Question 1

What is a custom home?

Accepted Answer

A custom home is built specifically for you — your lot, your layout, your finishes — from the ground up. Unlike a spec home (built in advance to a standard plan) or a pre-sale (purchased off drawings), a custom home gives you full control over the design, materials, and every detail of how you live in it. Icon Projects builds exclusively to client brief, so every house we deliver is one-of-a-kind.

Question 2

What services does Icon Projects offer?

Accepted Answer

Icon Projects builds custom homes, handles full-scope renovations and additions, and can manage multiplex construction across Greater Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. Every project starts with a planning phase — feasibility, zoning, permit-ready drawings — before a shovel moves. We don't do production builds or spec housing.

Question 3

Where does Icon Projects build?

Accepted Answer

Our primary market is Burnaby and the surrounding municipalities: North Vancouver, West Vancouver, the City of Vancouver, Coquitlam, New Westminster, and across the Fraser Valley including Abbotsford. If your lot is in Greater Vancouver, we can likely help.

Question 4

How do I start a project with Icon Projects?

Accepted Answer

The first step is a planning call — no commitment required. We'll look at your lot, your goals, and your rough budget, and give you an honest read on feasibility before any money changes hands. Reach us at 604.728.9466 or via the contact form.

Question 5

Do you handle renovations as well as new builds?

Accepted Answer

Yes. We take on renovations, additions, and restoration work — particularly larger-scope projects where our planning discipline and site management make a real difference. The same CHBA-certified team runs renovation projects as runs new custom builds.

Question 6

How long does it take to get a building permit in Burnaby?

Accepted Answer

A Burnaby custom home permit typically takes 4–7 months from a complete submission to issuance. Complex lots (slopes, setback variances, significant tree protection) or incomplete packages extend that window. We've built a track record navigating Burnaby's permitting process — a complete, first-submission package cuts revision cycles significantly.

Question 7

How long does a permit take in the City of Vancouver?

Accepted Answer

City of Vancouver custom home permits currently average 6–9 months from submission. Pre-application consultations are available and strongly recommended for non-standard sites — they surface issues early and reduce the main review cycle.

Question 8

Do you manage the permitting process, or do we need a separate architect?

Accepted Answer

We work alongside your architect or designer and take an active role in ensuring the permit package is complete, correctly formatted, and aligned with the municipality's current standards. We don't produce architectural drawings ourselves, but we manage the process and coordinate between disciplines so nothing falls through the cracks.

Question 9

What is the BC Energy Step Code, and does it affect my build?

Accepted Answer

The BC Energy Step Code sets energy-efficiency thresholds for new residential buildings. Most municipalities in Greater Vancouver now require Step 3 or Step 4 compliance for new homes; some — including Burnaby — require Step 5 for new single-family builds. Step 5 requires mechanical ventilation (HRV), a high-efficiency heat pump, robust insulation, and air-sealing to a verified standard. We design and specify to meet these requirements as a baseline, not an upgrade.

Question 10

What is a pre-construction services agreement?

Accepted Answer

A pre-construction services agreement (PCSA) is the contract that governs the planning phase: design coordination, permit applications, engineer selection, value engineering, and preliminary budgeting. Icon signs a PCSA before any hammer swings — it protects both parties, documents exactly what's covered in the planning phase, and sets clear expectations before a construction contract is issued.

Question 11

How long does it take to build a custom home in BC?

Accepted Answer

Total time from first consultation to occupancy is typically 18–24 months. The planning and permitting phase runs 6–10 months depending on municipality and project complexity. Once permits are issued, construction takes 10–16 months for a standard single-family home. Larger homes, complex sites, or high-finish projects extend the construction window.

Question 12

What affects the construction timeline most?

Accepted Answer

The three biggest schedule drivers are: site conditions (slope, soil, access), permit timelines, and scope changes during construction. A well-planned project with a complete permit package, a fixed scope, and no surprises in the ground stays closest to the original schedule. Change orders — even minor ones — ripple through the trades schedule and are the most common cause of delays.

Question 13

Can you give me a timeline before design is done?

Accepted Answer

We can give you a realistic range, but not a committed date. Timeline accuracy requires a defined scope, permitted drawings, and a known site. We're transparent about this: a number quoted before design is complete is a planning estimate, not a commitment. Once we have a permit in hand and a signed construction contract, we build a milestone schedule and hold it.

Question 14

How much does a custom home cost in Greater Vancouver?

Accepted Answer

Hard construction costs for a custom home in Greater Vancouver typically run $550–$900 per square foot depending on the finish level, site complexity, and current material and labour costs. That range covers structure through interior finishes but excludes land, permit fees, design fees, engineering, landscaping, and furnishings — which together add another 20–35% to the total project cost. We discuss budget honestly at the first consultation and don't start design work on a scope we believe is underfunded.

Question 15

What is included in a custom home construction contract in BC?

Accepted Answer

A BC custom home construction contract covers design coordination, permit applications, site preparation, foundation, framing, mechanical (HVAC/plumbing/electrical), insulation, exterior cladding, roofing, drywall, interior finishes, cabinetry, and fixture installation. It must also include 2-5-10 BC Housing warranty coverage, which is mandatory for all licensed builders. Review it carefully for what's excluded — site servicing, landscaping, and appliances are commonly listed separately.

Question 16

What is the 2-5-10 BC Home Warranty?

Accepted Answer

Every new home built by a licensed BC residential builder is covered by the 2-5-10 Home Warranty — mandated by the Homeowner Protection Act. It provides 2 years on materials and labour, 5 years on the building envelope (including water penetration), and 10 years on the structure. Icon Projects is a licensed BC Housing builder; every new home we deliver carries full 2-5-10 coverage.

Question 17

Do you do fixed-price contracts?

Accepted Answer

We work with stipulated-price (fixed-price) construction contracts where the scope is fully designed and specified. A stipulated price requires a complete set of drawings and a detailed specification list — if those don't exist at contract stage, the builder is pricing to assumptions, which creates change-order exposure later. We push for complete documentation before fixing a price, because it protects you.

Question 18

What does the CHBA Master Residential Builder designation mean?

Accepted Answer

The CHBA Master Residential Builder (MRB) is the highest professional designation for residential builders in Canada, awarded by the Canadian Home Builders' Association. It requires verified project experience, demonstrated technical knowledge, and a commitment to ongoing education and ethical standards. Fewer than 5% of residential builders in BC hold the designation. Sanj Aggarwal, Icon's owner, is a CHBA MRB — and is directly involved in every project we take on.

Question 19

How involved is the owner in each project?

Accepted Answer

Sanj Aggarwal is hands-on from feasibility through handover. He attends key site milestones, reviews submittals, and is reachable directly throughout the project. Icon is a deliberately small studio — we don't take on more projects than we can personally supervise, and we don't hand off clients to a project coordinator after the contract is signed.

Question 20

How many projects do you run at a time?

Accepted Answer

Intentionally few. We limit active projects to maintain direct owner oversight on every site. If we're at capacity, we'll tell you honestly rather than take your project and delegate it. Clients who've worked with larger builders where the principal disappeared after the contract signing notice the difference.

Question 21

Do you have a preferred architect, or can I bring my own?

Accepted Answer

We work with a small group of architects and designers we know well and whose documentation standards we trust. We're equally happy to work with an architect you've already chosen — we'll review their packages before construction and identify anything that needs to be resolved before shovels move.

Question 22

Should I renovate or tear down and rebuild?

Accepted Answer

The answer depends on three things: the quality of the existing structure, the gap between what you can achieve by renovating and what you want, and the relative cost of each path. For many older homes in Burnaby Heights and similar neighbourhoods, a significant renovation can deliver more of the original character than a new build — if the bones are sound. We walk every site before making a recommendation either way.

Question 23

What kinds of renovations do you take on?

Accepted Answer

We handle full gut renovations, additions (horizontal and second-storey), kitchen and bathroom renovations, and heritage restorations. We're most effective on larger-scope projects where the planning, permitting, and construction management complexity justifies a disciplined team approach. We don't typically take on cosmetic refreshes or single-trade work.

Question 24

Can I live in the house during a renovation?

Accepted Answer

Depending on the scope, sometimes yes. A kitchen renovation or addition that keeps the mechanical systems intact and limits the disruption zone is liveable — uncomfortable, but liveable. A full gut renovation or a project requiring new electrical, plumbing, and HVAC throughout isn't. We'll give you an honest read at the planning stage so you can make arrangements.

What you need to know before you build.

Getting Started

Planning & Permits

Timelines

Budget & Contracts

Working With Icon Projects

Renovations & Additions

Not finding the answer here?

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