The building repairs that go well for property managers follow the same pattern. Someone looks at the damage, the scope and price go in writing with photos, hidden damage is reported before any extra work, and the repair is scheduled around the people using the building. This guide covers how that works for interior repairs in rental, strata and commercial buildings across Metro Vancouver, and the B.C. rules that affect who pays, who gets notice and when a permit is needed.

TL;DR

  • Get a written scope with photos of the current condition before you approve a repair.
  • Ask for a lump-sum price, with optional items on separate lines.
  • Agree up front that hidden damage is photographed and reported before any extra work starts.
  • In B.C. rental buildings, the landlord must keep the property in good repair (Residential Tenancy Act, section 32). In a strata, the strata corporation must repair and maintain common property (Strata Property Act, section 72).
  • In Vancouver, drywall repairs to fire separations in multi-unit residential buildings need a permit, even when the repair looks cosmetic.
  • In buildings from before 1990, check for asbestos before cutting into drywall or textured ceilings.

What building repairs can a general contractor handle for property managers?

A general contractor handles interior repairs that need more than one trade, a written scope and work in an occupied building. Common requests from property managers include:

  • Damaged walls and ceilings in corridors, lobbies, stairwells and suites: drywall patching, then paint.
  • Doors, frames, trim and hardware knocked loose or worn out by daily traffic, moves and deliveries.
  • Flooring repairs in common areas and suites.
  • Common-area finishes, such as worn wall finishes, damaged baseboards and tired fixtures.
  • Suite repairs between tenancies, from patch and paint to kitchens, baths and flooring. See suite turnovers.
  • Make-good between commercial tenants, so a unit is ready for the next lease. Larger changes for a new tenant are tenant improvements.

Urgent trade problems, such as a leaking pipe, a heating failure or an electrical fault, go to the right specialist trade first. Interior repairs follow once the cause is fixed. When repairs keep coming back in the same areas, it may be time to plan a larger project. Our guide to capital projects for property managers covers that step.

Who is responsible for building repairs in B.C.?

It depends on the type of building:

  • Rental buildings.
  • Under section 32 of the Residential Tenancy Act, the landlord must provide and maintain residential property in a state of decoration and repair that meets health, safety and housing standards and makes it suitable for occupation.
  • Tenants must repair damage they or their guests cause, but not reasonable wear and tear.
  • Under section 33, the landlord must post, or give tenants in writing, the name and phone number of a contact for emergency repairs.
  • Strata buildings.
  • Section 72 of the Strata Property Act requires the strata corporation to repair and maintain common property and common assets.
  • Bylaws can shift some responsibility, for example for limited common property.
  • Check the strata's bylaws before approving a repair.
  • Commercial buildings. Repair responsibilities are mostly set by the lease, so read the repair and make-good clauses before you scope the work.

Getting this right first tells you who approves the work and who receives the invoice.

What should a building repair proposal include?

A repair proposal should give you more than a number. Before you approve it, check that it has:

  1. Photos of the current condition.
  2. A short site condition summary: what's damaged, where and how badly.
  3. A written scope of work, item by item, split by area.
  4. A lump-sum price covering labour and materials.
  5. Optional items priced as separate lines, so you choose what's included.
  6. What happens if hidden damage is found.
  7. How access, timing and tenant or resident notice will work.
  8. How long the price is held.

A proposal built this way can go to a rental owner, a strata council or an insurer without being rewritten. For comparing quotes line by line, see how to review contractor bids.

What happens if hidden damage turns up during a repair?

Report it before anyone works on it. With repairs, you often can't see everything until a wall or floor is opened. Damaged drywall can hide wet framing or an old leak, and lifted flooring can hide a damaged subfloor.

The working rule should be written into the proposal:

  • If the contractor finds damage that wasn't in the scope, they stop work on that item.
  • They photograph it and report it to you.
  • They price the added work, and you decide before it goes ahead.

That keeps the final invoice matched to what you approved.

Do building repairs need a permit in Vancouver?

Most interior repairs don't. The City of Vancouver lists painting, and replacing fixtures, cabinets or flooring, as work that doesn't need a permit. One exception matters in apartment and mixed-use buildings: drywall repairs to fire separations in multi-unit residential buildings need a permit.

Walls between suites, around stairwells and along corridors are often fire separations. A patch that looks cosmetic can be part of a rated assembly. A permit is also needed when a repair moves walls or plumbing, electrical or gas lines, or involves structural repairs. Outside Vancouver, confirm with your municipality's building department.

What safety checks apply before a repair starts?

Asbestos. WorkSafeBC says asbestos was used in building materials such as drywall, textured ceilings and vinyl flooring until the early 1990s, and buildings from before 1990 likely contain some. Even a small repair can disturb it. Before work that could disturb these materials, a qualified person must identify hazardous materials. If asbestos is found, a licensed abatement contractor removes it. See our guide to asbestos abatement in Metro Vancouver.

Prime contractor. When workers from more than one employer are on site, a written agreement should name the prime contractor. If there is no written agreement, WorkSafeBC considers the owner to be the prime contractor. A repair that brings in several trades is a good reason to have one general contractor take that role in writing. Read more in prime contractor responsibilities under WorkSafeBC.

How do repairs work in an occupied building?

Most buildings stay open during repairs, so the work is planned around the people in them:

  • Access goes through the property manager, including building rules, work hours, elevator bookings and contacts.
  • Notice before entering a home.
  • Rental buildings: section 29 of the Residential Tenancy Act requires at least 24 hours' written notice for entry between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m., unless the tenant agrees otherwise or there is an emergency.
  • Stratas: the Standard Bylaws, unless a strata has replaced them, require 48 hours' written notice to enter a strata lot for repairs, except in an emergency.
  • Work hours within the noise bylaw. In the City of Vancouver, construction noise on private property is allowed 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays, and not on Sundays or holidays.
  • Commercial tenants are consulted on timing, so a storefront or office can keep operating.
  • Work areas are protected and marked, exits stay clear, and the site is cleaned up each day.

For more on keeping a building running during work, see renovating an occupied building.

What should you document for an insurance-related repair?

If the damage may involve an insurance claim, good records help whoever handles it. Keep:

  • dated photos of the damage before any work
  • a written scope that separates each damaged area, so each item can be traced to the event
  • the proposal and final invoice, using the same scope lines
  • photos of the finished repair.

Check coverage and claim steps with your insurer or broker before work starts. A contractor's documents support a claim, but they aren't insurance advice.

What should you check before hiring a building repair contractor?

  • WorkSafeBC registration and a clearance letter. WorkSafeBC warns that you could be liable for unpaid premiums if your contractor isn't paying them.
  • Liability insurance, with a certificate.
  • A written scope and lump-sum price you can compare line by line.
  • Prime contractor role in writing when more than one trade is involved.
  • Close-out photos and documents for the building file. See post-construction service.

Our perspective

Multigroup Contracting is a commercial general contractor that has worked in Metro Vancouver since 2016. We are registered with WorkSafeBC and carry $5 million in liability insurance. For property managers, strata councils and rental and commercial building owners, we take on interior renovation and repair work in occupied commercial and multi-family buildings, suite work between tenancies, and larger capital projects. See multi-unit residential and multi-family suite renovations for the kinds of buildings we work in.

A good repair is mostly about what happens before the work starts: a look at the damage, a written scope and a clear plan for the people in the building.

— MultigroupTeam

Request a site visit

Have damage or wear in one of your buildings? Call 778-819-5933, email info@multigroup.ca, or send the details and a few photos through our contact page.

FAQ

Who pays for repairs in a B.C. rental building?

Generally the landlord. Section 32 of the Residential Tenancy Act requires the landlord to keep residential property in a state of decoration and repair that makes it suitable for occupation. A tenant must repair damage they or their guests cause, but not reasonable wear and tear.

Who is responsible for repairing common property in a strata building?

The strata corporation. Section 72 of the Strata Property Act requires it to repair and maintain common property and common assets. Bylaws can make owners responsible for some items, such as limited common property, so check the bylaws.

Do I need a permit to repair drywall in an apartment building in Vancouver?

Usually not for patch and paint. But the City of Vancouver requires a permit for drywall repairs to fire separations in multi-unit residential buildings, and walls along corridors, around stairwells and between suites are often fire separations.

How much notice do tenants or residents need before a repair?

In a rental building, at least 24 hours' written notice for entry between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. under section 29 of the Residential Tenancy Act, unless the tenant agrees otherwise or there is an emergency. Under the strata Standard Bylaws, 48 hours' written notice, except in an emergency.

What should happen if a contractor finds hidden damage?

They should stop work on that item, photograph it, and report it with a price for the added work before going ahead. Put this rule in the proposal so the final invoice matches what you approved.

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