Free PDF guide
Which multiplex fits your lot, and what shape it can take
Unit type selection, lot eligibility requirements, and the setback, height, and floor-area rules that set the building envelope for a Metro Vancouver multiplex.
20 pages, 4 parts, 8 sources. Written by Trent Praski. Figures re-verified 2026-09-20.
Free guide
Which multiplex fits your lot, and what shape it can take
PDF, 20 pages
Free PDF
Would you like this guide as a PDF?
All 4 parts in one 20-page file to keep or print. Leave your name and email and you can download it right away.
What is inside
Overview
Which multiplex fits your lot, and what shape it can take.
Part 1
Triplex, fourplex, or sixplex: which multiplex type fits your lot
What decides your unit count, and why it usually is not a choice.
Part 2
What your lot needs before a multiplex is possible
Access, width, and flood status, the checks that come before design.
Part 3
Setbacks, height, and floor area: the building envelope explained
The three-dimensional box every multiplex has to fit inside.
Key points from the guide
- Unit count is decided by site area and site frontage together, not by preference, and both numbers must be met at once.
- A standard 33-foot Vancouver lot supports a triplex or fourplex; reaching 5 or 6 units needs 13.4 m or 15.1 m of frontage respectively.
- Rear lane access, a minimum 33-foot frontage, and confirmation the lot is outside a floodplain and free of heritage designation come before design begins.
- Setbacks, height, and floor area ratio apply simultaneously, and the design that survives all three is what actually gets permitted.
Let's talk about your property
A conversation, not a commitment.
Whether you're curious about the multiplex value of your land or looking to partner on a missing-middle build, we're here to start the conversation.