Adding a legal basement suite in Richmond is one of the most effective ways to generate rental income from your existing home. Speera Custom Homes builds basement suites to full BC Building Code standards — with a separate entrance, full kitchen and bathroom, soundproof assemblies, and all required permits handled from start to finish.

Speera Custom Homes is a Richmond-based custom home builder with completed projects across the city — including the Aragon half-duplex in Broadmoor and homes built on Herbert Road. We've submitted permits to the City of Richmond's Building Approvals department, worked directly with Richmond plan checkers, and managed construction across multiple Richmond neighbourhoods. That direct local experience means your Richmond custom home build benefits from a team that knows the process — not one learning it on your project.

Featured Project

Aragon Half-Duplex — Broadmoor, Richmond

Our completed Aragon project is a custom half-duplex in Richmond's Broadmoor neighbourhood — strata-titled, fully custom, and finished to a high standard throughout. The project navigated Richmond's duplex permit requirements, lot coverage bylaws, and the City's construction inspection process from design through final occupancy. It reflects the quality and attention to detail we bring to every Richmond custom home build.

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What We Deliver

Basement Suite in Richmond

  • Separate private entrance — side entry or grade-level access
  • Full kitchen with custom cabinetry and appliances
  • Full bathroom with quality tile and fixtures
  • Acoustic insulation assemblies between suite and main floor
  • BC Energy Step Code compliant insulation and windows
  • Separate electrical sub-panel, independent metering where required
  • Complete building permit management — development and building permits
Local Knowledge

Basement Suite in Richmond: What to Know

Richmond's RSM (Residential Small-Scale Multi-Unit) zone, introduced in June 2024, permits 4–6 units on most single-family and duplex lots — without rezoning. The City of Richmond raised the maximum building height under RSM to 10m in March 2025. Speera has direct, active experience navigating Richmond's RSM and RAD zoning, with completed projects in Broadmoor, Brighouse, and Terra Nova.

Richmond is Speera's home base. Our completed Aragon half-duplex in Broadmoor, and homes built along Herbert Road, are finished projects — not renderings. When you hire Speera as your Richmond custom home builder, you're working with a team that has already navigated the City of Richmond's permit process, worked through the same construction environment your project will face, and delivered finished homes across this city.

We work throughout Richmond, including: Steveston, Terra Nova, Broadmoor, Brighouse, Garden City, Hamilton, Seafair, Quilchena. View all Richmond services →

Why Speera

The Speera Difference in Richmond

Local Expertise

We know Richmond's zoning bylaws, permit timelines, and local trade networks — which means fewer delays and better results on your project.

Turnkey Construction

One team from design through move-in. We coordinate all trades, manage all permits, and keep you updated — no juggling multiple contractors.

Proven Quality

Our completed projects across Greater Vancouver demonstrate the standard we hold ourselves to on every build and renovation.

FAQ

Basement Suite in Richmond: Common Questions

Most do not. Richmond's high water table and floodplain conditions mean the large majority of homes here were built slab-on-grade without a basement. In practice, a secondary suite in Richmond usually means a ground-level or main-floor suite rather than a below-grade one, or a suite within a newer home that was purpose-built with a raised or partial lower level. This is the single biggest difference between suite projects in Richmond and those in Vancouver or Burnaby.

It is heavily constrained. The City of Richmond's Flood Construction Level requirements govern how high habitable floor space must sit within the floodplain, and the water table makes below-grade construction difficult and expensive to waterproof properly. For most Richmond properties the practical and permittable route is a main-floor or ground-level secondary suite, which we design to feel like a proper self-contained home rather than a compromise.

A compliant suite needs its own entrance, adequate ceiling height, egress windows sized to code, fire separation between the suite and the principal dwelling, appropriate smoke and sound separation, and parking that satisfies Richmond's zoning. The City of Richmond requires permits and inspections throughout. We handle the application and the inspection coordination as part of the build.

Yes. Ground-level and main-floor suites are the norm in Richmond, not a workaround, and a well-designed one can be more appealing than a typical basement suite because it gets proper daylight and at-grade access. The key is designing it into the floor plan deliberately so the principal dwelling does not feel carved up. That is a design problem worth solving properly at the outset.

Also in Richmond

Other Services in Richmond

Kitchen Renovation in RichmondBathroom Renovation in RichmondWhole Home Renovation in RichmondAll Richmond Services →
Basement Suite in Other Areas
VancouverBurnabyNorth VancouverWest VancouverCoquitlamPort CoquitlamSurreyNew WestminsterLangleyDelta

Add a Legal Basement Suite in Richmond

Contact Speera Custom Homes for a free consultation. We'll review your property, discuss your project, and provide a detailed assessment — at no charge.

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