Category: Costs & Insurance

Filing a water damage claim in BC can feel overwhelming, especially when strata insurance, your own policy and maybe a tenant’s policy are all involved. This guide explains how coverage typically works for Burnaby homeowners, strata owners and landlords, and gives you a practical step-by-step claim checklist. General information only, not insurance or legal advice. Your policy wording and your broker are the final word.

Typical Coverage at a Glance

Cause	Typically covered?
Burst pipe or sudden plumbing failure	Usually yes
Appliance hose or hot water tank failure	Usually yes (the appliance itself usually isn’t)
Rain through storm-damaged roof or windows	Often yes
Sewer backup	Only with sewer backup coverage
Overland flooding	Only with overland/flood coverage
Groundwater seepage (e.g. failed perimeter drain)	Often excluded
Slow, long-term leaks; wear and tear	Generally not covered
Mould from long-term moisture	Generally not covered

Who Claims What: House, Strata or Rental?

Detached house

Your homeowner policy covers the building and contents, subject to your deductible and exclusions.

Strata unit

The strata’s policy covers the building, including original fixtures, subject to its (often large) deductible. Your own policy covers contents, improvements and possibly a deductible charged back to you. See strata water damage.

Rental or basement suite

The owner’s policy covers the building; the tenant’s policy covers their belongings and living expenses. See basement suite water damage.

Step-by-Step Claim Checklist

1. Stop the water and limit damage. Policies expect reasonable steps, so start emergency extraction immediately.
2. Photograph and video everything before cleanup: water levels, the source, damaged contents.
3. Keep the failed part (hose, fitting, valve).
4. Notify everyone who needs to know: your insurer or broker, your strata manager, your landlord or tenant.
5. Get a claim number and the adjuster’s contact.
6. Inventory damaged contents with age and value.
7. Keep receipts for emergency work and living expenses.
8. Compare the adjuster’s scope with your restorer’s estimate.

What Your Restoration Company Should Provide

• Dated photos throughout
• Moisture maps and daily drying logs
• Water category and cause notes
• Itemized estimates with mitigation and reconstruction separated
• Asbestos test results where older materials were disturbed
• Unit-by-unit documentation for strata losses

A good water damage restoration company in Burnaby provides all of this. See how to choose one.

Should You Claim?

If the repair is close to your deductible, paying privately may make sense. Check typical numbers in our Burnaby cost guide, and ask your broker how a claim might affect your premium.

If You Disagree with a Decision

Ask for the decision and the specific policy wording in writing, use your insurer’s complaint process, and if needed contact the General Insurance OmbudService. Strata-related disputes in BC may go to the Civil Resolution Tribunal.

Related: heavy rain damage · BC new home warranty

Burnaby is building fast: new towers at Brentwood, Metrotown and Lougheed, and new homes and townhouses across the city. Newer doesn’t mean leak-proof, and in Metro Vancouver, the memory of the 1990s “leaky condo” crisis is why BC now has mandatory new home warranty coverage. Here’s how BC’s 2-5-10 home warranty relates to water damage. General information only. Check your warranty certificate and BC Housing’s guidance for current rules and deadlines.

BC’s 2-5-10 Warranty at a Glance

Coverage	Term	Water-related examples
Materials and labour	2 years (first year for most defects)	Defects in workmanship and materials
Distribution systems	2 years	Plumbing, heating and electrical defects, e.g. a failed fitting or drain line
Building envelope	5 years	Water penetration through the roof, walls, windows, doors and foundation
Structural defects	10 years	Defects that affect the structure

The five-year building envelope coverage is the one most tied to water damage. It was a direct response to the leaky condo crisis, when poorly detailed buildings let rain into walls for years before anyone noticed.

Common Water Issues in New Burnaby Buildings

• Window and balcony door leaks during wind-driven rain
• Leaks at deck and balcony membranes into units below
• Plumbing fittings that fail in the first year
• Shower and tub leaks from improperly installed waterproofing
• Heat pump or fan coil condensate leaks
• Foundation seepage in townhouses and single-family homes

What to Do When You Find Water

1. Stop or contain the water and keep safe.
2. Take dated photos and video of where water enters and the damage.
3. Notify the builder and the warranty provider in writing right away. Missing notice deadlines can affect coverage.
4. In a strata, notify the strata manager; building envelope claims are often handled through the strata.
5. Start drying. Don’t let wet materials sit; mould can start in 24–48 hours in Burnaby’s damp climate.
6. Tell your insurer about damage to contents and your own improvements.

How Professional Documentation Helps

Warranty providers and builders need evidence. A water damage restoration company in Burnaby can provide moisture maps that trace the entry point, photos once walls are opened, and drying logs, all of which help show it’s a construction defect rather than a maintenance issue.

Owners’ Maintenance Duties

Warranties usually exclude damage caused by lack of maintenance. Keep records of:

• Cleaning gutters, deck drains and balcony scuppers
• Re-caulking where the maintenance manual calls for it
• Servicing heat pumps and fan coils
• Keeping indoor humidity reasonable (running bathroom and kitchen fans)

Related: strata water damage · BC insurance · heavy rain

Basement suites are everywhere in Burnaby, from classic Vancouver Special homes in Edmonds, Royal Oak and South Slope to newer houses with legal secondary suites. They’re also the first place water goes. A leak upstairs, a perimeter drain failure or a sewer backup can leave tenants without a home and owners with a big repair bill. Here’s how landlords and tenants should handle it. General information only. BC’s Residential Tenancy Act, your tenancy agreement and your insurance policies govern specific situations.

Why Basement Suites Are So Vulnerable

• Lowest level: groundwater, perimeter drain failures and sewer backups hit here first.
• Directly below the main floor: upstairs bathrooms, kitchens and laundry leak down into the suite.
• Full kitchens and bathrooms in the suite add more plumbing that can fail.
• Finished floors and walls over concrete trap moisture.
• Two households means communication delays when something goes wrong.

Tenants: First Steps

1. Stop the water if you safely can (fixture valve or main).
2. Tell the landlord immediately, by phone and in writing, with photos.
3. Move belongings to a dry place.
4. Call your tenant insurer if your things are damaged.
5. Keep receipts for emergency costs.

Landlords: First Steps

1. Get emergency extraction and drying started right away; BC law treats major leaks as emergency repairs.
2. Document the cause and damage.
3. Notify your insurer (you’ll typically need a policy that properly covers a rental suite).
4. Follow proper notice rules for entering the suite for non-emergency work.
5. Talk with your tenant about timelines and whether the suite is livable.

Who Usually Pays for What

Item	Usually covered by
Drywall, flooring, cabinets, fixtures	Owner’s home insurance (if the cause is covered)
Tenant’s furniture, clothes, electronics	Tenant’s insurance
Tenant’s temporary accommodation	Tenant’s insurance (additional living expenses)
Lost rental income	Owner’s policy, if it includes rental income coverage

Tenants should carry tenant insurance, because the owner’s policy usually won’t cover their belongings.

Mould and Health

Burnaby’s damp climate means a basement suite that isn’t dried properly can develop mould quickly, affecting tenants’ health and the suite’s habitability. Professional drying with moisture verification protects everyone. See mould after water damage.

Preventing Suite Water Damage

• Have perimeter drains inspected and flushed. See perimeter drains.
• Install a backwater valve if there’s a floor drain in the suite.
• Put leak sensors under the upstairs laundry, dishwasher and both water tanks.
• Replace appliance hoses with braided stainless.
• Show tenants where the main shut-off is.
• Use moisture-tolerant flooring like luxury vinyl plank in the suite.

How We Help Burnaby Landlords

We respond 24/7 to occupied suites, communicate clearly with tenants, document everything for owner and tenant insurers, and rebuild so the suite can be rented again. Learn more about water damage restoration in Burnaby, costs and insurance claims.

Burnaby has one of the densest concentrations of strata buildings in BC, from the towers of Metrotown, Brentwood, Edmonds and Lougheed to older wood-frame walk-ups and townhouse complexes. In a strata, one leak can affect several homes, and the question of who pays can be complicated. Here’s what Burnaby strata owners should know. General information only, not legal advice. Your strata’s bylaws, its insurance policy and BC’s Strata Property Act govern your situation; consult a strata lawyer for specific advice.

Why Strata Deductibles Matter So Much

Over the past several years, strata insurance in Metro Vancouver has become far more expensive, and water damage deductibles on many buildings have climbed into the tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. That means many leaks never become an insurance claim at all, because the repair cost is below the deductible, and the costs get sorted out between the strata and the owners involved.

Can the Strata Charge Me the Deductible?

Under the Strata Property Act, a strata corporation may be able to recover its deductible from an owner who is responsible for the loss. What “responsible” means, and whether negligence has to be shown, has been argued in many Civil Resolution Tribunal and court decisions, and the answer often depends on the wording of your strata’s bylaws. Tribunals have ordered owners to pay deductibles of $25,000 and more after leaks that started in their units. Read your bylaws, and talk to your insurance broker about it.

Protect Yourself: Your Own Policy

• Deductible assessment coverage: covers a deductible charged back to you. Make sure the limit matches your building’s water deductible.
• Improvements and betterments: upgrades beyond the original builder’s finish.
• Contents: your belongings.
• Additional living expenses: if you have to move out during repairs.
• Liability: if your leak damages a neighbour’s unit.

What to Do When Water Appears

1. Call your strata manager or building caretaker immediately, using the emergency line if it’s after hours.
2. Shut your in-suite valve if the source is in your unit.
3. Warn neighbours below if it’s coming from your unit.
4. Photograph and video the source and damage, with times.
5. Notify your insurer and put everything in writing to the strata.
6. Get drying started fast. Delays make damage, and the bill, bigger.

Most Common Strata Leak Sources in Burnaby

• Dishwasher, washer and fridge water lines
• Toilet supply lines and overflows
• Failed shower pans, caulking and grout
• In-suite hot water tanks
• Fan coil and heat pump condensate lines in newer towers
• Balcony door and window leaks during heavy rain
• Older Poly-B plumbing in 1980s–90s buildings

How Strata Water Damage Restoration Works

We coordinate with strata managers and councils, access multiple units, protect common areas and elevators, follow building rules, and document each unit separately, which is essential when costs may be split between the strata and individual owners. Concrete towers dry slowly, so daily moisture monitoring matters. Learn more about our water damage restoration in Burnaby.

Prevention Checklist for Strata Owners

• Replace appliance hoses with braided stainless lines every 5 years.
• Install leak sensors under sinks, the dishwasher, washer and water tank.
• Replace your hot water tank before end of life.
• Re-caulk tubs and showers when caulk cracks.
• Shut your in-suite valve when travelling.
• Know your building’s water deductible and your policy’s deductible coverage limit.

Related: BC insurance claim guide · Burnaby costs

Whether it’s a leaking dishwasher in a Metrotown tower, a clogged perimeter drain flooding a Vancouver Special basement suite in Edmonds, or a burst Poly-B line in a Burnaby Heights home, the first thing most people want to know is: what will this cost? Here’s a realistic 2026 guide to water damage restoration prices in Burnaby and Metro Vancouver, and what drives them.

Typical Water Damage Restoration Costs in Burnaby

Most residential jobs in Burnaby fall between $3,000 and $30,000. Metro Vancouver labour and disposal costs tend to sit at the higher end of national ranges. A small clean-water leak caught the same day can be under $3,000, while a flooded basement suite with a full rebuild often runs $15,000 or more.

Scenario	Typical range (CAD)
Small supply-line or toilet leak, caught fast	$1,500 – $3,500
Dishwasher or washer leak into the unit below (strata)	$4,000 – $12,000+
Burst pipe, one level	$5,000 – $11,000
Basement or basement suite flood (perimeter drain, rain)	$9,000 – $25,000
Sewer backup (Category 3)	$15,000 – $40,000+
Multi-unit strata leak	$15,000 – $100,000+ (strata insurance, subject to deductible)

Per square foot, expect roughly $5–$8 for mitigation only (extraction, drying, antimicrobial) and $10–$18 with reconstruction. These are planning ranges, not quotes; your price comes from an on-site assessment.

What Changes the Price

How fast you act

Water wicks into drywall within hours, and Burnaby’s damp, mild climate gives mould an easy start, often within 24–48 hours. Same-day response is the biggest saving.

Strata vs. detached

Strata leaks often affect multiple units and common property. The cost may be covered by the strata’s insurance, but the deductible can be huge, and it may be charged back to the owner responsible. See strata water damage in Burnaby.

Basement suites

Many Burnaby homes have rented basement suites with full kitchens and bathrooms. More finishes means more to remove and rebuild. See basement suite water damage.

Water category

Clean water is cheapest to handle. Grey water needs more cleaning. Sewage requires removal of porous materials and disinfection.

Hidden water and building age

Older homes with plaster, or 1980s–90s homes with Poly-B plumbing, can have water travelling inside walls. Thermal imaging and targeted demolition add cost but prevent bigger problems. See burst pipes and Poly-B.

Asbestos testing

Many Burnaby homes built before 1990 may contain asbestos in drywall mud, textured ceilings or flooring. WorkSafeBC rules generally require testing before disturbing suspect materials, which adds time and cost when demolition is needed.

Will Insurance Cover It?

BC home and strata policies typically cover sudden and accidental water damage. Overland flood and sewer backup often need specific coverage, and gradual leaks usually aren’t covered. Read our BC insurance claim guide.

How to Keep Costs Down

1. Shut off the water immediately, at the main or the in-suite valve.
2. Call for extraction right away.
3. Photograph everything before cleanup.
4. Notify your strata manager right away if you’re in a strata.
5. Ask for separate mitigation and reconstruction estimates.
6. Fix the cause: perimeter drain, Poly-B piping, appliance hoses. See perimeter drain problems.