Top General Contractors in Vancouver
Greater Vancouver logged more than $14 billion in building permits during 2024, according to BC Stats, and over half of those dollars flowed through just 8 post-code clusters from Kitsilano to Lynn Valley. Behind the numbers stand the general contractors who translate design intent into living space—co-ordinating trades, securing permits under Vancouver’s Energy Step Code, and keeping sophisticated homeowners and developers on schedule. Today’s GCs do far more than swing hammers; they must manage volatile lumber pricing, supply-chain lags, and the City’s stringent Embodied Carbon Strategy (average material CO₂ intensity must drop 40 % by 2030).
Cost certainty is harder to nail down than ever, yet the right contractor can shave 6 %–12 % off total project cost through early-phase constructability reviews and just-in-time procurement. Data from the Homebuilders Association Vancouver (HAVAN) show projects with an integrated GC and design team experience 41 % fewer change orders and finish 3.2 weeks sooner on average. But how do you choose a builder who can genuinely deliver? Before diving into firm profiles, use the checklist below to vet credentials, workflows, and sustainability chops that align with Metro Vancouver’s evolving regulatory—and resale—landscape.
Quick-Reference Checklist – Hiring a Vancouver GC
- Active BC Builder Licence & WCB coverage
- Recent Step Code Experience (Step 4 for Part 9 homes, Step 2-3 for Part 3 buildings)
- Transparent Budgeting – open-book or fixed plus allowances, monthly variance reports
- Digital Tools – Procore, Buildertrend, or equivalent for real-time updates
- Sub-trade Network – confirmed availability, safety record, and standing offers
- Energy & Envelope Expertise – familiarity with Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) sizing, blower-door testing, and low-carbon concrete mixes
- Municipal Approval Track Record – average DP/SBP timeline in Vancouver, Burnaby, North Shore
- Warranty & After-Care – 2-5-10 coverage, 90-day and 1-year deficiency walks
General Contractors in Vancouver
Compare Vancouver’s 5 leading general contractors—firms that closed $310 million in projects last year, shortened permit times by 18 days on average, and delivered up to 27 % higher resale value on custom renovations. See specialties, studio data, and a quick-fire hiring checklist.
+1 (604) 430-3004
3689 E 1st Ave #220, Vancouver, BC V5M 1C2
Firm Snapshot: With 45 in-house staff and a trade network of 180+, Vancouver General Contractors (VGC) delivers full-service design-build under one roof. Their proprietary 3-D modelling process integrates structural, MEP, and millwork pricing at concept stage—reducing cost overruns by 9 % across 2024’s portfolio of 72 projects. VGC recently completed a 4,200 ft² Net-Zero home in Point Grey that achieved an Air Changes per Hour (ACH) of 0.48, well below the Step Code threshold.
- Custom homes & large-scale gut renovations
- In-house kitchen & bath design studio; parametric cabinetry library
- Guaranteed Maximum Price contracts with milestone “Cost-to-Complete” audits
- Post-occupancy energy-use tracking for 12 months

+1 (604) 916-4175
1266 W 7th Ave, Vancouver, BC V6H 1B6
Firm Snapshot: The word Kaizen means continuous improvement, and this boutique builder lives up to its name by applying Lean construction principles. Typical kitchen renovations complete in 9 weeks—two weeks faster than the BC average—thanks to staggered trade scheduling and off-site cabinet prefabrication. Kaizen’s recent Dunbar laneway house hit Step Code 5 with a simple double-stud wall and dense-pack cellulose, costing $32 / ft² less than comparable foam-insulated assemblies.
- Whole-home remodels, laneway & garden suites, structural retrofits
- Detailed pull-planning schedules visible to clients via Buildertrend portal
- Weekly job-site waste audits—target <5 % landfill diversion shortfall
- 3-year workmanship warranty plus seasonal maintenance check-ins
+1 (604) 781-7785
1330 Marine Dr #409, North Vancouver, BC V7P 3E5
Firm Snapshot: Serving the North Shore and the city core, Walker GC combines in-house framing crews with a trusted network of Passive House Certified sub-trades. Their Capilano Highlands whole-home rebuild diverted 82 % of demolition material from landfill and introduced a smart-home package that cut annual energy costs by $1.18 / ft². The firm’s client-first ethos shows in its Net Promoter Score of 91 (HAVAN average: 73).
- Custom kitchens, bathroom suites, seismic upgrades, exterior envelope rebuilds
- On-site project managers hold Gold Seal certification
- 24/7 client hotline for real-time issue resolution
- 2-5-10 Pacific Home Warranty program with extended HVAC labour coverage
+1 (604) 266-1921
1537 W 75th Ave, Vancouver, BC V6P 6Z7
Firm Snapshot: A family-run operation since 1989, Marino GC handled $28 million in projects last year, with 65 % repeat-client volume. Their in-house millwork shop reduces lead times for custom cabinetry by four weeks, while their project dashboards give clients weekly cash-flow snapshots. Marino recently completed a strata retrofit in Kitsilano that boosted blower-door results by 40 %, unlocking a $180,000 rebate under BC Hydro’s Deep Retrofit Program.
- New-build homes, heritage restorations, multi-unit condo retrofits
- Direct coordination with city heritage planners and structural engineers
- Dust-mitigation protocols exceed WorkSafeBC silica standards
- Annual home care program covering seasonal inspections and minor repairs
+1 (778) 320-5413
997 Seymour St #250, Vancouver, BC V6B 3M1
Firm Snapshot: Hallmark thrives in high-design, quick-turn interior projects; 70 % of its commercial fit-outs hit Substantial Completion at least three days ahead of schedule. The firm’s tenant-improvement playbook includes a proprietary cost-benchmarking tool that predicts market-rate allowances within 4 % accuracy. A recent Yaletown tech-office fit-out achieved WELL Gold certification and a 12 % increase in employee productivity, according to the client’s post-move survey.
- Residential penthouse remodels, commercial interiors, hospitality upgrades
- Dedicated pre-construction team providing feasibility studies and cash-flow curves
- Noise-control and after-hours work plans for occupied buildings
- 12-month post-completion service with rolling deficiency log