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 to 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 to 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, layered with the Zero Carbon Step Code's emissions levels. The provincial baseline for new Part 9 residential is Step 3 of the Energy Step Code plus EL-1 of the Zero Carbon Step Code (effective March 10, 2025). Burnaby goes further: it requires Step 3 plus EL-4, the strongest zero-carbon tier, on every new single-family build (effective January 1, 2025). Step 5 is the provincial target for 2032 and what some builders deliver voluntarily today. Either tier needs balanced mechanical ventilation (HRV), a heat pump for space and water heating, robust insulation, and verified airtightness. 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 do I verify a home builder's licence in BC?

Accepted Answer

Search the BC Housing Licensed Residential Builder registry at newhomesregistry.bchousing.org/LicenceRegistry/LicenceSearch/. Every licensed residential builder in BC must be registered, you can search by company name or licence number. Unlicensed builders cannot provide mandatory 2-5-10 Home Warranty coverage. Icon Projects is a licensed BC Housing builder; ask us for our registration number at any point in the conversation.

Question 12

What is an HRV system and why does it matter for a new home?

Accepted Answer

An HRV (Heat Recovery Ventilator) continuously exchanges stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air while recovering most of the heat from the outgoing air stream. Burnaby's Step 3 + EL-4 code requirement makes balanced mechanical ventilation effectively non-negotiable, once the envelope is sealed to Step 3's 2.5 ACH50 target, the house can't ventilate itself. Sizing follows the requirements in CSA F326:23. It's not an upgrade; it's code compliance and a meaningful improvement in indoor air quality.

Question 13

What is a building envelope in a custom home?

Accepted Answer

The building envelope is every element that separates the conditioned interior from the outside: walls, roof, foundation, windows, and doors, including the air barrier, insulation, and cladding within them. On a BC Energy Step Code build, the envelope's airtightness (measured in ACH₅₀) and thermal performance determine which step the home achieves. A well-detailed envelope is the foundation of energy efficiency, moisture control, and long-term durability.

Question 14

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 15

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 16

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 17

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 to 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 18

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 19

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

Accepted Answer

The BC 2-5-10 Home Warranty is mandatory for all newly built homes in British Columbia: 2 years on materials and labour, 5 years on the building envelope (including water penetration), and 10 years on the structure. It's required under the Homeowner Protection Act. Icon Projects is a licensed BC Housing builder, every home we deliver carries full 2-5-10 coverage.

Question 20

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 21

What does the CHBA Master Residential Builder designation mean?

Accepted Answer

The CHBA Master Residential Builder (MRB) is a professional designation awarded by the Canadian Home Builders' Association. It requires verified project experience, technical knowledge, and ongoing education, and it goes well beyond the BC Housing licence that every builder must hold. Sanj Aggarwal, Icon's owner, holds the MRB and is directly involved in every project we take on.

Question 22

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 23

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 24

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 25

Should I renovate or tear down and rebuild?

Accepted Answer

Renovate when the existing structure is sound and a gut renovation delivers most of what you want. Rebuild when zoning permits a significantly better home, the structure has major deficiencies, or renovation cost approaches new-build cost. For many older homes in Burnaby Heights and similar neighbourhoods, renovation preserves more original character, if the bones are solid. We walk every site before recommending either direction.

Question 26

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 27

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

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