Kitchen Renovations · North Vancouver
Post-and-beam ceilings, mid-century layouts, and split-levels that were never designed to be open. North Shore kitchens have their own set of problems.
Kitchen Renovations in North Vancouver
North Vancouver's housing stock is distinctive, and it shows up in kitchen projects. The North Shore has a large stock of post-and-beam and mid-century homes where the ceiling structure is exposed and part of the architecture — you cannot simply drop a bulkhead to hide new ducting without wrecking the look. Split-levels are everywhere, which means the kitchen frequently sits half a level from the living space, and opening them up is a structural question rather than a cosmetic one. And Lower Lonsdale has genuinely old housing with the wiring and plumbing to match.
Two things shape kitchen work here. First, the architecture: in post-and-beam homes, mechanical routing is the whole design problem, because there is no attic or joist cavity to hide a range vent or new circuits in. Getting that right takes planning before demolition, not improvisation after. Second, the jurisdiction: the City and the District of North Vancouver are separate municipalities with separate building departments. Interior kitchen work stays simpler than exterior work in both, but once you remove a structural wall or add a suite, you are in each municipality's own process — and in the District, adding a secondary suite brings requirements including a minimum 200-amp service and separate electrical panels for the suite and principal dwelling.
Post-and-beam and mid-century moderns, split-levels, Lower Lonsdale character homes, and newer builds and townhomes along the Lonsdale corridor
A cosmetic kitchen replacement in the same layout generally does not require a building permit in either North Vancouver municipality, though electrical and gas work is permitted separately. Removing a wall, relocating plumbing, or changing venting does require permits — and you will be dealing with either the City or the District depending on your address, as they run independent processes. Adding a secondary suite carries additional requirements, including in the District a minimum 200-amp service with separate panels for the suite and the main dwelling. We confirm the jurisdiction, pull the permits and book the inspections.
What We Offer
Kitchens in homes where the structure is the finish. We plan venting and electrical routing around exposed beams and decking before anything is demolished, so the ceiling stays intact and the mechanical still works.
Connecting a kitchen to a living space half a level away. These are structural projects involving beams, headers and sometimes floor framing changes — engineered and permitted, not improvised.
Older Lower Lonsdale and Grand Boulevard homes with original wiring, undersized panels and out-of-square walls. We deal with what is behind the plaster properly and scribe cabinetry to walls that were never plumb.
Locally built cabinets sized to your actual room, including full-height pantries and islands proportioned to a mid-century footprint rather than dropped in from a showroom layout.
Compact kitchens for secondary suites, built to code with the electrical service and panel separation the District requires, so it passes inspection the first time.
North Vancouver kitchen renovations typically run $35,000–$60,000 for a full mid-range gut and rebuild, $18,000–$32,000 for a layout-preserving refresh, and $65,000–$110,000+ for high-end custom work. Post-and-beam homes and split-level openings sit at the upper end because the mechanical routing and structural work are genuinely harder. All quotes are itemized.
Get Your Free QuoteScope: Full gut, range venting routed without bulkheads, structural opening to dining area, custom cabinetry, quartz counters, exposed beams retained
Duration: 5 weeks on site (9 weeks including permits and cabinetry)
A 1960s post-and-beam with a beautiful exposed cedar ceiling and a kitchen closed off behind a partition wall. The challenge was the range hood: there was no cavity to run ducting through without building a bulkhead that would have ruined the ceiling line. We routed the vent through the partition wall being removed and out the side elevation, added an engineered header to open the space, and kept every beam exposed. The clients kept the ceiling that made them buy the house.
Verified Google Reviews
“They've become my go-to for any home renovation. They consistently deliver exactly what I envision, if not better.”
Nikki I
Multiple home renovations · Google review
“Timelines were respected, and the workspace was kept clean and organized, which made a big difference during the renovation process.”
Jasleen Lidder
Full renovation & finishing carpentry · Google review
“From start to finish Christopher was there for us. Honest, reasonable and very professional.”
Laura Logan
Kitchen renovation · Google review
Frequently Asked Questions
Most full renovations run $35,000–$60,000. A refresh keeping the existing layout is $18,000–$32,000, and high-end custom work runs $65,000–$110,000+. Post-and-beam homes and split-level openings tend toward the higher end because the structural and mechanical work is more involved.
Yes, but it has to be planned before demolition. The difficulty is routing range venting and new circuits when there's no attic or joist cavity to hide them in. We map the mechanical routing during design — usually through a wall being removed or out a side elevation — so no bulkhead is needed.
It depends on your address — they're separate municipalities with separate building departments and different processes. We confirm which governs your property before quoting, since it affects paperwork and timeline.
Not for a straight cosmetic replacement in the same layout, though electrical and gas work is permitted separately. You do need permits to remove a wall, move plumbing, or change venting. We handle the applications and inspections.
Usually yes, and it transforms these homes. Because you're often removing a wall that carries load and sometimes altering floor framing, it needs an engineer and a permit. We price the structural work into the original quote rather than adding it later.
Get a free, no-obligation quote from a team with over 30 years of experience serving North Vancouver and the Lower Mainland.