suite One

1 to 2 bedrooms

Typical cost $80K to $160K. Typical rent $1,900 to $2,400 per month. The highest return on the smallest spend.

Suite Two

Double the income

A second suite at similar cost brings combined rental income to roughly $3,800 to $4,800 per month on the same lot.

Path Two · 4 Homes

Fourplex

Four self-contained homes on one lot, each with its own entrance. The biggest project, and usually the strongest financial outcome.

Quadplex 01 and 02 in the Province's free design catalogue are ready-made starting points
Two or three storeys, 2 to 3 bedrooms per home, garages optional
Decide strata or rental before drawings start; the exit you want shapes the design

The Build

Full redevelopment

Typical all-in cost $1.2M to $2.2M+ depending on size and finish. Design for stratification from day one so every exit stays open.

The Income

$8K to $11K gross monthly

Four units renting between $1,900 and $4,000 each depending on bedroom count. Live in one and the other three still work hard.

The Exit

Strata and sell, or hold

Sell units individually, keep the building as a rental asset, or mix both. Multiple exit strategies is the point.

Path Three · 3 Homes

House + laneway + suite

Keep the main house, add a laneway home at the back and a suite inside. Flexibility without full redevelopment, and the best fit for multigenerational plans.

The catalogue's three free ADU designs run from a single-storey 1 bedroom to a 3 bedroom with garage
ADU 01 fits a 25 by 21 foot footprint, sized for a standard 33 foot lot
Phase it: laneway first, suite second, and life at home continues between permits

Laneway Home

2 to 3 bedrooms

Typical cost $250K to $450K, typical rent $2,400 to $3,100 per month. Also ideal for aging parents or an adult child living independently.

Secondary Suite

Inside the main home

Typical cost $80K to $160K. A qualifying suite for a senior or family member with a disability can return up to $7,500 through the federal MHRTC.

The Shape

Phased and livable

Laneway first, suite second, renovations as budget allows. Combined rental potential of roughly $4,300 to $5,500 per month if both units rent.

Free Provincial Designs

The Province already drew the plans. Ten of them.

In September 2024, BC published a catalogue of standardized, customizable home designs for SSMUH lots, free for any homeowner or builder to use. Two or three storeys, one to four bedrooms, optional garages, sized for real BC lots down to a 33 foot frontage. Municipalities can choose to fast-track projects that use them.

Design	Homes	Storeys	Per Home	Best For
ADU 01	1	2	2 bed · 1.5 bath	A garden suite on a 33 ft lot, 25 by 21 ft footprint
ADU 02	1	1	1 bed · 1 bath	Aging in place, no stairs
ADU 03	1	2	3 bed · 2.5 bath · garage	Family-sized laneway living
Duplex 01	2	2	2 bed · 1.5 bath	The simplest two-home build
Duplex 02	2	3	3 bed · 2.5 bath	More bedrooms on the same footprint
Duplex 03	2	2 + 3	2 bed and 3 bed mix	Two different household sizes
Triplex 01	3	3, stacked	2 bed · 1 bath	Narrow lots where three side-by-side homes will not fit
Quadplex 01	4	3	2 bed · garage	Four homes with indoor parking
Quadplex 02	4	2 + 3	2 bed and 3 bed mix	The classic fourplex
Townhouse 01	4	2 + 3	2 bed and 4 bed mix	Row homes for families

The catalogue ships with free design files (CAD, Revit, energy models) and a third-party costing estimate. Diagrams are illustrative; permits still require site-specific drawings.

Read the Catalogue (PDF) Which Design Fits My Lot?

Why Homeowners Do This

Four outcomes, one lot

Downsize without leaving your street

Build a smaller, accessible home on your own lot and stay in the neighbourhood you know.

Keep adult kids close

Independent suites mean proximity without sharing walls. They build equity; you keep Sunday dinners.

Care for aging parents

A laneway home or ground-level suite keeps parents nearby with dignity and their own front door.

Build income and long-term value

Rental units pay down the mortgage while the property works as a multi-unit asset instead of a single home.

Case Study · Port Moody

A 75 year old rancher, redrawn as four homes.

A recent redevelopment on a 10,000 sq ft lot. The applicants designed a duplex to replace the existing rancher, plus a second duplex at the rear of the lot, four homes in total, with no rezoning and no public hearing. Several of the homes are reserved for aging family members. Multiplex is ideal for exactly this kind of generational living.

Existing 75 year old rancher, street view — Existing · StreetThe rancher from the road

Rendering of the proposed front duplex, street elevation — Proposed · StreetFront duplex, street elevation

Existing rancher, rear yard and deck — Existing · RearThe rear yard and deck

Rendering of the proposed front duplex, rear elevation — Proposed · RearRear elevation · a second duplex sits behind

Wondering what this process looks like on your lot? Walk through it with us on a 30-minute call.

Free Feasibility Check

Find out what your lot allows. Free.

Send your property address and we'll review your lot's SSMUH eligibility, unit potential, and realistic options. You get a straight answer within one business day. No cost, no obligation, no sales pitch.

Zoning and eligibility confirmed against your municipality's current rules
How many units your lot can realistically support
An honest read on whether it is worth pursuing

Prefer to talk it through? Call or text 604-808-3797 or book a call directly on our calendar.