The short answer
In RealDream Contracting's quarterly-updated North Shore pricing, kitchens run $28,000 to $300,000 depending on scope, bathrooms $9,000 to $120,000, whole-home renovations $80 to $500 per square foot, and additions or detached units $150 to $600 per square foot. Permit review runs 4 to 18 weeks depending on municipality and scope, and soft costs typically add 8 to 20 percent of construction value.
How to read these numbers
Every range below is all-in for the work described: labour, materials, project management, and overhead. Unless stated otherwise, they exclude permit fees paid to the municipality, design and engineering fees, and GST.
The low end of each range assumes straightforward access, no structural surprises, mid-market product selections, and a house that doesn't fight back. The high end assumes a sloped or tight lot, an older home with the accumulated issues that come with one, and higher-end finishes.
Most projects land in the middle. When one lands at the high end, the cause is usually a discovery rather than a decision.
Kitchens
The single most requested project on the North Shore, and the one with the widest legitimate range.
| Scope | 2026 cost range |
|---|---|
| Cosmetic refresh, keeping layout and cabinet boxes | $28,000 to $50,000 |
| Full kitchen replacement, same layout, semi-custom cabinetry | $65,000 to $110,000 |
| Full kitchen with layout change and plumbing relocation | $95,000 to $160,000 |
| Kitchen with wall removal and structural beam | Add $9,000 to $38,000 |
| High-end custom kitchen, custom millwork and premium appliances | $160,000 to $300,000+ |
Bathrooms
Small rooms with a lot of trades in them, which is why the per-square-foot number is the highest in the house.
| Scope | 2026 cost range |
|---|---|
| Powder room refresh | $9,000 to $18,000 |
| Full three-piece bathroom, existing layout | $28,000 to $48,000 |
| Full four or five-piece bathroom, existing layout | $38,000 to $70,000 |
| Primary ensuite with layout change and custom tile work | $60,000 to $120,000 |
| Curbless wet room conversion | Add $4,000 to $9,000 over a standard tiled shower |
| Moving a toilet or shower drain | Add $3,500 to $9,000 depending on floor structure |
Basements
Basement pricing is the most sensitive to pre-existing conditions of anything on this page. The finishing costs are predictable; the moisture, height, and egress costs are not.
| Scope | 2026 cost |
|---|---|
| Basic finish, dry basement, no plumbing | $85 to $120 per sq ft |
| Standard finish with bathroom and wet bar | $120 to $170 per sq ft |
| Legal secondary suite | $120 to $250 per sq ft, or $70,000 to $150,000 for a typical one-bedroom |
| Egress window cut through foundation | $6,500 to $14,000 each |
| Perimeter drainage replacement | $18,000 to $40,000 |
| Underpinning to gain ceiling height | $350 to $600 per linear foot of foundation |
Whole-home renovations
Priced per square foot of the home's total finished area, which is how these projects are actually scoped.
| Scope | 2026 cost per sq ft |
|---|---|
| Cosmetic whole-home refresh, paint, flooring, fixtures | $80 to $140 |
| Substantial renovation, kitchen and bathrooms rebuilt, some layout change | $175 to $275 |
| Full gut to the studs, all systems replaced | $275 to $400 |
| Full gut with exterior re-clad, rain screen, and envelope upgrade | $350 to $500 |
Additions and new detached units
New square footage, whether attached or detached, prices differently than work inside an existing envelope because you are building structure, envelope, and roof from nothing.
| Project type | 2026 cost |
|---|---|
| Second-storey addition | $250 to $450 per sq ft |
| Rear or side ground-floor addition | $300 to $500 per sq ft |
| Garage conversion to livable space | $150 to $300 per sq ft |
| Attic conversion, rafter-framed | $180 to $320 per sq ft |
| Detached laneway house | $375 to $550 per sq ft |
| Coach house over garage | $400 to $600 per sq ft |
| Servicing for a detached unit | $30,000 to $90,000 depending on lane versus street connection |
Individual line items that move budgets
These are the items that appear as surprises when they weren't scoped up front. Every one of them is common on North Shore homes built before 1980.
| Line item | 2026 cost |
|---|---|
| Hazardous materials survey | $500 to $1,200 |
| Asbestos abatement, typical renovation scope | $3,000 to $15,000 |
| Electrical service upgrade to 200 amp | $4,500 to $9,000 |
| Aluminum wiring pigtailing throughout | $2,500 to $6,000 |
| Full copper rewire | $18,000 to $45,000 |
| Repipe in PEX or copper | $12,000 to $30,000 |
| Seismic bolting and cripple wall bracing, walls open | $6,000 to $18,000 |
| Unreinforced masonry chimney removal | $3,000 to $8,000 |
| Structural beam, LVL | $9,000 to $22,000 |
| Structural beam, steel | $14,000 to $38,000 |
| New footing under a post | $4,000 to $12,000 each |
| Geotechnical report | $2,500 to $6,000 |
| Arborist report | $2,000 to $8,000 |
| Skylight, installed with shaft and drywall | $3,500 to $7,500 |
Soft costs and permits
The costs that happen before construction, and that homeowners consistently underestimate as a share of the project.
Permit fees across the North Shore municipalities are calculated on declared construction value, generally $9 to $13 per $1,000. On a $300,000 renovation that is $2,700 to $3,900 in municipal fees alone, before any consultant.
Design and drawings for a substantial renovation run $12,000 to $40,000, and structural engineering adds $2,500 to $14,000 depending on complexity. On a detached unit, add architectural work at $18,000 to $40,000.
As a planning rule, soft costs run 8 to 15 percent of construction value on a renovation and 12 to 20 percent on a new detached unit.
Permit review times, current
Timelines are a cost, because carrying a project longer costs money and because a schedule built on optimistic permit assumptions falls apart.
| Municipality | Scope | Review time |
|---|---|---|
| City of North Vancouver | Interior renovation | 4 to 8 weeks |
| City of North Vancouver | Addition or structural | 10 to 16 weeks |
| District of North Vancouver | Interior renovation | 4 to 8 weeks |
| District of North Vancouver | Addition or structural | 8 to 14 weeks |
| West Vancouver | Addition or structural | 10 to 18 weeks, longer on sloped or environmentally designated lots |
| Any North Shore municipality | Detached dwelling unit | 4 to 8 months including development permit where required |
What is moving right now
As of the August 2026 update, three things are worth noting.
Trade labour rates on the North Shore have been the steadiest input for about eighteen months, after several years of sharp increases. Framing and finishing carpentry availability has improved compared to 2022 to 2024, and that shows up as shorter schedules rather than lower prices.
Envelope and energy-related costs have gone the other way. Step Code compliance, better windows, and heat pump installations are now a larger share of a typical addition budget than they were three years ago. That's a real cost increase, though it comes with operating cost reductions.
Municipal fees and consultant requirements continue to trend upward, particularly geotechnical and arborist requirements on sloped North Shore lots. Soft costs as a share of project value are higher now than they were five years ago, and we don't expect that to reverse.
Using this page
These numbers are for planning, not for signing. They tell you whether the project you're imagining is a $90,000 project or a $290,000 project, which is the question most homeowners actually need answered before they invest time in design.
What they can't tell you is what your house will do once it's open. That takes a site visit, and on any North Shore home built before 1980, it takes an investigation package before a number means anything.
We update this page quarterly with what we're actually quoting and building. If a figure here doesn't match a quote you've received, that's worth a conversation rather than an assumption in either direction.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a kitchen renovation cost in North Vancouver in 2026?
A cosmetic refresh keeping the layout runs $28,000 to $50,000. A full kitchen replacement in the same layout with semi-custom cabinetry runs $65,000 to $110,000. Changing the layout with plumbing relocation runs $95,000 to $160,000, and removing a wall adds $9,000 to $38,000 for the structural beam.
What does a whole-home renovation cost per square foot on the North Shore?
A cosmetic refresh runs $80 to $140 per square foot. A substantial renovation with kitchen and bathrooms rebuilt runs $175 to $275. A full gut to the studs with all systems replaced runs $275 to $400, and adding an exterior re-clad with rain screen and envelope upgrade brings it to $350 to $500.
How much are permit fees in North Vancouver?
Permit fees across the North Shore municipalities are calculated on declared construction value at roughly $9 to $13 per $1,000. On a $300,000 renovation that is $2,700 to $3,900 in municipal fees. Total soft costs including design and engineering run 8 to 15 percent of construction value on a renovation.
How long does a renovation permit take in North Vancouver?
Interior renovations take 4 to 8 weeks in both the City and District of North Vancouver. Additions and structural work run 10 to 16 weeks in the City and 8 to 14 weeks in the District. West Vancouver runs 10 to 18 weeks, longer for sloped or environmentally designated lots. Detached dwelling units take 4 to 8 months.
How often is this cost index updated?
Quarterly, using the ranges we are actively quoting and building on North Shore projects. The current version was updated in August 2026. Ranges exclude municipal permit fees, design and engineering fees, and GST unless stated otherwise, so budget those on top of the number shown.
What does a laneway house cost per square foot on the North Shore in 2026?
A detached laneway house runs $375 to $550 per square foot, and a coach house over a garage runs $400 to $600. Servicing for a detached unit adds $30,000 to $90,000 depending on whether the connection comes from the lane or the street. Permitting takes 4 to 8 months in any North Shore municipality, including a development permit where required.
What do home additions cost per square foot in North Vancouver?
A second-storey addition runs $250 to $450 per square foot, and a rear or side ground-floor addition runs $300 to $500, because new square footage means building structure, envelope, and roof from nothing. A garage conversion to livable space runs $150 to $300 per square foot, and a rafter-framed attic conversion runs $180 to $320.
How much does an egress window cost in a North Vancouver basement?
An egress window cut through the foundation runs $6,500 to $14,000 each. If ceiling height is the problem instead, underpinning the foundation runs $350 to $600 per linear foot. Both belong to the basement costs that depend on pre-existing conditions rather than finish choices, along with perimeter drainage replacement at $18,000 to $40,000.
What does it cost to move a toilet or shower drain?
Moving a toilet or shower drain adds $3,500 to $9,000 depending on the floor structure. A curbless wet room conversion adds $4,000 to $9,000 over a standard tiled shower. Bathrooms carry the highest per-square-foot cost in the house because so many trades work in one small room.
What does a structural beam cost when removing a wall?
An LVL beam runs $9,000 to $22,000 and a steel beam runs $14,000 to $38,000. A new footing under a post adds $4,000 to $12,000 each. On a kitchen project, wall removal with a structural beam adds $9,000 to $38,000 on top of the base renovation cost.
What do design and engineering fees cost for a North Shore renovation?
Design and drawings for a substantial renovation run $12,000 to $40,000, and structural engineering adds $2,500 to $14,000 depending on complexity. On a detached unit, architectural work runs $18,000 to $40,000. As a planning rule, soft costs run 8 to 15 percent of construction value on a renovation and 12 to 20 percent on a new detached unit.
Are North Shore renovation costs rising or falling in 2026?
Mixed, as of the August 2026 update. Trade labour rates have been the steadiest input for about eighteen months, and improved carpentry availability is showing up as shorter schedules rather than lower prices. Envelope and energy costs have gone the other way: Step Code compliance, better windows, and heat pumps are a larger share of an addition budget than three years ago, and municipal fees plus geotechnical and arborist requirements on sloped lots keep trending upward.
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