Where every project starts
Feasibility & equity review
Know what your land can really do, before you commit to anything.
Before any design or decision, we study your specific lot: its size and shape, its zoning, and its highest-and-best use under Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley's current rules. You get an honest read on what's possible, including when the numbers don't support developing.
Written by Trent Praski, Venture Pacific
How it works
- 01
Property & zoning review
We confirm your lot's size, dimensions, and the rules that apply to it under the current municipal bylaw.
- 02
Highest-and-best-use assessment
We assess what form of development the land best supports, and whether it makes financial sense.
- 03
Honest recommendation
You receive a straightforward read on the opportunity, including the option not to proceed if the numbers don't work.
What a feasibility review actually covers
A feasibility review is not a sales pitch. It's the step where we either confirm your land can support a multiplex development worth building, or tell you honestly that it can't. Both outcomes save you time and money.
We start by pulling your parcel data and confirming what zone applies to your lot, Vancouver's R1-1, Burnaby's R1 SSMUH district, one of Richmond's RSM sub-zones, or whichever bylaw governs your municipality. We check the lot's size against the provincial 280 m² threshold, which sets the minimum unit count, and confirm whether you fall within 400 metres of a frequent-transit stop, which can raise the permitted maximum.
Zoning is the starting point, not the answer. We then look at the physical lot: its width and depth, any easements or covenants on title, the location of mature trees the city protects, the slope, and what the existing servicing can carry. A lot serviced for one house may need new water, sewer, or electrical connections to support four, that is a real cost that the zoning map never shows.
We also model the unit count your lot can realistically hold within the building envelope rules, height limits, setbacks, lot coverage, and floor space ratio. The zoning sets a maximum; your lot's conditions set the practical ceiling. Those two numbers can be far apart, and we tell you both.
The equity side of the review
A feasibility review is also a financial review. Once we know what can be built, we model what it could return, and whether the numbers justify the project given the current construction market, financing conditions, and the particular costs your lot will drive.
We look at the two primary outcomes: selling the finished strata homes, or holding them as secured rental. The tenure choice is not just a lifestyle decision. In some zones, Vancouver's R1-1 is the clearest example, building for secured rental unlocks additional units on the same lot. That can change the project's economics significantly.
The goal is to give you an accurate picture of the opportunity before any design work starts. If the project pencils, we explain what a GP/LP partnership would look like and what each party contributes. If the numbers don't work, we tell you that plainly. A project that doesn't make sense is not one we pursue, because the cost of a poor project falls on everyone involved.
When a feasibility review matters most
If you are considering whether to sell or develop, the feasibility review gives you the information to make that decision on real numbers rather than assumptions. Many homeowners come to us with a sense that their land is valuable but no clear picture of what development would actually yield compared to an outright sale.
If you already know you want to develop but are early in the process, the review establishes the realistic parameters before you spend anything on architects, engineers, or legal advice. Getting the unit count, the servicing assessment, and the financial model right at the start prevents expensive changes of direction later.
If you have already had a preliminary conversation with another developer or a planner, a second feasibility review can verify that the assumptions being made are grounded in your lot's actual zoning and conditions, not in a standard template applied to a generic Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley property.
Frequently asked
What does a feasibility review cost?
Our initial feasibility conversation is free and carries no obligation. We'll tell you what we can learn from your lot's public data before we even meet. A more detailed written review, covering servicing, unit count modelling, and a partnership outline, is part of our process for lots where the initial read is positive.
How long does a feasibility review take?
An initial read on a standard Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley lot typically takes a few days once we have the address and a brief conversation about your goals. A more detailed written assessment, covering servicing, unit count modelling, and a financial outline, takes one to two weeks.
What information do I need to provide?
Your civic address is enough to start. From there we can pull the parcel data, confirm the zoning, and run a preliminary read. If you have a copy of your title, that helps us check for easements or covenants early. We don't need anything else before the initial conversation.
What if the review finds the project doesn't work?
We tell you clearly, and explain why. A lot might not support a viable multiplex for reasons of size, servicing constraints, easements, or a financial model that doesn't produce a return worth the effort. Knowing that early protects you from spending on design and permitting that was never going to produce a result. We would rather give you an honest no now than an optimistic yes that costs you later.
Can I get a feasibility review if I'm not ready to commit to developing?
Yes. Many homeowners want to understand what their land could support before making any decision, whether to sell, hold, or develop. The review is designed to inform that decision, not to push you toward development. You leave with a clear picture of your options.
Where we deliver this
City-by-city multiplex rules
The permitting process and what the zoning allows varies meaningfully from one Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley municipality to the next. See how this service applies in each area.
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.