Do I always need a building permit for a heat pump in Burnaby?

Not for a typical ground-mounted ductless heat pump in an individual dwelling, according to the City of Burnaby’s air-source heat pump retrofit guide. A building permit is required if the work modifies the building structure, runs ducts through floor, wall, or roof assemblies, uses an air-to-water system in floor assemblies, or mounts the condenser on a wall or roof. Electrical and gas permits are still required when they apply.

Do I need a new electrical panel for a heat pump in Burnaby?

Not always, but some homes do. It depends on the system, your existing service, and what else is already on the panel. Burnaby also asks for electrical load calculations with the permit application, so we look at this during the estimate.

I live in a Burnaby condo or townhouse. Can you install a heat pump?

Sometimes, but electrical capacity, outdoor placement, strata rules, and possible City planning review for buildings with more than two dwelling units all have to be checked first. We will not quote a system we cannot legally or practically install.

Heat pump installation in Burnaby, BC

If you are looking for heat pump installation in Burnaby, you need someone who will come to the house — in North Burnaby, Metrotown, Edmonds, Brentwood, or South Burnaby — look at the existing heat, the electrical or gas service, and a realistic outdoor location under the City’s rules, and then give you a straight recommendation.

Blueshore Mechanical is based at 7311 Vantage Way, Unit 106, Delta. We are a locally owned mechanical contractor, founded in June 2019, Technical Safety BC licensed (Gas LGA0210872; Boiler, Pressure Vessel & Refrigeration LBP0212234 and LIC-00214020), staffed with Red Seal certified plumbers, insured and bonded.

Estimates are free. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with same-day service and 24/7 emergency heating response when a system fails.

Call (604) 728-2583 or request a free estimate.

For the broader service picture, see Heat pumps. If you are comparing a heat pump plus a new gas furnace, see Dual-fuel heat pump systems.

Heat pumps for Burnaby houses and small buildings

Burnaby’s hills and housing mix change the job more than a city-wide slogan would suggest.

North Burnaby, including Capitol Hill and The Heights. Lots are often sloped and side yards can be tight. Outdoor placement has to work with grade, access, and the City’s yard-depth rules, not just the nearest wall. Mid-century houses and Vancouver Specials are common, some with forced-air furnaces and some without usable ducts.

South Burnaby and Edmonds. You will see more suburban lots and a mix of older detached houses and later infill. A ducted heat pump or a dual-fuel system comes up often when a gas furnace is already in place, after we have looked at the ducts and the panel.

Metrotown, Brentwood, and other multi-family areas. Apartments, townhouses, and mid-rise buildings add electrical-capacity and placement questions. The City may require planning review, and sometimes a building permit, when a heat pump is added to a building with more than two dwelling units. We will not quote an outdoor unit the building or strata will not allow.

If you heat with a boiler rather than a furnace, a ducted dual-fuel system is usually the wrong starting point. See Boiler replacement in Delta and we will tell you how that work applies at a Burnaby address.

We install and service all major brands, including Mitsubishi, Daikin, Carrier and Lennox.

Permits in Burnaby

Burnaby issues its own electrical, gas, and heating permits for houses and duplexes, including through the City’s My Permits Portal. That is different from Delta, where gas and electrical permits are issued by Technical Safety BC.

The City’s Air-Source Heat Pump Retrofit Informational Guide (revised 23 October 2023) sets out the usual path:

An electrical permit is required where the system runs on electricity, or where electrical heating is being altered or taken out of service.
A gas permit is required where the system involves gas, or where gas appliances are being altered or decommissioned.
A building permit is not required for a self-contained, ground-mounted ductless heat pump in an individual dwelling, unless the work modifies the building structure — for example a ducted system run through floor, wall, or roof assemblies, or an air-to-water system in floor assemblies. In those cases the building permit comes first.
Wall- or roof-mounted condensers need a building permit and structural drawings prepared by a professional engineer.
Applications typically need a design package: electrical load calculations for the building, a plan showing the condenser location, and a TECA- or professional engineer-sealed design that includes a CSA F280 heat-loss calculation.
For forced-air heating and cooling replacements, the City also has a Heating System Permit.

The outdoor unit must stay out of required front and side yard depths (these vary by zoning), must not sit in a path of travel, and must not drain condensate onto a walkway. The City’s noise bylaw limits continuous sound to 55 dBA from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and 45 dBA from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. After installation, the contractor has to call for a City electrical or gas inspection and provide the required commissioning documents.

Required permits are part of our scope. We will tell you what your address needs before work starts.

Ducted, ductless, or dual-fuel

A ducted heat pump uses your existing ducts, or new ones if the job warrants it, and can heat and cool the whole home from a central system. In Burnaby, running new ducts through existing assemblies can also change which permits you need. We would rather say the ducts need work than put a new unit on a system that cannot deliver.

A ductless system is often the answer when there are no useful ducts, or when a ground-mounted condenser is the cleanest fit on a tight or sloped lot. Indoor heads go in the rooms that need them. We will be specific about whether we are quoting whole-home comfort or a partial-home system.

A dual-fuel system keeps gas in the picture: a new high-efficiency furnace for backup, and a heat pump for most of the year plus summer cooling. For many FortisBC gas customers in Burnaby this is worth comparing when the existing furnace is older. Rebate rules, including who may install the system, are covered honestly below and on Heat pump rebates in B.C. and Dual-fuel heat pump systems.

How we install a heat pump in a Burnaby home

You call or send a request. Tell us the neighbourhood, how the house is heated, and whether you are planning a replacement, adding cooling, or dealing with a failure. Call (604) 728-2583 or request a free estimate.
We come to the house. We look at the existing equipment, ducts or wall space, electrical or gas service, grade, and outdoor placement against the City’s yard and noise rules.
You receive a written scope and price. It should say what equipment we are proposing, what is included, what would change the price, and whether any rebate program could apply — including the HPCN limit described below. Every install includes a 1-year labour warranty on our workmanship, starting the day the job is complete. Parts are covered by the manufacturer’s warranty (often 10 years or more when registered), and we register your equipment for you.
We schedule and do the work. Required City of Burnaby permits, and any Technical Safety BC refrigeration permit the equipment triggers, are part of a proper job. We protect floors and access routes, install to code, and keep you informed if we find something that changes the plan.
We start, check, and explain the system. Commissioning is not optional, and Burnaby asks for commissioning documents at inspection. You should understand the thermostat or controls, filter care, and who to call if something does not feel right.

What affects the cost in Burnaby

There is no honest single price for “a heat pump in Burnaby,” because the houses are not the same. We will not invent a range to make the page look helpful. The estimate is free, and the written quote is for your home. Cost usually moves with:

System type and the capacity a heat-load calculation says you need
Whether existing ducts can be used, or whether a ductless design avoids structural work
Electrical service — some homes need a new circuit or panel work; some do not
Outdoor placement on sloped North Burnaby lots, yard-depth limits, and whether a wall or roof mount (and a building permit) is even being considered
Gas work and furnace replacement if you choose dual-fuel
Line-set length, condensate, removal of the old system, and permits

If a rebate is part of your budget, read the next section before you count on a number from a program website.

Rebates for Burnaby homeowners — and our HPCN status

Some Burnaby homes still have a path to a heat pump rebate. Electrically heated homes may qualify for a BC Hydro (or matching FortisBC electricity) rebate when a qualifying heat pump replaces a primary all-electric system. Many gas-heated homes no longer have a standard any-income rebate for going fully off gas; remaining options are often the income-qualified CleanBC Energy Savings Program or a FortisBC dual-fuel system.

Blueshore is not currently a member of the Home Performance Contractor Network (HPCN). We are working towards registration. Until we are accepted, a heat pump we install is not eligible for BC Hydro or FortisBC heat pump and dual-fuel rebates. We will say this in the estimate conversation and ask you about current eligibility before you budget a program number. Full notes are on Heat pump rebates in B.C..

Why Burnaby homeowners call us

Locally owned and operated in Delta since June 2019, serving Burnaby and the rest of the Lower Mainland
Red Seal certified plumbers; insured and bonded
Technical Safety BC licensed contractor (Gas LGA0210872)
Technical Safety BC licensed: Gas LGA0210872; Boiler, Pressure Vessel & Refrigeration LBP0212234 and LIC-00214020
Free estimates and upfront pricing
Same-day service and 24/7 emergency response
5.0-star rated on Google

Common questions

Do you install heat pumps in North Burnaby, Metrotown, and Edmonds?

Yes. We are based at 7311 Vantage Way, Unit 106 in Delta and work throughout Burnaby, as well as neighbouring cities.

Do I always need a building permit?

Not for a typical ground-mounted ductless heat pump in a single dwelling, according to the City’s retrofit guide. A building permit is required if the work modifies the structure, runs ducts through assemblies, uses an air-to-water system in floor assemblies, or mounts the condenser on a wall or roof. Electrical and gas permits are still required when they apply.

Where can the outdoor unit go?

It must stay out of required front and side yard depths, out of paths of travel, and must not drain onto a walkway. The City also limits continuous noise to 55 dBA by day and 45 dBA at night. We will propose a location that meets those rules and still leaves service access.

Do I need a new electrical panel for a heat pump?

Not always. It depends on the system and your existing service. Burnaby also asks for electrical load calculations with the permit application, so we check this during the estimate.

Can a Burnaby home still get a heat pump rebate?

Some can, depending on how the home is heated. BC Hydro and FortisBC heat pump and dual-fuel rebates require an HPCN-registered contractor, and Blueshore is not yet a member. See Heat pump rebates in B.C..

I live in a condo or townhouse. Can you install a heat pump?

Sometimes, but electrical capacity, outdoor placement, strata rules, and possible City planning review all have to be checked first. We will not quote a system we cannot legally or practically install.

Areas we serve: heat pump installation in Delta, Surrey, Richmond, Burnaby and Vancouver. Considering a backup furnace? See dual-fuel heat pump systems.

Book a free estimate in Burnaby

Call (604) 728-2583 or request a free estimate. You can also contact us or email info@blueshoremechanical.com.

Blueshore Mechanical

7311 Vantage Way, Unit 106, Delta, BC V4G 1M3 Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–6 p.m. · Saturday and Sunday closed · 24/7 emergency service