Some South Surrey half duplexes include a secondary suite. Here is what the City of Surrey and the BC Building Code say a legal suite is, how one gets approved, and what to check before you buy.
Finding them in Paragon
In Paragon, the MLS® system used by local REALTORS®, these homes are listed as "DUPXH 1/2 Duplex" under Residential Attached. A listing can note a suite, but a note is not proof the suite has permits. The steps below explain how to confirm it.
For every half duplex in the area, with or without a suite, see South Surrey half duplexes for sale. You can also search the map.
What Surrey counts as a secondary suite
The City's secondary suite page defines a secondary suite as an accessory dwelling unit whose habitable floor area is no more than 40% of the principal dwelling unit, within a single family dwelling, semi-detached or duplex building. It is not a separate strata lot.
The zoning conditions on that page are short:
- Only one secondary suite is allowed per single family, semi-detached or duplex dwelling unit.
- A secondary suite is not allowed in a coach house or garden suite.
- One suite may be allowed in duplex dwellings in small-scale housing zones, including Comprehensive Development zones.
The City also says each application is reviewed for legal restrictions such as Land Use Contracts and Building Schemes that prohibit suites on specific properties.
What the BC Building Code requires
The Province's Home Suite Home guide quotes the Building Code definition: a suite is a self-contained dwelling unit, completely separated from other parts of the building by a vertical fire separation rated at not less than one hour, that contains only one other dwelling unit, where both units are a single real estate entity.
That guide also states that a secondary suite cannot be strata-titled or otherwise legally separated from the rest of the home. It gives a general minimum ceiling height of 2.1 m in a suite, and says corridors, paths to exits and stairs must also meet height rules.
It adds that you can't build a suite in a duplex unless local zoning allows it, even if the Building Code does.
How a suite becomes legal in Surrey
To install or legalize a suite, the City says an owner must meet zoning, hold the needed building permits, meet the BC Building Code, and pay the suite utility and service fees. The Secondary Suite Permit page asks for a building permit application form, a current title search and a set of site and floor plans.
The City's small-scale housing page notes the new zoning does not legalize suites that were built without permits. Those owners still have to go through the permit process.
Registration and fees
The City's secondary suite fees page says all suites in Surrey must be registered with a Secondary Suite Declaration Form. It lists a Secondary Suite Service Fee of $893 per suite, and says a $1,000 fee is billed for each unregistered suite the City becomes aware of.
The City offers a Secondary Suite Fee Web Inquiry tool to check whether a suite is registered.
Questions to ask on a strata duplex
If the half duplex is a strata lot, the strata's bylaws apply too. The Province says owners must follow the Strata Property Act and the strata's bylaws and rules, including in strata-titled duplexes. Ask for the bylaws and any rules about alterations before you plan suite work.
The Township of Langley's small-scale, multi-unit housing page, for comparison, says building a suite in one of its duplexes requires strata permission where applicable. Surrey's suite pages don't address strata permission, so ask the strata directly.
Other home types in South Surrey: South Surrey homes, South Surrey houses, South Surrey townhomes, South Surrey condos.
Half duplexes in other areas: South Surrey half duplexes, Langley half duplexes, Surrey half duplexes, Tsawwassen half duplexes, Ladner half duplexes.
Questions buyers ask
How big can a secondary suite be in Surrey?
The City defines a secondary suite as having habitable floor area not exceeding 40% of the principal dwelling unit.
Can a Surrey half duplex have more than one secondary suite?
No. Only one secondary suite is permitted per single family, semi-detached or duplex dwelling unit.
Can a secondary suite be strata-titled?
No. The Province's Home Suite Home guide says a secondary suite cannot be strata-titled or otherwise legally separated from the rest of your home.
Does Surrey's new zoning legalize an existing unpermitted suite?
No. The City says the legislation does not provide retroactive legalization for suites built without the necessary building permits.
What happens if a suite isn't registered in Surrey?
The City says a $1,000 fee will be billed to the property for each unregistered secondary suite if it becomes aware of one.
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