Questions
Questions about building with Costar.
Short answers, taken from what Costar publishes on this site.
Getting started
What does Costar Construction build?
Costar Construction is a Vancouver construction management company. Its work covers multiplexes, custom homes, laneway homes and legal suites, kitchen and bathroom renovations, and commercial tenant improvements for wellness and beauty, healthcare, hospitality, office and retail, and childcare spaces. The office is at 104 - 338 W 8th Ave, Vancouver, and the first one-hour project consultation costs nothing.
Where does Costar work?
Costar lists eight serviced areas: Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby, Coquitlam, New Westminster, North Vancouver, West Vancouver and Port Moody. Its laneway page says laneway homes are available in Vancouver, Burnaby and New Westminster. The office is at 104 - 338 W 8th Ave, Vancouver. Rules differ in each city, and every city page on this site lists the sources it relies on.
What happens in a consultation, and does it cost anything?
Costar offers a one-hour project consultation at no cost. It takes place at your property or at the Costar office, 104 - 338 W 8th Ave, Vancouver. After you send the booking form, the Costar team sets a date and time with you by email or phone.
How do I contact Costar?
Call 236-997-0026 for general enquiries, or 604-368-3685 or 778-238-1982 for consultations. You can also email info@costarconstruction.com. The office is at 104 - 338 W 8th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5Y 3X2. After you send the booking form, the Costar team replies by email or phone to set a date and time for the consultation.
How a project runs
What are the stages of a Costar project?
Costar's process page describes five stages: design and planning, pre-construction, construction, handover and warranty. Design and planning starts with a first meeting where you interview the team. Pre-construction covers the budget, the specifications, a written contract and the permit drawings. Construction covers site preparation, the foundation, framing, the trades and city inspections. At handover the site is cleaned, you and the team inspect the home together, and you receive the keys and a project binder. In the warranty stage, the process page says the team inspects at 3, 6 and 12 months.
How is the price set?
According to Costar's process page, you and the team discuss the budget and agree on a cost plus arrangement, and then sign a written contract. A cost plus arrangement generally means you pay the actual cost of materials and trades plus an agreed amount for the builder. Ask your consultant for the exact terms on your project. The process page also says Costar uses CoConstruct software, from Buildertrend, to track progress and expenses.
Do I need a site or drawings before I call?
No. Costar's process page says that if you have not chosen a site, the team can help with an inspection and offer advice on how suitable it is. If you already work with a designer or architect, the team joins the drawings from the beginning to check that the home can be built as drawn. The team can also recommend design and architecture firms it has worked with.
Who supervises the work on site?
The process page says Costar supervises the crew and the subtrades, conducts the rough-ins for plumbing and heating, and handles the city inspections. It also says you may visit the site regularly and that the team gives you regular progress updates. This supervision belongs to the construction stage, the third of the five stages on the process page.
Multiplexes and other building types
What is a multiplex?
Costar's multiplex page explains that a multiplex is a small-scale townhouse project on a single lot. The page says the cost of the land is shared over more homes and the units are smaller, so they cost less than single-detached homes or duplexes. Multiplex is the first of the six services Costar lists on its services page.
What is Missing Middle Housing?
Costar's multiplex page describes Missing Middle Housing as multiplex and townhouse buildings of 1 to 3 storeys, together with low-rise apartment buildings of 3 to 6 storeys. The page says these building types increase choice, including ownership and rental options. Costar builds multiplexes as one of its six services, and the multiplex page is where it explains the term.
Can I check whether my lot suits a multiplex before I call?
Yes. The multiplex check on this site takes a Metro Vancouver address and returns a first set of numbers for that lot: how many homes the zoning allows, a first figure for the build cost, what the homes could sell for based on nearby sales, and what is left. The calculator is made by VanPlex. It is free, and it asks for your name, email and phone before it shows the numbers. Treat the result as a first check, and bring it to the free consultation.
Does Costar build laneway homes?
Yes. Laneway Home and Legal Suite is one of Costar's services. The service page says it is available in Vancouver, Burnaby and New Westminster. Rules differ for each lot, so ask your consultant what applies to your property. Costar also builds multiplexes, custom homes, kitchen and bathroom renovations, and commercial tenant improvements.
Does Costar do commercial work?
Yes. Commercial and Tenant Improvements is one of Costar's services, and the page lists wellness and beauty, healthcare, hospitality, office and retail, and childcare. The portfolio includes an office, cafes and beauty studios. The same Costar team also builds homes, including multiplexes, custom homes and laneway homes, and the first one-hour consultation costs nothing.
Documents and recognition
Can I read a company profile before I call?
Yes. The company profile is a 13-page PDF overview of the team, the services and completed work. You enter your name, email and phone number, and the download starts right away. The file is a PDF, and it is listed on the Downloads page in the Resources section of this site.
Has Costar won an award or joined a builders' association?
Costar Construction Inc. won the 2024 Georgie Award for Best Multiplex Home, for the project It Takes Two, according to the 2024 winners list from the Canadian Home Builders' Association of BC. Costar is also listed in the member directory of the Homebuilders Association Vancouver (HAVAN).
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