How Long Does It Take to Build a Custom Home in Vancouver or Burnaby? Time and Cost Explained

How Long Does It Take to Build a Custom Home in Vancouver or Burnaby?

“How long will it take?” is usually the second question homeowners ask, right after “how much will it cost?” On a straightforward lot, the answer is simpler than most people expect: building the home itself takes about 10 months, from the foundation to the finished house.

The 10-month build: time and money, stage by stage

Here’s roughly how those 10 months break down, and how the money is spent along the way. The example below is a 2,500 sq ft single-family home, priced across the mid range of about $250 to $350 per sq ft for construction.

The schedule and budget at a glance

Notice how spending follows the schedule: the structure (foundation and framing) uses about 30% of the budget in the first three and a half months, while interior finishing alone accounts for about a quarter. This is also why lenders release construction financing in stages, tied to progress on site.

Each stage has to pass inspection before the work is covered up and the next stage begins. The City of Burnaby’s inspection guide, for example, lists more than a dozen separate inspections for a new house, from foundation forms through framing, insulation and the final inspections.

What happens before construction starts

Before the first footing is poured, the home has to be designed and approved. This happens before the build and isn’t part of the 10 months, but it’s worth planning for:

• Design and engineering: the survey, architectural drawings, structural engineering, an energy model for the Step Code and, where needed, geotechnical and arborist reports. How long this takes depends mostly on how quickly design decisions are made.
• Building permit review: this is improving. The City of Vancouver reports that permit processing for single-detached homes dropped to about 160 days in 2025, down from 250 days in 2022, and laneway homes to about 100 days, down from 200. Burnaby has its own process, so timelines there should be confirmed with the City.

What can add time to the build

The 10-month figure is for a straightforward site. These are the most common reasons a build takes longer:

• Sloped lots, which may need retaining walls, shoring or more complex foundations
• Trees that need protection zones or change where and how the house can be built
• Demolition of an existing house, including the hazardous materials survey that’s required before older homes come down
• Complex or custom landscaping, such as extensive hardscaping, water features or large planting plans, which is usually scheduled separately
• Design changes during construction or late finish selections
• Site surprises, such as poor soil, groundwater or unexpected utility locations
• Wet-season weather during foundation and roofing work

How to keep your build on schedule

• Make the major design decisions before the permit application goes in.
• Choose windows, cabinets and other long-lead items early, and order them on time.
• Keep changes to a minimum once construction has started.
• Ask your builder for a written schedule with milestones, and regular updates against it.

Related reading

• BC’s 2-5-10 home warranty explained
• Building permits & approvals support
• Laneway house cost in Vancouver: what drives your budget
• Custom home builder in Vancouver