Recladding and Exterior Maintenance in Metro Vancouver
Rainscreen recladding delivered around an occupied building. The largest project a strata will ever run, planned with engineering rigour.
Engineer-led scopingLicensed & insuredWorkSafeBC in good standingStrata & commercial specialists
Is it time?
Buildings that are candidates for recladding
Done well, a recladding resets the building’s envelope clock by decades and usually improves its appearance and insurance position at the same time.
Never remediated
Face-sealed buildings from the leaky condo era that were never converted to rainscreen.
First-generation cladding aging
Remediated buildings whose 20-year-old cladding and membranes are reaching end of life.
Widespread symptoms
Moisture problems on multiple elevations that targeted repairs keep chasing.
Insurance pressure
Insurers increasingly price envelope condition into premiums and renewals.
Before we quote
Built from investigation, not from a unit price
- Work from the engineering
We build from your envelope consultant’s investigation and specification, and our building science background means we read those documents the way their authors intended. - Verify the structure
What is behind the cladding decides the real cost. We verify condition rather than pricing blind. - Transparent contingency
Predictable scope and conditional scope are separated, with concealed damage priced at unit rates instead of buried contingency.
Our pricing separates the predictable from the conditional, so the contingency is transparent instead of hidden.
Scope of work
What a recladding includes
- Full removal of existing cladding and verified structural repair
- New rainscreen assembly: Water resistive barrier (WRB), insulation, strapping and cladding
- Window and door replacement integrated into the same mobilisation
- Balcony, guardrail and roof tie-in work coordinated within the project
- Owner communication program resourced for the project's duration
- Ongoing exterior maintenance programs after renewal
Phasing: full recladdings are usually phased by elevation or wing. Phasing adds mobilisation cost and extends duration; we quantify that premium so the council can weigh it against levy timing.
What to expect
Months of work, managed like it
Expect scaffolding wrap, defined noisy-work hours, protected entrances, and a communication rhythm: schedule notices, a site contact, and regular progress updates the council can forward. Keeping owners informed is half the project, and we resource it accordingly.
By elevation
Phased delivery that matches levy timing
Occupied
The building stays lived-in for the whole project
Cash-flow
Projections by phase for the levy schedule
Unit rates
Concealed damage priced transparently as found
For strata councils
Documentation for the biggest decision a council makes
A recladding almost always means a large special levy and sometimes strata financing. The council’s documentation burden is heavy, and we carry our share of it.
Spec-aligned scope
Itemised against the consultant’s specification so bids are comparable.
Cash-flow by phase
Projections that let the council plan the levy schedule.
Photo progress records
A visual record owners can follow and the council can file.
Close-out package
Warranties and documentation suitable for permanent records and future Form B disclosures.
Recent work
Recladding projects in Metro Vancouver
Common questions
Recladding FAQs
Can we reclad in phases to spread the cost?
Yes, typically by elevation or wing. Phasing adds mobilisation cost and extends total duration; we quantify that premium so the council can weigh it against levy timing.
Will the building look different afterwards?
Usually better. Cladding selection goes through council with samples and renderings where needed, within your budget and any municipal requirements.
Do owners need to leave during recladding?
No. Buildings remain occupied. Short notice-based access to suites is needed at window replacement and interior-side repairs only.
What is the difference between rainscreen and what we have now?
A rainscreen assembly puts a drained, ventilated cavity behind the cladding so water that gets past the surface can escape. Face-sealed assemblies rely on the surface staying perfect, which in this climate it will not.
Get an engineer-informed assessment of your building
Tell us what your building is doing: the stain, the leak, the report recommendation. We will tell you what we would investigate first and what a realistic scope looks like. No obligation, and your council gets something in writing either way.