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Poly-B Replacement in Burnaby, BC
Find trusted poly-B replacement guidance and community-specific information for Burnaby area homeowners.
Burnaby · Poly-B
Poly-B in Burnaby homes
Polybutylene plumbing was commonly installed in Burnaby homes built between 1978 and 1998. If your home was constructed during this period, there's a possibility it contains poly-B pipes. Many insurance companies in British Columbia now have specific policies regarding polybutylene plumbing, including potential surcharges or requirements for replacement. Learn more about poly-B →
Burnaby built steadily through the poly-B years. The 2021 Census places 14,235 occupied dwellings in 1981–1990 and 14,465 in 1991–2000, which is 28,700 homes or 28.4% of the city’s 101,135. It kept building afterward, with about a fifth of today’s dwellings added after 2010, so newer construction rather than older housing is what holds the poly-B-era share down.
If you own a strata unit, the Strata Property Act counts supply pipes as common property when they run inside walls or floors between units, or when they serve more than one unit (BC Laws). Under the standard bylaws, an owner needs the strata corporation’s written approval before altering common property (standard bylaws). Metro Vancouver, which treats the region’s drinking water, uses chlorine as its disinfectant (Metro Vancouver). The Vancouver guide compares Burnaby with the rest of the Lower Mainland.
When Burnaby's homes were built
The share of homes built during the poly-B years is the best single predictor of how common it is in a city.
Occupied private dwellings by period of construction · Burnaby · 2021 Census
Census periods overlapping 1978–1998 (1981–1990, 1991–2000)
City-wide
The census groups construction years into periods, so 1981–2000 is the closest match to the 1978–1998 poly-B window.
Burnaby Communities with Poly-B Information
17 community guides.
- Big BendCommunity guide
- Brentwood ParkCommunity guide
- Burnaby HeightsMixed housing stock
- Capitol HillCommunity guide
- Deer LakeCommunity guide
- EdmondsCommunity guide
- LochdaleCommunity guide
- MarlboroughCommunity guide
- MaywoodCommunity guide
- MontecitoCommunity guide
- North BurnabyCommunity guide
- ParkcrestCommunity guide
- South SlopeCommunity guide
- Sullivan HeightsCommunity guide
- UniverCityCommunity guide
- WestridgeCommunity guide
- Willingdon HeightsCommunity guide
Next steps
Identify
Use the photo guide and the interactive identifier to check if you have poly-B.
Identification guide
Estimate
Calculate replacement costs for your home size.
Cost calculatorGet help
Request a quote; the HAUSE desk connects Burnaby homeowners with a local replacement contractor where available.
Request a quoteHAUSE desk · Request
Ready to Address Your Poly-B?
Get started with a cost estimate and, with your consent, an introduction to a local replacement contractor in Burnaby.
- 01A person reads itThe HAUSE desk reviews the age of the home, what you found and how urgent it is.
- 02You get a replyBy email from info@hause.ca or by phone from 403-679-3100, with practical next steps.
- 03Matched where availableWith your consent, your request goes to a local replacement contractor so they can quote.
- 04You decideNo obligation. Use the guides and the cost calculator to compare what you are quoted.
Updated 2026-09-30