Architectural Drawings & Building Permits in Vancouver & the Fraser Valley — Submitted Right, Approved Faster
Architectural Drawings & Building Permits in Vancouver & the Fraser Valley — Submitted Right, Approved Faster
Permit-Ready Drawing Sets for Homeowners and Investors Across Metro Vancouver and BC
Here’s what nobody tells you when you start a build: the drawings aren’t just drawings. They’re your permit application. And if they’re off-spec for your municipality — wrong setbacks, missing schedules, incomplete site plan — you’re back in the queue. Waiting another 8 to 16 weeks.
CoreVal Homes produces architectural drawing sets built to municipal submission standards and manages the full building permit process — from zoning confirmation and BC Building Code compliance to City submission and approval. Vancouver. Burnaby. Surrey. Fraser Valley.
You get permit-ready drawings. You get a submission that moves. You don’t get surprised.
Most Permit Sets Fail Before They're Even Submitted. Here's How We Stop That.
The gap between “I have drawings” and “I have a permit” is wider than most people think — and it usually comes down to drawings that weren’t coordinated with the specific municipality they were submitted to.
We confirm zoning, setbacks, lot coverage, and site-specific bylaw requirements before we draft. That means your permit set arrives at the building department complete, accurate, and built to pass. We know what Vancouver wants. We know what Burnaby charges. We know what the Fraser Valley municipalities flag on first review.
Drawings That Pass the First Time (Not the Third)
Most permit rejections in Vancouver and Burnaby come back with the same deficiencies: incomplete site plans, missing National Energy Code compliance notes, or setback dimensions that don't match the Zoning and Development Bylaw. We build drawing sets to the exact checklist your municipality uses — floor plans, elevations, sections, site plan, and project schedules — so the reviewer's first pass is a clean one. See our completed permit sets in the portfolio.
Zoning Confirmed Before You Draft a Single Line
R1 zoning, RS-1, RM-zones, CD zones — Vancouver alone has over 30 zoning districts, each with its own setback, lot coverage, height, and Floor Space Ratio (FSR) rules. Burnaby and Surrey add their own layers. We pull your Certificate of Title, run your lot against the current municipal zoning bylaw, and confirm buildability before design scope is locked. No surprises at the building counter. No redesigns after the fact.
Permit Fees Mapped Out Before You Commit
City of Vancouver building permit fees are calculated on project value — a $300K laneway home can carry $8,000–$14,000+ in permit fees alone. Burnaby is known for higher development cost charges. Surrey and Coquitlam each have their own fee schedules. We break down the real approval costs — permit fees, Development Cost Levies (DCLs), Community Amenity Contributions (CACs), and utility connection charges — so your budget reflects what you'll actually spend, not what you hoped.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need architectural drawings to apply for a building permit in Vancouver?
Yes — and the City of Vancouver is specific about what it needs. Your permit set must include a dimensioned site plan showing setbacks from all property lines, floor plans at 1:50 or 1:100 scale, building elevations on all four sides, a section drawing, and a project data summary sheet covering zoning district, FSR, lot coverage percentage, and BC Building Code occupancy classification. Submissions missing any of these get returned without review. Vancouver’s Development and Building Services Centre processes permits at 515 West 10th Avenue — and incomplete sets go back to the back of the queue.
How long does it take to get a building permit in Vancouver or Burnaby?
For a new single-family home or laneway home in Vancouver, expect 3–6 months from submission to issuance under standard review — longer if deficiencies come back. Burnaby runs 8–16 weeks for straightforward residential projects but can stretch on complex sites. Surrey has pushed toward faster digital intake and often moves in 6–10 weeks for simple residential. Coquitlam and Maple Ridge tend to be quicker — sometimes 4–8 weeks for smaller builds. The single biggest controllable variable is submitting a complete, deficiency-free set on the first attempt. That’s what we optimize for.
Do you handle the full permit process or just the drawings?
Full process. We start with a zoning confirmation against your municipality’s current bylaw, produce the complete drawing set, prepare the permit application package, handle digital or in-person submission depending on the municipality, respond to any deficiency letters from the plan checker, and track the file through to permit issuance. For projects in Vancouver we coordinate with Development and Building Services. For Burnaby we work through Burnaby’s ePlan online portal. Surrey and Fraser Valley municipalities each have their own intake process — we know all of them.
What types of projects do you draw and permit?
We handle permit drawings and full permit management for laneway homes (including Vancouver’s Laneway House Program under the RS and RT zoning districts), backyard studios, secondary suites, additions over 10% of existing floor area (which trigger full permit review in most Metro Vancouver municipalities), custom home builds, and kitchen and bathroom renovations where structural or plumbing changes are involved. If your project requires a Development Permit (DP) before the building permit — common in Burnaby’s RM zones and Vancouver’s Character House areas — we handle that sequencing too.
What does it actually cost — drawings and permits in BC?
Here’s a real breakdown for a typical laneway home in Metro Vancouver:
Drawing set (architectural): $4,000–$9,000 depending on complexity and whether structural engineering is included.
City of Vancouver permit fee: Calculated at roughly 1.1–1.5% of declared project value. On a $350,000 laneway home, that’s $3,850–$5,250 in permit fees before DCLs.
Vancouver DCL (Development Cost Levy): Currently $14.47/sq ft for residential in most Vancouver districts (2024 rate). A 650 sq ft laneway home = approximately $9,400 in DCLs alone.
Burnaby: Permit fees plus Development Cost Charges (DCCs) tend to run 20–35% higher than comparable Vancouver projects.
Surrey and Fraser Valley: Generally lower DCCs, but utility connection costs (water, sewer) can add $8,000–$20,000+ depending on servicing availability.
We give you the full number — not just the drawing fee.
What happens on the discovery call?
We pull up your property on BC Assessment, cross-reference it against the current municipal zoning map, and confirm in real time whether your project is permitted as-of-right or requires a variance or Development Permit. You leave the call knowing your zoning classification, the setback and FSR limits that apply to your lot, a realistic permit timeline for your municipality, and a rough cost range for drawings plus permit fees. It takes about 20 minutes. No prep required on your end.