Heritage Restoration

A 1920s craftsman in Burnaby Heights or a post-war rancher in the older Capitol Hill blocks isn't just a house, it's a piece of the neighbourhood's character. Restoring one well means understanding what's worth saving, what needs to come out, and where the BC heritage register or municipal character guidelines change the rules. We've done enough of these to know the trade-offs by name.

How do I know if my Burnaby home is a heritage or character property?

Check the City of Burnaby Heritage Register, which lists properties with formal heritage designation as well as identified character homes. Listed homes have protections affecting exterior changes, demolition, and sometimes additions. We pull the register entry and any original development permit drawings before planning a scope, so the project is built around what's actually allowed rather than an assumption about the property's status.

Can I add a modern addition to a heritage home without losing its character?

Yes, when the addition is planned to read as quietly contemporary at the rear while the street-facing elevation stays original. Most heritage projects add space through a primary suite, kitchen extension, or basement excavation. We work with architects who understand the difference between an addition that passes design panel review and one that reads as a mismatched gable bolted onto a character home.

Should I restore or replace original wood-sash windows on a heritage home?

Where the sashes are structurally sound, restoration, re-glazing, re-weatherstripping, and repainting in the original colour, preserves the character feature that most defines a heritage home's appearance. Where the sashes are genuinely beyond repair, we replicate in wood to the original profile and muntin pattern. On designated homes, the heritage permit often dictates which path is required; on character homes it is the owner's call, and we lay out both options honestly.

What structural upgrades does a 100-year-old Burnaby home typically need?

Most homes from this era in Burnaby Heights have knob-and-tube wiring, galvanised plumbing, no wall insulation, and seismic detailing that doesn't meet current code. Bringing the home up to a modern structural standard, new shear panels, foundation underpinning where needed, hold-downs, and modern mechanical, while preserving the character envelope, is the core technical challenge of heritage restoration work.

Does heritage designation come with any incentives in Burnaby?

Formally designated heritage properties in Burnaby can have access to incentive programs, in addition to legal protections on the structure. The specifics depend on the designation and change periodically, so we recommend confirming current incentive details directly with the City of Burnaby's heritage planning staff as part of the feasibility conversation.

What trades are hardest to find for heritage restoration work?

Lath-and-plaster repair, double-hung sash window restoration, tongue-and-groove fir siding matching, leaded glass work, and original-profile millwork are specialties most modern renovation trades don't handle. We maintain a short list of plasterers, millworkers, and window restorers in the Lower Mainland who do this work regularly, and scheduling around their availability is a real part of sequencing a heritage project.

How long does a heritage restoration project take compared to a standard renovation?

Heritage projects generally take longer than an equivalent-scope standard renovation because of specialty trade scheduling, heritage register review where applicable, and the feature-by-feature assessment process that happens before demo. The exact timeline depends on designation status, the condition of original features, and whether an addition is part of the scope.

Does a heritage restoration still need to meet current building code?

The structural and life-safety systems, wiring, plumbing, seismic detailing, generally need to meet current BC Building Code even when the exterior character is preserved. We isolate the structural retrofit so it runs through walls and floors that get restored to their original appearance afterward, keeping the character intact while bringing the home's safety systems current.