BuildHere

What can I build here?

Enter a Metro Vancouver address to see the lot’s development potential: unit count, floor area, key constraints and a rough proforma.

Pick an address above to see it on the map, or tap an area to zoom in and tap the lot.

Tap an area, or zoom in, to see lots© Mapbox © OpenStreetMap contributors
20 km

Or find a lot on the map →Browse zoning by city →

01

Units and floor area

Multiplex, duplex and house options for the lot, with FSR, height, coverage and setbacks.

02

Site flags

Lane access, corner and through lots, narrow frontage and flood plain.

03

Rough pro forma

Editable $/sq ft assumptions and a residual land value.

Common questions

What can I build on my lot in Metro Vancouver?

Most single-family and duplex lots now allow more than one home. Under BC’s small-scale multi-unit housing (SSMUH) rules, many lots can take three or four units, and some near frequent buses up to six, within each city’s limits on floor area, height, setbacks and parking. Enter your address above to see your lot’s numbers.

How many units does SSMUH allow?

BC requires municipalities to allow at least three units on single-family and duplex lots of 280 m² or less, and four units on larger lots, in urban areas. Lots over 280 m² close to a frequent bus stop must allow six. Each city sets the exact rules, such as floor area and parking, in its zoning bylaw.

What is FSR?

Floor space ratio (FSR) is a building’s total floor area divided by the lot area. An FSR of 1.0 on a 6,000 sq ft lot allows about 6,000 sq ft of floor area across all storeys. BuildHere shows the FSR for your lot’s zone and the floor area it works out to.

Which cities does BuildHere cover?

BuildHere covers residential zones in Vancouver, Burnaby, Coquitlam, New Westminster, Port Coquitlam, West Vancouver, Surrey, Maple Ridge, the District of North Vancouver, Port Moody, Delta, City of Langley, White Rock and Township of Langley. Comprehensive development (CD) zones and most commercial and mixed-use zones are not covered yet; those lots show “not covered yet” instead of an estimate.

How accurate is BuildHere?

It is a preliminary screen. Rules are read from each city’s current zoning bylaw and applied to published parcel outlines, not a survey. Heritage status, covenants, trees and servicing are not checked. Every report lists what was and was not checked, so confirm with the municipality before you buy, design or build.