Where to live during a Burnaby teardown and rebuild: the lease, the move and the storage

When a family tears down and rebuilds in Burnaby, the house is only half the plan. The other half is where they live while it is built. The move out, the rental, the storage and the move back in all have dates, and those dates are tied to the construction schedule.

We talk this through with every owner before demolition. This post covers what we cover in that conversation, for a teardown and rebuild in Burnaby, New Westminster, Coquitlam or Vancouver.

The move-out date comes from the site work

The old house has to be empty before the site work starts. Utility disconnections, the hazardous materials survey, any abatement and then demolition happen after the family and their belongings have left. Our post on site preparation for a Burnaby teardown explains that sequence.

So the move-out date is set by the site work schedule, which is set by the permit. We give owners a target move-out date early in the permit stage and update it as the permit gets closer to issue. Most owners stay in the old house through design and permitting, so they only need a rental for the construction period.

If the old house is going to sit empty for a few weeks before demolition, tell your insurer. Most home policies treat a vacant house differently, and the policy has to match the facts.

How long a lease to sign

The rental has to last from move-out until you can move back in. That means the whole construction period, plus a margin for delay.

We give owners the construction schedule and point out the stages most likely to move: excavation in a wet winter, inspections, and long-lead items such as windows. Our post on how long a custom home takes in BC covers what drives the length.

Two BC tenancy rules matter here:

• The end of a fixed term. According to the Province's tenancy agreement guidance, a fixed-term tenancy usually becomes month-to-month at the end of the term. A landlord can only include a vacate clause if it is a sublet or if the landlord or a close family member plans to move in. So a lease without a valid vacate clause normally lets you stay on month to month if the build runs long. Ask the landlord about their plans for the end of the term before you sign.
• Leaving early. The Province's page on breaking a lease says a tenant who ends a fixed-term tenancy early may owe the landlord money. Its example is a one-year lease left after two months, where the landlord can apply for 10 months' rent.

Put together, most owners are better served by a fixed term that ends near the expected completion date, with month-to-month after that, than by a long term they may have to break.

Where to rent

Close to the site, if you can. Owners who can reach the lot in a few minutes come to more site meetings and walkthroughs, and they see decisions in person before they are built. Our post on the weekly site meeting explains why those visits matter.

School is the other factor for families. A temporary address can change which school serves your children. Contact the school district before you sign a lease, and ask how a temporary move affects your children's current school.

Some owners move in with family, or rent a suite nearby. Others take a furnished rental for the whole period. Whichever you choose, the rental needs its own tenant insurance, starting on the day you move in.

What to take out of the old house

Anything you want to keep has to come out before the hazardous materials survey and demolition. That is more than furniture. Owners often want to keep:

• appliances that are still in good condition
• light fixtures, doors, mantels or built-in cabinets
• stone, brick or wood they want to reuse in the new house
• plants from the garden

Tell us early about anything built in that you want saved, so it can be removed with care before abatement starts. Some items may have to stay in place until the hazardous materials survey is done, and a few may not be safe to reuse. We tell you which ones once the survey results are in.

Plants need a plan too. Any tree work on the lot follows the City's rules, which our post on Burnaby's tree bylaw covers.

Walk the old house with your builder before you move out, and put a tag on everything you want to keep. After demolition starts, there is nothing left to save.

Icon Projects Team

Storage

Most rentals are smaller than the house they replace, so most owners store part of what they own for the length of the build.

Choose storage by what it holds. Wood furniture, pianos, artwork, books and electronics do better in a climate-controlled unit, because the Lower Mainland's damp winters are hard on them. Garden tools and outdoor furniture can go in a standard unit.

Keep storage off the building lot. The site needs its space for the excavation, material deliveries and the crew, and a storage container on site gets in the way of all three.

Label boxes by the room they will go to in the new house, using the room names on the drawings. On move-in day, the movers can put each box in the right room without asking.

Mail, addresses and the paperwork

The old address will have no mailbox for the length of the build. Canada Post offers a mail forwarding service that sends your mail to the temporary address.

Update your address with the organisations that send documents you cannot miss: your bank, your lender, your insurers, and the agencies that issue your licences and tax documents. Your builder, your architect and the City will keep using the lot address for the permit, so give them your temporary mailing address as well.

Your neighbours while you are away

Your neighbours will live beside the site for the whole build, while you live somewhere else. Before you move out, tell the neighbours on each side and across the street or lane when demolition starts, and give them a way to reach you and us. A neighbour who knows who to call about a blocked driveway or a gate left open will call us first.

We also send the neighbours a short note before the noisiest stages, such as demolition, excavation and the concrete pours. The City's rules on construction hours apply the whole time, and our post on construction noise and neighbours in Burnaby covers them.

While you are away, the lot still needs its house number and its gate kept visible for inspectors and deliveries. We keep the permit card posted on site and the address marked at the street, so an inspector or a supplier can find the lot on the first try.

The move back in

This is the date owners most often get wrong.

A new house is ready to live in when the City issues the occupancy permit, after the final inspection. Before that, the dates for handover can move because of inspections, deficiencies and final sign-offs. Our post on the pre-occupancy walkthrough covers the last weeks.

So we tell owners to give notice on the rental once the occupancy permit is issued, or once the final inspection is booked and a short delay would not leave them without a place to stay. On a month-to-month tenancy, the Province's page on a tenant's options to end a tenancy says the tenant's written notice must be received at least one month before the date it takes effect, and before the day rent is due. Count back from your move date with that rule in mind. We tell owners the date of the final inspection as soon as it is booked, so they can plan the movers.

Plan the move for a few days after occupancy, and keep the rental for those days. That gives time for a final clean, the appliance deliveries, the internet connection and the first walk through the house as its owners.

Frequently asked questions

When do I need to move out for a Burnaby teardown and rebuild?

Before the old house is prepared for demolition. Utility disconnections, the hazardous materials survey and any abatement happen after the house is empty, and demolition follows. We give owners a move-out date early in the permit stage so they can line up a rental with that date in mind.

How long a lease should I sign while my custom home is being built?

Base it on the construction schedule your builder gives you, with room for delay from weather, inspections and supply. In BC, a fixed-term lease usually becomes a month-to-month tenancy at the end of the term unless it is a sublet or the landlord or a close family member plans to move in, according to the Province's tenancy agreement guidance. Ask the landlord about their plans for the end of the term before you sign.

What happens if my build finishes before my lease ends?

Ending a fixed-term lease early can cost money. The Province's guidance on breaking a lease says a tenant who leaves early may owe the landlord compensation, with the example of a one-year lease left after two months, where the landlord can apply for 10 months' rent. Read that guidance and talk to the landlord before you sign, and consider a term that ends near the expected completion date.

What should I take out of my old house before demolition?

Everything you want to keep or reuse: furniture, appliances, light fixtures, cabinets, doors, mantels, even stone or brick you want in the new house. Tell your builder about anything built in that you want saved, so it comes out before abatement and demolition. Plants you want to keep need a plan too, and any tree work has to follow Burnaby's tree bylaw.

When should I give notice on my rental during a custom home build?

After the occupancy permit is issued, or once the date is certain enough that a short delay will not leave you without a place to live. Handover dates can move in the last weeks because of inspections, deficiencies and final sign-offs. We tell owners the occupancy date as soon as the final inspection is booked.

Does my home insurance change when I move out for a rebuild?

Tell your insurer as soon as you move out, because most home policies treat a vacant house differently. Once construction starts, the build is covered under a course of construction policy, and your rental needs its own tenant insurance. Confirm the dates with your broker so there is no gap between the policies.

How much notice do I have to give to end a month-to-month rental in BC?

According to the Province's guidance on a tenant's options to end a tenancy, written notice must be received by the landlord at least one month before the date it takes effect, and that date must be before the day rent is due. Count back from your planned move-in date at the new house using that rule, since the occupancy permit date, not the handover estimate, is the date to count from.

Should I use a mail forwarding service during a Burnaby teardown and rebuild?

Yes. Canada Post's mail forwarding service redirects mail from the old address to a temporary one for the length of the build, which covers anything you forget to update directly. Alongside it, update your address with your bank, lender, insurers and any agency that issues licences or tax documents, since those are the pieces of mail you cannot afford to miss.