Buying New Construction
Buying a newly built home in BC
Every home in this market is new enough to be inside the warranty window. What that warranty actually covers, how to check the builder, and what to do in the first year, which is when several deadlines fall.
The short answer
Every home in this market was built in the last two years, so all of it carries the 2-5-10 warranty: two years on materials and labour, five on the building envelope, ten on structure. Inside the two year period shorter limits apply, which is the detail most buyers discover too late.
- Materials and labour
- 2 years
- Building envelope
- 5 years
- Structure
- 10 years
- Pre-construction listings
- 82
The two year period is not two years for everything
This is the thing almost every summary of the 2-5-10 warranty leaves out. Inside the two year materials and labour period there are three shorter limits: 12 months for detached homes and non-common property in strata units, 15 months for common property in multi-unit strata buildings, and 24 months only for major systems, exterior cladding, windows, doors, and defects that make the home unfit to live in. A defect inside your own unit that is not a major system may have twelve months of cover, not twenty-four. The practical consequence is a deliberate inspection at around ten months, written down.
What the warranty covers, at a glance
| Period | What it covers | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 months | Materials and labour | Detached homes and non-common property in strata units |
| 15 months | Materials and labour | Common property in multi-unit strata buildings |
| 24 months | Materials and labour | Major systems, exterior cladding, windows, doors, and defects making the home unfit to live in |
| 5 years | Building envelope | Including unintended water penetration that could cause damage |
| 10 years | Structure | Load-bearing parts and the overall structure of the home |
Claims are capped: for a strata unit the lesser of the first owner's purchase price or $100,000, for a detached home the lesser of the purchase price or $200,000. Coverage stays with the home rather than the owner, so it transfers when the home is sold.
Everything in this hub
WARRANTY
THE PURCHASE
TAKING POSSESSION
Where these facts come from
The warranty periods, sub-limits, claim caps, exclusions, and coverage start dates on this hub were read off BC Housing's own pages on 8 August 2026 rather than written from memory. They are the minimum requirements set by the Homeowner Protection Act and its Regulation. Your own policy is a contract with the warranty provider and may differ, so read it. Where something turns on your specific policy or circumstances, these pages send you to the source rather than implying a certainty we do not have.
Common questions
What is the 2-5-10 warranty?
The minimum home warranty insurance required on a new home in BC: two years on materials and labour, five years on the building envelope including unintended water penetration, and ten years on structural defects. Inside the two year period, shorter limits of 12, 15, and 24 months apply depending on what failed and where.
Does the warranty transfer if I buy a two year old home?
Yes. Coverage stays with the home rather than the owner, so you inherit whatever remains. Establish when coverage started, because that date sets every remaining deadline rather than your possession date.
How do I check a builder is licensed?
Search the BC Housing new homes registry for both the builder and the specific address. It is public and free. A warranty mentioned in a listing is a marketing claim; the registry is the record.
Are these homes presales?
Mostly not. 82 of 1,322 active listings are pre-construction, showing a completion year still ahead. The rest are finished or close to it, so for most buyers here the presale questions do not arise.
What is the single most useful thing on this hub?
That the two year materials and labour period contains shorter limits: 12 months for non-common property in a strata unit, 15 months for strata common property, and 24 months only for major systems, cladding, windows, and doors. A deliberate inspection at around ten months is the practical consequence.
Where these figures come from
- BC Housing, new homes registry and warranty
Confirms a builder's licence and a home's 2-5-10 warranty coverage.
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- VanPlex active listings, MLS® data
Active townhouses, half duplexes, and row houses built in the last two years across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley.
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- Canada Revenue Agency, first-time home buyers' GST/HST rebate
Up to 100% of GST recovered to a maximum of $50,000 at or below $1M, reducing on a straight line to nothing at $1.5M. Royal Assent 12 March 2026.
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- Government of BC, newly built home PTT exemption
Full exemption at $1,100,000 or less, partial to $1,150,000. Effective 1 April 2024.
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See what is on the market
Every home in this search was built in the last two years, so everything in this hub applies to it. Filter by price, bedrooms, parking, and distance to a station.