Licensed General Contractor — Shaughnessy Since 1981
General Contractor
in Shaughnessy, Vancouver — Licensed Since 1981
Shaughnessy homes are not standard renovation projects — they are pre-war character homes with original plaster, old-growth fir floors, and design review requirements that most contractors have never encountered.
Serving Shaughnessy Homeowners Since 1981
Jim Delana has been working in Shaughnessy since the early 1980s. He knows the difference between a First Shaughnessy estate under full design review and a Third Shaughnessy character home — and what each one requires before a permit can be pulled or a wall can be touched.
Shaughnessy is not a typical renovation market. The housing stock is primarily pre-war — Tudor Revival, Colonial Revival, Craftsman, and Georgian homes built between 1910 and 1945. These homes were built with old-growth fir floors, original plaster walls, and millwork profiles that have not been produced in decades. A contractor who does not know how to work in these homes — or how to match existing materials and trim — should not be inside them.
First Shaughnessy is the most design-restricted residential area in Vancouver. Changes to exteriors, rooflines, or significant additions in First Shaughnessy require review by the Shaughnessy Advisory Design Panel before permits are issued. DELANA has been navigating this process since the 1980s. We understand when a heritage consultant is needed, when a Heritage Alteration Permit is required, and how to build a realistic timeline around City of Vancouver approval windows.
What does a home renovation cost in Shaughnessy?
Home renovations in Shaughnessy typically run $120,000–$500,000+ depending on scope, the size of the property, and whether the project involves heritage review or a Heritage Alteration Permit. Pre-war homes in Shaughnessy — many over 100 years old — often require structural assessment, updated mechanical systems, and custom millwork to match original profiles before finishing work can begin. DELANA Interiors provides a written estimate after reviewing the space and confirmed drawings. A real number based on your actual project.
The most common projects in Shaughnessy are premium kitchen renovations, heritage bathroom renovations, and whole-home restorations managed by our licensed general contractor team. Read what Shaughnessy homeowners say about working with DELANA.
Our Renovation Services in Shaughnessy
One contractor. One point of contact. Every trade coordinated under one contract.
Kitchen Renovation
Full kitchen renovation in pre-war homes — layout changes, custom cabinetry built to match existing profiles, countertops, tile, plumbing, and electrical.
Bathroom Renovation
From principal ensuite upgrades in First Shaughnessy estates to full bathroom rebuilds in Third Shaughnessy character homes. All scope under one contract.
Custom Millwork
Original trim profiles, wainscoting, built-ins, and cabinetry designed and fabricated to fit the proportions and profiles of the original pre-war architecture.
Flooring
Shaughnessy homes have some of the finest original old-growth fir floors in Vancouver. We sand, stain, and restore original floors with the care these homes require.
General Contracting
Full renovation scopes under one contract — framing, plumbing, electrical, finishing — with full accountability for a scope this demanding.
Custom Home Building
Substantial additions and full rebuilds in Shaughnessy — experienced with City of Vancouver permits and Shaughnessy Advisory Design Panel review.
Commercial Renovation
Professional office and boutique retail renovations along Granville Street and South Granville Rise.
Tenant Improvements
Office, restaurant, retail, and clinic fit-outs — designed and built under one contract with full permit management.
What Renovating in Shaughnessy Actually Involves
Permits and Heritage Review in Shaughnessy
All renovation permits in Shaughnessy are issued by the City of Vancouver Development, Buildings and Licensing through the Vancouver Permit Portal. However, Shaughnessy — particularly First Shaughnessy — has additional layers of review. The First Shaughnessy Design Guidelines govern exterior changes, additions, and demolitions. Projects that do not comply require a Heritage Alteration Permit, which involves review by the Shaughnessy Advisory Design Panel — a City of Vancouver advisory body that evaluates proposed changes against the neighbourhood's heritage character. DELANA identifies whether design panel review is required during the initial site visit and accounts for the approval timeline in the project schedule.
Shaughnessy's Housing Stock
The majority of homes in Shaughnessy were built between 1910 and 1945 — Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, Craftsman bungalows, and Georgian Revivals designed as the showpiece properties of Vancouver's early elite. Many are listed on the Vancouver Heritage Register, which means exterior changes require a Heritage Alteration Permit regardless of whether they trigger a standard building permit. Original materials in these homes — plaster walls, old-growth fir floors, cast iron plumbing, knob-and-tube wiring — require a different approach than modern construction.
Working in Shaughnessy Homes
Renovating a Shaughnessy home is a different kind of project. The goal is nearly always to modernise systems and function while preserving the character and proportions of the original architecture. That means matching original trim profiles, sourcing materials that are consistent with the period of the home, and understanding that what you are working in cannot be easily replaced. DELANA has been doing this in Shaughnessy for over 40 years. We approach these homes with the attention they require.
Recent Work in Shaughnessy
First Shaughnessy Kitchen and Millwork Renovation — 2024
A 1928 Colonial Revival estate in First Shaughnessy. The scope included a full kitchen reconfiguration — layout changes, custom cabinetry built to match the existing millwork profiles in the home, new countertops, and updated plumbing and electrical. Custom built-ins were installed in the library and the main sitting room. Original fir floors were refinished throughout the main floor. Total scope: $185,000. Timeline: 14 weeks. City of Vancouver permits were pulled through the standard portal — no design panel review was required as the scope was interior-only.
Project details based on representative work — client details withheld for privacy.
From Shaughnessy Homeowners
What Shaughnessy Homeowners Say
"We renovated our kitchen and had custom millwork installed throughout the main floor of our Shaughnessy home. Jim matched the original trim profiles exactly — and he understood from day one that this house needed to be treated differently. Exceptional quality."
"DELANA restored our original fir floors and rebuilt two bathrooms in our 1932 Tudor home. Jim knew the permit process and the heritage considerations — we did not have to explain the complexity of our home to him. He had seen it before."
Questions Shaughnessy Homeowners Ask
It depends on the scope and whether your property is on the Vancouver Heritage Register. Interior renovations typically do not require heritage permits — but exterior changes, additions, or demolitions on registered properties require a Heritage Alteration Permit from the City of Vancouver. In First Shaughnessy, the First Shaughnessy Design Guidelines also apply to exterior changes, which may trigger review by the Shaughnessy Advisory Design Panel. DELANA confirms heritage permit requirements during the initial site visit.
Kitchen renovations in Shaughnessy typically run $60,000–$180,000+ depending on scope, layout changes, and the complexity of matching existing millwork and materials. Older pre-war kitchens often require structural updates, plumbing reconfiguration, and custom cabinetry built to non-standard profiles. We provide a written estimate after reviewing the space — not a range over the phone.
The Shaughnessy Advisory Design Panel is a City of Vancouver advisory body that reviews proposed changes in the First Shaughnessy area against the neighbourhood's heritage design guidelines. It applies to exterior changes, additions, and significant alterations — not typically to interior renovations. If your project requires design panel review, DELANA identifies this during the initial site visit and builds the approval timeline into the project schedule.
DELANA Interiors has been completing renovation and construction projects in Shaughnessy since 1981. Jim Delana has worked in First, Second, and Third Shaughnessy throughout his career — in the Tudor, Colonial Revival, Craftsman, and Georgian homes that define the neighbourhood. Shaughnessy is one of the most demanding markets DELANA works in, and it is one where the craftsmanship has to be right.
Yes. Custom millwork to match original profiles is one of DELANA's core capabilities — and it is one of the most important trades in Shaughnessy renovation work. Original millwork in pre-war Shaughnessy homes was produced to specifications that no standard product matches today. We design and fabricate custom millwork sized and profiled to the original architecture of the specific home.
A full renovation in Shaughnessy — kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, and custom millwork — typically takes 14–22 weeks depending on scope and permit timelines. Projects that require Heritage Alteration Permits or Shaughnessy Advisory Design Panel review will have longer approval windows and need to be planned accordingly. We provide a confirmed timeline after drawings are approved and permits are submitted.
Have more questions? Contact us — we reply same day.
Serving Shaughnessy and Surrounding Areas
DELANA Interiors serves all of Shaughnessy — First, Second, and Third Shaughnessy — including the estates along The Crescent, Angus Drive, and Osler Street.
Ready to start your Shaughnessy renovation?
Tell us what you are planning — a kitchen, a bathroom, a full home renovation, or a substantial addition. We review the space, confirm permit and heritage requirements with the City of Vancouver, and give you a written estimate before any work begins. We can typically meet within one week of your enquiry.
Call Now — (236) 858-8187