Secondary Suites
Our company builds permitted, licensed secondary suites in the Lower Mainland.
What goes into building a secondary suite?
We assess the current status of the potential rental area. We need to design a space for a living room, bedroom area, kitchen, laundry facility and bathroom. A permitted secondary suite doesn’t need its own laundry facility, but access to a shared space with the main house. It will need its own stove, and proper ventilation. The secondary suite also has code minimum requirements for head space.
We then work with our designers to create scale drawings for submission to the city. Ever city has different bylaws to be addressed in design, but all cities pull from the same BC Building Code. NovaWest Property Services continually takes CPD classes and courses on changes to the building code.
Upon building the space, we start with removing any existing drywall on the ceiling. This allows us to fire block the space from he neighboring unit. We also use this space to run wires and plumbing. This access also allows for the addition of sound deadening insulation .
After appropriate inspections, we finish out the suite and complete construction.
If you are intending to file for the Secondary Suite Incentive Program, we provide all the needed paperwork to complete this task.
You can then rent the unit and enjoy the benefits of having a safe and secure, legal permitted suite in your home.
Benefits
Once the city has given the final occupancy inspection as a pass, the value of your home increases. As well, you are now receiving monthly income for the space. Utility usage will be separated, so you can actually see a decrease in the expenses for your home.
Your unit will be grandfathered in under the code year it was completed. You will not have to change the apartment space in future years.
Your tenants cannot report your unit to the city as it is a legal unit.
And we feel the important factor is having the permits in place allows for higher rent and overall, better tenants.
Secondary Suite Incentive Program
Did you know that the Province of British Columbia will provide up to 50% of the cost of a secondary suite, up to $40,000? If your home is assessed under $2.15 million for 2024, and your annual family income is below $209,000 then you can apply. As part of this program, you will need to rent the unit at the determined market rent of maximum $1640 for a one bedroom or $2100 for a two bedroom or $2200 for a 3 bedroom with annual rent increases allowed.
For more information, please see program details below:
https://www.bchousing.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/BCH-Secondary-Suite-factsheet-English-2023.pdf