Home Renovations

Renovating is a different discipline than building new

A renovation is not a simplified version of a new build. In many ways, it's more complex. When you're building from the ground up, you control every variable — the foundation, the framing, the layout. When you're renovating, you're working within and around an existing structure, and that structure has its own history, its own surprises, and its own limitations. It takes a builder who genuinely understands existing homes to navigate that well.

At Balmoral Construction, we approach every renovation with the same rigour we bring to our custom builds. Marc Harvey, our owner and founder, is personally involved from the initial assessment through to final completion. With 20+ years of experience across both commercial and residential construction, our team has seen what's behind the walls of homes across the Sea to Sky Corridor — and we know how to work with what we find.

Renovating a home in Whistler, Pemberton, or Squamish comes with region-specific challenges that many builders underestimate. Older homes in Whistler may have been built to different seismic and snow load standards. Pemberton homes can present unique moisture and insulation concerns. Squamish properties may require upgrades to meet current BC Energy Step Code requirements. We evaluate every project against these realities before a single wall comes down.

Understanding What You're Working With

The most important phase of any renovation happens before construction begins. We conduct a thorough assessment of your home's existing structure — framing, foundation, electrical, plumbing, insulation, and envelope. This isn't a quick walkthrough. It's a systematic evaluation that identifies both the opportunities and the constraints of your project, so there are no surprises once demolition starts.

For homes built before current building codes were adopted, structural evaluation is critical. We work with local engineers to assess load-bearing walls, roof structures, and foundation integrity. If you're planning to remove walls, add a second storey, or extend a footprint, these assessments determine what's possible and what additional work may be required to bring the structure up to code.

Managing the Disruption

We understand that a renovation is fundamentally different from a new build in one critical way: you may be living in or near the project. That changes everything about how we plan, sequence, and communicate. Our team develops detailed phasing plans that minimize disruption to your daily life. If you're staying in the home during a kitchen renovation, we make sure you have a functional space to prepare meals. If we're working on bathrooms, we coordinate the schedule so you always have access to facilities.

Communication is the single most important factor in a successful renovation. Our project managers provide regular updates, and Marc is directly accessible to every client. When unexpected issues arise — and in renovations, they always do — we present options clearly and honestly, with transparent cost implications, so you can make informed decisions without pressure.

What We Renovate

Kitchen Renovations — From layout reconfiguration and custom cabinetry to full gut-and-rebuild projects. We coordinate with our affiliated interior designer, Britt Lothrop, to ensure the design is both beautiful and functional for mountain living.

Bathroom Renovations — Complete bathroom overhauls including tile work, custom vanities, heated floors, and updated plumbing. We pay particular attention to waterproofing and ventilation, which are critical in the Sea to Sky's humid climate.

Home Additions — Expanding your home's footprint or adding a second storey. We handle the structural engineering, municipal permits, and seamless integration with the existing structure so the addition looks and feels like it was always part of the original home.

Full Gut Renovations — Taking a home down to the studs and rebuilding from the inside out. This is where our custom home building experience gives us a distinct advantage — we bring new-build quality and systems thinking to an existing structure.

Why Clients Choose Balmoral for Renovations

Our clients choose us because we treat renovations with the same seriousness and craftsmanship as our custom builds. Marc is on site regularly, not managing from behind a desk. Jeremy and Jonny, our project managers, bring a combined 37 years of hands-on construction experience. Based in Pemberton, we know the homes in this corridor — many of them built by trades we still work with — and that familiarity translates into better decisions, fewer surprises, and a finished product that exceeds expectations. See our completed projects or read what our clients say about working with us.