From first inspection to occupancy
A building permit is permission to start, and the inspections that follow are how the city confirms what was built matches what was approved. The sequence is fixed because each inspection looks at work that the next stage covers up. Trade inspections run on their own track through Technical Safety BC. Occupancy comes at the end, granted by the authority having jurisdiction, and it is the milestone that matters for moving in, for releasing the final construction draw, and for starting warranty coverage.
Part of Building permits in Metro Vancouver. Figures re-verified 2026-09-23.
Key takeaways
- Inspections follow a fixed order because each one examines work the next stage conceals.
- Electrical and gas work is inspected by Technical Safety BC, separately from city inspections.
- Work covered before its inspection may have to be opened up again at the owner's cost.
- An inspection is booked by the permit holder, and the booking queue is part of the schedule.
- Occupancy is granted by the authority having jurisdiction, and it is a separate step from the final inspection.
- Warranty coverage periods run from a defined start date tied to occupancy or completion.
Why the order cannot change
Each inspection exists to examine work before something else hides it. Footings are inspected before concrete is poured over them. Framing, plumbing rough in, and electrical rough in are inspected before insulation and drywall enclose them. Insulation and the air barrier are inspected before the interior finishes go on.
This is why a schedule cannot be compressed by reordering trades. Getting ahead by closing a wall before its rough in inspection creates the possibility of opening that wall again, and the cost of doing so falls on the owner rather than the city.
The permit holder books each inspection, and the booking queue is part of the schedule. On a busy week the gap between requesting and receiving an inspection is real time that belongs in the construction programme.
Trade inspections run on a separate track
Technical Safety BC issues and inspects electrical and gas permits, along with boilers and pressure vessels, elevating devices, and refrigeration. These inspections are separate from the city's, and they follow the requirements of the permit the contractor or homeowner holds.
For an owner this means two organisations are confirming different parts of the same house, on their own schedules. A project can pass a city framing inspection and still be waiting on a provincial electrical inspection before the wall can close.
Coordinating the two is part of managing the build. On Venture Pacific projects the trade permits and their inspections are tracked alongside the city sequence, so the drywall date depends on both being clear rather than on one.
The final stage, and what occupancy actually means
At the end of construction the city carries out a final inspection of the work covered by the building permit. Occupancy is the separate permission to use the building, granted by the authority having jurisdiction, and it depends on the required inspections having passed and on any conditions attached to the permit having been met.
Occupancy conditions can include items outside the house itself, such as required landscaping, site drainage, or restoration of the city boulevard disturbed during construction. Where a damage deposit was collected at permit stage, its return is usually tied to this stage.
Owners plan moving dates around occupancy, and the honest way to do that is to treat the date as the outcome of a checklist rather than a fixed point. Everything on the list has a name and an owner, and the list can be worked in advance rather than discovered at the end.
What occupancy starts
Occupancy is also the point at which several clocks begin. Home warranty coverage on a new home runs from a defined start date tied to occupancy or completion, and the coverage follows the standard tiers of two years on materials and labour, five years on the building envelope, and ten years on structural defects.
For an owner builder the equivalent statutory obligations run for the same periods, and the ten year responsibility begins on the same basis. BC Housing's owner builder bulletin also requires the owner builder to use the home personally for at least one year after first occupancy.
Financing arrangements often tie their final advance to occupancy as well, so the date affects both the move and the money. Confirming exactly what the lender requires as evidence of occupancy, early rather than late, avoids a gap between having the permission and having the funds.
Frequently asked questions
What inspections does a house build go through?
A Metro Vancouver house build is inspected in a fixed sequence tied to what each stage conceals. Footings are inspected before concrete, framing and rough in work before insulation and drywall, and insulation and the air barrier before interior finishes. The city sets the exact list for your permit, and it appears on the permit itself. The permit holder books each one.
Who inspects electrical and gas work in British Columbia?
Technical Safety BC inspects electrical and gas work, under the permits it issues for that work. These inspections are separate from the city's building inspections and run on their own schedule. A project can pass a city framing inspection while still waiting on a provincial electrical inspection, and the wall cannot close until both are clear.
Who books building inspections, the owner or the builder?
The permit holder books them, which on a project with a builder in place is the builder. The booking queue is part of the construction schedule, because the gap between requesting an inspection and receiving it is real time. On Venture Pacific projects the city inspections and the provincial trade inspections are tracked together, so no trade is scheduled against an inspection that has not cleared.
What happens if work is covered up before it is inspected?
The inspector can require it to be uncovered so the work can be seen, and the cost of opening and reinstating it falls on the owner or the builder rather than the city. This is the reason the inspection sequence cannot be reordered to save time. Closing a wall ahead of its rough in inspection risks paying twice for the same drywall.
Is a final inspection the same as occupancy?
No. The final inspection is the city's check of the work covered by the building permit. Occupancy is the separate permission to use the building, granted by the authority having jurisdiction once the required inspections have passed and the permit conditions have been met. A project can clear its final inspection and still be waiting on an outstanding occupancy condition.
What conditions can hold up occupancy?
Conditions attached to the permit, which often include items outside the house itself: required landscaping, site drainage, and restoration of city property such as the boulevard or sidewalk disturbed during construction. Where a damage deposit was collected at permit stage, its return is usually tied to this point. Working the condition list in advance avoids discovering it at the end.
When does home warranty coverage start on a new house?
Home warranty coverage runs from a defined start date tied to occupancy or completion, and the standard tiers follow from there: two years on materials and labour, five years on the building envelope, and ten years on structural defects. Confirm the exact start date in writing with the warranty provider, because the tier expiry dates all count from it.
Does an owner builder have inspection obligations after occupancy?
An owner builder carries statutory obligations mirroring the insured tiers, running two years on materials and labour, five years on the building envelope, and ten years on structural defects. BC Housing's owner builder bulletin also requires personal use of the home for at least one year after first occupancy. That responsibility continues to subsequent purchasers within the ten year period.
Can I move in before occupancy is granted?
Occupying a building before the authority having jurisdiction has granted occupancy is a breach of the permit, and cities can enforce against it. Insurance and financing are also affected, since both commonly reference lawful occupancy. Where a move date is fixed for other reasons, raise it with the city early and work the outstanding conditions rather than proceeding and asking afterwards.
Does the final construction loan advance depend on occupancy?
Lenders commonly tie the final advance to occupancy, so the date affects both moving and money. What counts as acceptable evidence differs between lenders, so confirm the exact requirement early in construction rather than at the end. A gap between receiving occupancy and receiving the final advance is avoidable, and it is usually caused by a document nobody asked for in time.
Go deeper in the Journal
Sources and references
Rate and regulation figures on this page were re-verified on 2026-09-23. Construction cost ranges come from Venture Pacific's own Metro Vancouver projects and are described as such wherever they appear.
- Permits, electrical and gasTechnical Safety BC. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- Regulatory Bulletin No. 4, Information for Owner BuildersBC Housing, Licensing and Consumer Services. Bulletin revised September 2018. Accessed 23 September 2026.
- BC Codes, the British Columbia Building CodeProvince of British Columbia. Accessed 23 September 2026.
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