Free PDF guide
What a multiplex is: duplex, triplex, fourplex and sixplex homes in Metro Vancouver
The forms a multiplex takes, the suites and laneway homes that count toward its total, the building code rules, how it compares with other housing, and what living in one involves.
45 pages, 6 parts, 16 sources. Written by Trent Praski. Figures re-verified 2026-10-24.
Free guide
What a multiplex is: duplex, triplex, fourplex and sixplex homes in Metro Vancouver
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What is inside
Overview
What a multiplex is, and how it differs from a duplex, a townhouse and an apartment.
Part 1
Multiplex forms: side by side, stacked, front and back, houseplex and courtyard
Side by side, stacked, front and back, houseplex and courtyard, with each name defined.
Part 2
Secondary suites, garden suites and laneway homes: how they count in a multiplex
Suites, garden suites, coach houses and laneway homes, and how each counts toward 3, 4 or 6 homes.
Part 3
How the BC Building Code treats duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes and sixplexes
Part 9 or Part 3, fire and sound separation, alarms, sprinklers, access and energy.
Part 4
Multiplex, townhouse, apartment or house with a suite: how they compare
Four housing types side by side, then the differences that matter.
Part 5
Living in a multiplex: shared walls, strata fees, meters and what to check before buying
Shared walls, strata money, meters, parking and outdoor space, and a buyer's checklist.
Key points from the guide
- Vancouver defines a multiplex as 3 to 8 homes across one or more buildings on one site, each with its own direct exterior entrance.
- Surrey's Zoning By-law 12000 defines a houseplex as a building of 3 or 4 homes that resembles a large house, such as a triplex or fourplex.
- Secondary suites, garden suites and laneway homes count toward the 3, 4 or 6 homes BC's small-scale housing law requires cities to allow.
- Part 9 of the BC Building Code covers residential buildings of 3 storeys or less with a building area of 600 square metres or less.
- Homes in a multiplex are separated by fire separations of at least 45 minutes and a sound rating of STC 50 or ASTC 47.
- A secondary suite cannot become its own strata lot, while side-by-side homes built to the code can.
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