Vancouver · Heritage & Character Homes
Heritage Home Renovation Vancouver preserved & transformed.
Vancouver’s heritage homes carry a century of craft in their bones, old-growth fir floors, hand-cut mouldings, Craftsman proportions that no modern build replicates. A heritage renovation by Arani Construction honours that character while making the home function beautifully for how you live today.
Founded in 2011
120+ Renovation Projects
Vancouver, BC
Client-Focused Approach
Why Arani Construction
Heritage home renovation demands a different kind of contractor
Most renovation contractors can replace a kitchen. Far fewer know how to work around a built-in buffet from 1912 without damaging the dining room moulding behind it. Or how to run modern electrical through a balloon-framed wall without compromising its original structure. Or how to source a Douglas fir floor patch that matches the existing wear pattern in a 1924 Kitsilano Craftsman.
Heritage Home Renovation Richmond requires a level of site-specific problem-solving that generic renovation experience simply doesn’t provide. Arani Construction has been completing renovation and restoration work on Vancouver’s older homes for over a decade. We approach every pre-war or character home with the same first principle: understand what the house is before deciding what to change.
That doesn’t mean preserving everything. It means knowing the difference between the irreplaceable old-growth fir floors, hand-cut mouldings, original window proportions, and the sensibly upgradeable: galvanised plumbing, knob-and-tube wiring, inadequate insulation, and kitchens designed for a different era of cooking. Our renovations address both with equal care.
Victorian & Edwardian
High ceilings, bay windows, ornate mouldings, steep pitched rooflines. Common in Kitsilano and Mount Pleasant.
Craftsman & Bungalow
Exposed timber, tapered columns, built-in millwork, handcrafted detail. The dominant heritage form in Vancouver.
Shaughnessy Estate
Tudor Revival, Colonial, and Arts & Crafts on large lots. Complex heritage review processes, luxury-level finishes.
Character Houses
Pre-1940 homes not on the formal register but architecturally significant. Common throughout the East Side and South Granville.
01
Preservation-first approach
We identify what's worth saving before we scope what needs replacing. Original old-growth fir floors, hand-cut mouldings, built-in millwork, and period hardware are catalogued and protected before any demolition begins.
02
Heritage permit experience
We've navigated Vancouver's Heritage Alteration Permit process, worked with the City's heritage planning staff, and understand the specific documentation required for properties on the Vancouver Heritage Register.
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Systems modernization expertise
Replacing knob-and-tube wiring, galvanised plumbing, and inadequate insulation in an older home requires skill that goes far beyond a standard renovation scope. We've done it dozens of times without compromising the architectural integrity of the house.
04
Matching period detail
When mouldings need replacing, we source matching profiles. When floors need patching, we find period-appropriate Douglas fir. When windows need replacing, we select profiles that respect the home's proportions. Authenticity in the details is what separates a heritage renovation from a generic one.
05
Structural assessment
Older Vancouver homes can hide decades of deferred maintenance, undisclosed repairs, and seismic vulnerabilities. We assess structural conditions honestly before every project so scope and budget reflect what's actually there, not what you hope is there.
06
One contract, complete outcome
Heritage renovations involve more trades and more coordination than standard renovations. A single contract with Arani Construction means one project manager owns every outcome from heritage permit submission to the finishing coat on your restored Craftsman millwork.
Vancouver Heritage Neighbourhoods
Where we work and what we know about each neighbourhood
Vancouver’s heritage residential stock is concentrated in a handful of neighbourhoods, each with its own architectural character, its own heritage review requirements, and its own challenges for a renovation contractor. Working across all of them over the past decade has given Arani Construction a level of neighbourhood-specific knowledge that’s impossible to replicate from a distance.
We know that a Shaughnessy Tudor Revival will typically have a concrete perimeter foundation, but wood-post interior supports that need assessment before any load-bearing change. We know that Kitsilano Craftsman Full Home Renovation North Vancouver from the 1910s–1920s commonly have false ceilings that hide significant ceiling height and original fir lath worth preserving. We know that Mount Pleasant’s heritage corridor has specific design guidelines that govern exterior changes even when a formal Heritage Alteration Permit isn’t required.
Shaughnessy
Vancouver's most formal heritage neighbourhood. Large lots, complex heritage review, luxury interior scope. Heritage Register properties common.
Kitsilano
Dense heritage residential stock from 1910–1930. Craftsman bungalows, Edwardian foursquares, and character infill. Old-growth fir throughout.
Mount Pleasant
Heritage conservation area designation. Mix of Victorian cottages, Craftsman homes, and early 20th-century vernacular residential architecture.
South Granville
Pre-war Craftsman and Edwardian homes on generous lots. Often larger footprints than Kitsilano with strong original interior detail.
Queens Park (NW)
One of Metro Vancouver's best-preserved heritage residential areas. Victorian and Craftsman homes with strong original fabric and formal heritage designation.
Point Grey & Kerrisdale
Pre-war character homes on large lots. Strong heritage character without always having formal Register designation nuanced permit landscape.
Common Heritage Renovation Challenges
What we encounter and how we handle it
Knob-and-tube wiring
Common in homes built before 1950. Requires a Journeyman electrician and full panel assessment. Insurance companies often won't cover occupied homes with active K&T. We scope and budget for this upfront so it's not a mid-project surprise.
Galvanised plumbing
Vancouver homes built before 1960 frequently have galvanised steel supply lines with decades of internal corrosion. Full replacement is typically the right call and a heritage renovation is the right time to do it.
Non-square walls & floors
A century of settling means walls that aren't plumb, floors that aren't level, and rooms that aren't square. Custom millwork in a heritage kitchen or bathroom has to account for all of this which is why our millwork is measured and built in situ, not to blueprint dimensions.
Asbestos & lead paint
Pre-1990 construction in Vancouver frequently contains asbestos in texture coatings, vermiculite, pipe insulation, and floor tile. Lead paint in pre-1980 homes. We arrange abatement assessments before any demolition begins and comply fully with WorkSafeBC requirements.
Seismic vulnerability
Vancouver is seismically active. Older homes with cripple-wall foundations are among the most vulnerable structures in the city. Renovation is the optimal time to implement cost-effective seismic improvements we work with structural engineers and can scope this alongside your renovation.
Our Services
Heritage renovation services for Vancouver homes
01
Heritage Home Restoration
Full interior and exterior restoration of Vancouver's heritage residential properties structural assessment, systems modernization (electrical, plumbing, insulation), original detail preservation, and contemporary interior upgrades delivered under one contract. For properties on the Vancouver Heritage Register or within heritage conservation areas, we manage the Heritage Alteration Permit process and City heritage review coordination.
02
Character Home Renovation
Renovation of pre-war and early post-war Vancouver character homes that aren't on the formal Heritage Register but carry significant architectural value. Open-concept reconfigurations that respect original room proportions, kitchen and bathroom upgrades designed around period aesthetics, and electrical and plumbing modernization completed without compromise to the home's original fabric.
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Heritage Kitchen Renovation
Custom kitchens designed for heritage homes not period reproductions, but contemporary kitchens that respect the proportions, material palette, and character of the house they're in. Custom cabinetry with face-frame construction and period-appropriate hardware. Stone countertops scaled to the room. Open-concept transitions that don't strip the architectural character from the adjacent dining room. Permits managed, millwork custom-built on-site.
04
Heritage Bathroom Renovation
Heritage bathroom renovations that balance period character with modern function. Subway tile, hexagonal mosaic floors, pedestal basins, and clawfoot or freestanding tub options for those who want period authenticity. Contemporary wet room layouts, frameless glass, and heated tile floors for those who want the house's age on the outside and full modern luxury inside. Both approaches are valid we execute both with equal skill.
05
Structural & Seismic Upgrades
Cripple-wall seismic retrofits, foundation assessment and reinforcement, load-bearing wall analysis for open-concept renovations, and structural beam installation for older homes that need to carry modern spans. All structural work is designed by licensed structural engineers and permitted through the City of Vancouver. Seismic retrofitting for Vancouver's older residential stock is increasingly important and renovation is the most cost-effective time to address it.
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Interior Modernization & Detail Preservation
The most nuanced work in heritage renovation simultaneously upgrading a home's interior and protecting what makes it irreplaceable. We restore original old-growth fir floors rather than replacing them. We match existing moulding profiles rather than switching to contemporary alternatives. We preserve original built-in millwork rather than removing it to fit a standard cabinetry spec. And we integrate modern lighting, HVAC, and insulation in a way that serves the house without announcing itself.
Vancouver Heritage Bylaws & Process
What heritage renovation in Vancouver actually requires
Heritage Alteration Permits when they apply
Properties on the Vancouver Heritage Register that are classified as "A" or "B" typically require a Heritage Alteration Permit (HAP) for alterations affecting exterior character-defining elements windows, doors, cladding, porches, and rooflines. Interior alterations to registered properties generally don't require a HAP unless they affect significant interior heritage fabric. Non-registered character homes (classified "C" or unclassified) typically proceed through standard building permits. Arani Construction reviews your property's heritage status at the consultation stage and identifies the correct permit pathway from the outset.
Preserving woodwork, mouldings & original layouts
The defining characteristic of a well-executed heritage renovation is what you choose not to change. Vancouver's pre-war homes were built with Douglas fir flooring, hand-crafted mouldings, built-in millwork, and room proportions that modern construction doesn't replicate. Before any scope is agreed, we walk the home with the owner and document every element worth preserving floor condition, moulding profiles, hardware, built-ins, ceiling height, and original layout logic. These become constraints that shape every subsequent design decision.
Modernizing systems without compromising character
A heritage home renovation always involves updating systems that weren't designed for contemporary life electrical panels that predate modern load demands, plumbing that's outlived its service life, insulation levels that fail current energy standards, and HVAC that simply doesn't exist. Integrating these upgrades into an older home without exposing them requires careful routing, in-wall planning, and the ability to patch and restore finishes to a level that matches the existing work. This is one of the most craft-intensive aspects of heritage renovation and one of the most consequential for the final result.
BC Energy Step Code in heritage homes
New construction in BC must comply with the BC Energy Step Code. Heritage renovations are partially exempt from some requirements, but renovation is still the right time to improve a heritage home's thermal performance improved insulation in newly opened exterior walls, secondary glazing on original windows, and heat pump integration for homes transitioning away from gas heating. Arani Construction advises on CleanBC Better Homes rebates as part of our heritage renovation planning process.
"Heritage renovation is not about freezing a house in its original moment. It's about making it livable for the next century while respecting the craft that built it in the last one."
Pedram Shayan, B.Eng — Founder, Arani Construction
Project Examples
Heritage renovation work completed across Metro Vancouver
Project · Queens Park, New Westminster
Heritage character home restoration full interior renovation, period moulding restoration, kitchen modernization, electrical & plumbing update
Queens Park is one of Metro Vancouver's most intact heritage residential areas. This project preserved original fir floors, restored damaged mouldings to original profile, modernized the kitchen within the existing footprint, and upgraded all electrical and plumbing. BC Building Code compliance throughout.
Project · Vancouver (East Side Character Home)
1920s Craftsman character home whole home renovation with structural upgrade, open-concept kitchen, original built-in preservation, seismic cripple-wall retrofit
A complete interior renovation of a 1920s Vancouver Craftsman. The original built-in buffet and living room shelving were preserved and restored. The kitchen was opened to the dining room while maintaining the original visual connection to the entry. Cripple-wall seismic retrofit completed under the same permit.
How We Work
Our heritage renovation process
Heritage renovation is not a standard construction sequence. It requires more front-end planning, more careful discovery, and more mid-project decision-making than any other renovation type. Here’s how we manage it.
01
Consultation
Free site visit. Heritage status review. Honest assessment of what the home requires structurally, mechanically, aesthetically before any scope is discussed.
02
Site Assessment
Thorough condition review of original fabric, structural condition, mechanical systems, and potential hazardous materials. The foundation for an honest scope and budget.
03
Design & Planning
Preservation strategy defined. Design decisions shaped around what will be kept, restored, and replaced. All selections reviewed and approved before any permit is submitted.
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Permit Coordination
City of Vancouver building permit and Heritage Alteration Permit where required. Full application management drawings, heritage review, inspections handled end-to-end.
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Construction
Preservation-first demolition protocol. Trades coordinated around what's being kept. Weekly progress updates. Same-day communication when heritage discoveries affect scope.
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Final Walkthrough
Permits closed. Heritage documentation submitted to City where required. Warranties handed over. Thorough walkthrough together we don't consider a heritage project done until you do.
Why Homeowners Choose Us
What Vancouver heritage homeowners need from a contractor
A heritage Home Renovation Metro Vancouver is often the most architecturally and financially significant property its owners will ever own. Choosing the wrong contractor for its renovation is irreversible in a way that a bad kitchen renovation simply isn’t, because what gets removed from a heritage home can never be put back.
01
- Craftsmanship
Trades who respect what they're working with
We select our trades for heritage projects on a different basis than standard renovations. Not just technical skill judgment. The ability to assess a situation and make the right call when they encounter original fabric that doesn't appear in the drawings. Heritage renovation is where craft expertise is most consequential.
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- Transparency
Honest about what we find
Heritage homes hide things. Asbestos in the texture coat. Knob-and-tube behind the drywall. A foundation that needs more attention than anyone expected. We find these things early, tell you immediately, and present options with real pricing not discoveries buried in a change order after the walls are open.
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- Heritage knowledge
We know Vancouver's heritage building stock
The structural conventions of a 1920s Vancouver Craftsman. The permit requirements for a Shaughnessy Heritage Register property. The material options for restoring original Douglas fir flooring. The difference between a character home and a protected heritage home in terms of what the City requires. This knowledge comes from years of working in these houses not from a heritage renovation guide.
04
- Pricing
Fixed-price contracts for complex scopes
Heritage renovations are inherently less predictable than modern construction. We manage that uncertainty through thorough pre-construction assessment, honest contingency budgeting, and fixed-price contracts that commit us to the agreed number. If something genuinely unforeseen requires a scope change, you see and approve a written change order before a single additional hour of work proceeds.
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- Communication
The contractor who tells you things
Heritage renovation surfaces discoveries that require decisions sometimes significant ones. We communicate everything immediately. What we found. What the options are. What each option costs and what it means for the schedule. Heritage homeowners need a contractor who makes them feel informed and in control, not overwhelmed and surprised.
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- Materials
Premium materials, period-appropriate selections
Heritage renovation requires materials that perform at a modern standard and look right in the context of the home. We source period-appropriate tile, moulding profiles, flooring, hardware, and cabinetry through suppliers who understand what "appropriate to a 1924 Kitsilano Craftsman" actually means. No substitute materials. No catalogue defaults. Selections that serve the house.
Common Questions
Heritage renovation FAQs
How much does heritage home renovation cost in Vancouver?
Heritage home renovation costs in Vancouver are typically higher than equivalent renovations in modern homes for legitimate reasons. Pre-construction assessment (hazmat testing, structural review, heritage documentation) adds cost before any construction begins. Original detail preservation and custom matching of heritage elements requires skilled trades time that standard renovation doesn’t. And older homes frequently contain systems surprises that modern construction doesn’t.
As a rough guide: a heritage kitchen renovation runs $45,000–$130,000 depending on custom millwork scope and heritage complexity. A heritage bathroom runs $25,000–$90,000. A full heritage home restoration including electrical, plumbing, insulation, and seismic upgrades alongside the interior renovation, typically starts at $300,000 and can reach $800,000+ for larger Shaughnessy or Point Grey properties. Arani Construction provides a detailed fixed-price proposal after a thorough on-site assessment of your home’s specific condition and heritage status.
Do heritage homes require special permits in Vancouver?
All significant renovations in Vancouver require a building permit, regardless of heritage status. For properties on the Vancouver Heritage Register, alterations affecting exterior character-defining elements, such as windows, doors, cladding, porches, and dormers, typically also require a Heritage Alteration Permit (HAP) from the City of Vancouver’s Planning and Development Department. The HAP process involves review by the City’s heritage staff and, in some cases, a discretionary review by the Director of Planning.
Properties classified “C” on the Heritage Register, and character homes not on the Register, typically proceed through standard building permits without a formal heritage review. However, the City’s design guidelines for heritage neighbourhoods (including the Kitsilano Heritage Management Plan and Mount Pleasant Heritage Conservation Area guidelines) may still influence what alterations are permitted. Arani Construction reviews your property’s heritage status at the consultation stage and navigates the correct permit pathway from the outset.
Can you modernize a heritage home without losing its original character?
Yes — and this distinction is at the heart of what separates a thoughtful heritage renovation from a generic one. The goal is not to preserve everything exactly as it was. It’s to understand which elements give the house its irreplaceable character, typically the original fir floors, the hand-cut mouldings, the built-in millwork, the room proportions, and the window placement, and protect those while modernizing everything that was never built to last a century: the electrical, the plumbing, the insulation, and the kitchen and bathrooms.
A heritage home can have a fully modern kitchen, a spa-standard master bathroom, heat pump heating, LED lighting, and comprehensive insulation and still read as the 1922 Craftsman it is, because its bones, proportions, and original detail have been honoured throughout the renovation process. That balance is what we design every heritage renovation around.
How long does a heritage renovation take in Vancouver?
Heritage renovation timelines are longer than equivalent modern construction for several reasons: the pre-construction assessment phase (hazmat testing, structural review, heritage documentation) takes 2–4 weeks before permit submission. If a Heritage Alteration Permit is required, the City of Vancouver’s review process currently takes 8–16 weeks. Standard building permits for heritage homes take 4–8 weeks. Custom millwork, particularly when matching period profiles, has a longer lead time than off-the-shelf cabinetry.
As a rough guide: a heritage kitchen or bathroom renovation takes 6–10 weeks of construction once permits are in hand. A full heritage restoration of a detached home runs 5–12 months, depending on scope, including structural and systems work. Total timeline from initial consultation to completion for a comprehensive heritage renovation in Vancouver typically runs 9–18 months. Arani Construction provides a milestone schedule at the proposal stage so you have a realistic picture of the complete timeline from day one.
What are the most common challenges in Vancouver heritage homes?
The most common challenges we encounter in Vancouver’s pre-war homes are: knob-and-tube electrical wiring (present in most homes built before 1950, requires full replacement), galvanised steel plumbing (corroded internally, needs full replacement in most cases), inadequate insulation (R-values far below current standards, creates comfort and energy issues), asbestos in texture coatings, floor tile, and pipe insulation (requires professional abatement before demolition), and non-level/non-square surfaces that make standard cabinetry installation impractical.
Structurally, older Vancouver homes frequently have cripple-wall foundations that are seismically vulnerable, post-and-beam interior supports that need to be assessed before any layout changes, and undisclosed prior repairs that don’t meet current code. The key to managing these challenges is thorough pre-construction discovery, which is why our heritage renovation assessment is more comprehensive than our standard residential assessment, and why our fixed-price proposals include realistic contingencies for the conditions we expect to find.
Do you renovate kitchens and bathrooms in heritage houses?
Yes — heritage kitchen and bathroom renovations are among the most common projects we complete. Both require a specific approach: understanding the proportions and material palette of the house, designing around what will be preserved (a butler’s pantry, original tile wainscoting, a claw-foot tub worth restoring), and specifying materials that feel appropriate to the era without requiring a period reproduction aesthetic unless that’s what the owner wants.
Heritage kitchen renovations in Vancouver’s Craftsman and Edwardian homes typically involve opening the kitchen to the dining room (a common and historically appropriate modification in these floor plans), custom face-frame cabinetry with period-appropriate hardware, stone or butcher block countertops, and careful electrical upgrade to handle modern appliance loads. Heritage bathroom renovations offer a genuine choice: period-authentic materials (subway tile, hex mosaic floors, pedestal sinks) or fully contemporary luxuries (frameless glass, heated tile, custom vanity millwork). Both are executed with equal expertise.
Does Arani Construction serve Kitsilano, Shaughnessy, and Mount Pleasant?
Yes. Arani Construction completes heritage home renovation work across Vancouver’s major heritage residential neighbourhoods, Kitsilano, Shaughnessy, Mount Pleasant, South Granville, Point Grey, Kerrisdale, and the East Side character home corridors. We also work in Queens Park, New Westminster, one of Metro Vancouver’s most significant heritage residential areas.
Our office is based in North Vancouver, and our heritage renovation work across the City of Vancouver is supported by our confirmed project history in the city, including projects at 3215 W 10th Ave, 5025 Prince Edward St, 872 E 24th Ave, 2376 W 20th Ave, and 6668 East Blvd. Call us at (604) 537-1753 to discuss your heritage renovation, and we’ll schedule a free consultation at your Vancouver property within the week.
Begin Your Heritage Renovation
Your Vancouver heritage home deserves renovation done right.
Tell us about your home its era, its neighbourhood, what you want to preserve and what you want to transform. We’ll visit the property, assess its heritage status and condition honestly, and put together a detailed fixed-price proposal. Free. No obligation.
Licensed · WorkSafeBC Certified · Heritage Permit Experience · Vancouver & Metro Vancouver Since 2013