Reference | Methodology
How the numbers are made
For a council or a public document, where a figure comes from matters as much as the figure. Here is the honest version: what we measure, what we model, and what we assume.
Measured vs modelled
Measured
Permit data
Multiplex permit applications and issuances are drawn from municipal records. These are counts, not estimates.
Measured
Lot & zoning data
Lot size, frontage, zoning, assessed value, and transit distance come from public assessment and GIS sources.
Modelled
Feasibility / PlexRank
Return on equity is computed with a development proforma — land basis, buildable area, construction cost, fees, and exit value. It is a model, and we state its assumptions.
Modelled
Scenario outcomes
When we change a rule and recompute viable lots, the result is a projection under stated assumptions, not a forecast of behaviour.
What goes into the feasibility model
The PlexRank return for each lot is built from these inputs. Change your rules and the fee and envelope inputs change with them — which is what lets us model a policy decision before you make it.
- Buildable area from lot dimensions and the applicable zoning envelope
- Construction cost per square foot, updated to current market
- Land basis from assessed and comparable sale values
- Municipal fees: development charges, amenity charges, permit fees
- Exit value from comparable sales analysis
- Financing assumptions: rate, loan-to-cost, placement, and carry period
Official Sources Referenced
Frequently asked questions
What does "the lot pencils" actually mean?
How often does the data refresh?
Are the published charts your data or ours?
Can we see the assumptions behind a number?
Want this for your municipality?
We already track multiplex permit uptake and lot-by-lot feasibility across BC. Tell us your city and we'll show you what your data says — and how a monitoring partnership works.