Saanich, Greater Victoria
Renovations and builds in Saanich
Saanich’s rules change at its Urban Containment Boundary, so where your lot sits decides what you can add. We build suites, garden suites and renovations here, and we start with a free quote.
Saanich · Greater Victoria
Photo: ecwiebe, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), via Wikimedia Commons (resized)
Free written quotes
After a site visit, with what is fixed and what is an allowance.
One contract
One point of contact, from quote to final walkthrough.
Licensed trade partners
Electrical, plumbing and gas, under our management.
Victoria to the Lower Mainland
Greater Victoria, up-Island and Metro Vancouver.
Saanich’s housing stock
Saanich is a suburb of houses. In the 2021 Census, 46.6% of its 48,050 occupied homes were single-detached and 31.8% were semi-detached, row houses or duplexes. Apartments of five storeys or more were just 1.3%.
More than half the stock dates from 1980 or earlier: 23.9% was built in 1960 or before and 32.5% between 1961 and 1980. Only 14.1% was built from 2001 on. If your single-detached house sits inside the boundary, you may have room for both a secondary suite and a garden suite.
- 46.6% single-detached houses
- 31.8% semi-detached, row houses and duplexes
- 32.5% built 1961 to 1980
Saanich rules for suites, units and trees
Since July 2024, eligible lots inside the Urban Containment Boundary can have a secondary suite and a garden suite together. Outside it, an eligible lot can have a secondary suite. Every unit, suites included, needs a building permit.
Garden suites are allowed on RS or RD zoned lots inside the Sewer Service Area or the boundary. The lot must be at least 400 m² and 12 m wide. The suite can be up to 93 m² (1,000 ft²) and cannot be a short-term rental.
Small-scale multi-unit housing took effect on June 30, 2024. Lots inside the boundary can have 3 to 6 units without rezoning, depending on size and location, and Saanich says it rezoned about 27,000 lots. Five or more units need a Form and Character Development Permit.
New houses must meet Energy Step 3 and, since November 1, 2023, Zero Carbon Step Code level 4, with an EnerGuide label or equivalent submitted. For existing homes, Saanich’s Heat Pump Financing Program lends up to $12,000 at 0% interest to replace a fossil-fuel furnace or boiler, repaid over 10 years on your property tax bill. The fall 2026 intake closed on October 13, 2026, so check with the municipality for the next one.
- Tree Protection Bylaw No. 9272 protects every species at 60 cm diameter or more.
- Arbutus, Garry oak, Pacific dogwood and Pacific yew are protected from 2 m tall or 4 cm in diameter.
- Douglas fir, grand fir, western red cedar and bigleaf maple are protected from 30 cm.
- Dead or dying protected trees still need a cutting permit.
- As of October 2026, Saanich has proposed a 30 cm general threshold inside the boundary. The current bylaw applies until a new one passes, so check with the municipality.
Building permits: District of Saanich: residential permits
Neighbourhoods we cover in Saanich
- Cadboro Bay
- Cordova Bay
- Gordon Head
- Royal Oak
- Shelbourne
- Tillicum
Saanich lends homeowners money for a heat pump at 0% interest and collects it on the property tax bill.
Shoreline and streams
Saanich’s sea level rise page cites the Capital Regional District projection of 0.5 m by 2050, 1 m by 2100 and 2 m by 2200. It warns of more flooding and, in some cases, permanent inundation of coastal buildings. On a waterfront lot, raise this with your designer and with us before you settle floor heights.
Inside the Streamside Development Permit Area, trees are protected at any size. SaanichMap shows whether your lot falls in it. Check before you plan an addition, a garden suite or any clearing near a creek.
Saanich: common questions
Sources
Statistics Canada, 2021 Census Profile: Saanich, District municipality (DM) · District of Saanich: Residential permits · District of Saanich: Local Area Plans · District of Saanich: New tools to help create more housing (2024) · District of Saanich: Garden Suites · District of Saanich: Garden Suite Guide (January 2026) · District of Saanich: Small-Scale Multi-Unit Housing · District of Saanich: Tree Bylaw overview · District of Saanich: Tree Bylaw project Q&A (June 2026) · District of Saanich: Step Code · District of Saanich: Heat Pump Financing · District of Saanich: Sea Level Rise. Checked 2026-10-30.
Services
What we build in Saanich
More of Greater Victoria · How we run a job
Windows & doors
Replacement windows, exterior doors and patio doors, flashed properly into the wall.
Drainage & perimeter drains
Camera inspection, cleaning, repair and replacement of foundation perimeter drains.
Heat pumps & HVAC
Ducted and ductless heat pumps, heat pump water heaters, furnaces and fuel switching, sized to the house.
Handyman & small repairs
Fixes, installs, patching and minor carpentry: the jobs too small for a renovation.
Basements & secondary suites
Finished basements and legal rental or in-law suites, from permits to final occupancy.
Free quotes
Start your Saanich project
Tell us what you want built or fixed, and whether you’re inside the boundary if you know. We’ll email you to confirm your free quote visit.