City Vs. Suburban Living: What’s Right for Your Custom Home Build?

When building a custom home, one of the most important decisions is location. Where you build affects everything—from construction costs and design flexibility to lifestyle, permitting timelines, and resale value. Whether you’re exploring building a Langley custom home or a Vancouver custom home, the differences are stark and worth considering.

Budget and Land Value: What Can You Afford—and Build?

A major advantage of a Langley custom home is affordability. Construction costs here are significantly lower than in urban centres. As of 2025, building in Langley typically ranges from $290 to $450 per square foot, depending on materials and complexity. That means a 2,500-square-foot custom home would cost between $725,000 and $1.125 million, excluding land and soft costs.

By comparison, a Vancouver custom home can be among the most expensive builds in Canada. Current costs range from $500 to $1,300 per square foot, translating to $1.25 million to $3.25 million for the same 2,500-square-foot home. This doesn’t even include the cost of land, permits, or infrastructure.

Land prices also reflect the urban-suburban divide. A standard 33’ x 122’ lot in Vancouver West can still exceed $2.5 million in 2025, even with market cooling. On the other hand, serviced lots for a Langley custom home range from $750,000 to $1.3 million, depending on location within the township and proximity to amenities. That’s up to 70% less for land alone.

Design Flexibility and Permitting Delays: Time is Money

Beyond cost, the permitting process can make or break a custom home timeline. A Langley custom home benefits from one of the region’s most efficient approval systems. According to the Fraser Institute, Langley had an average approval time of just 2 months, with regulatory costs under $10,000 per unit.

Meanwhile, a Vancouver custom home faces much longer waits. The same survey reported average permitting times of 21 months, with regulatory fees soaring past $78,000 per unit. Even if timelines have improved slightly by 2025, red tape and community opposition continue to delay many urban projects. These hold-ups often translate to months of carrying costs—extra mortgage interest, rent, or loan payments—before you can even break ground.

Lifestyle Priorities: Fast-Paced City vs Spacious Suburb

Your ideal lifestyle plays a huge role in choosing between building a Langley custom home and a Vancouver custom home. Vancouver offers a dense, walkable, and vibrant environment. You’ll find high-end restaurants, elite private schools, cultural events, and stunning urban views. It’s an excellent fit for professionals and those who value living at the heart of it all.

However, that lifestyle comes with congestion, limited yard space, and less privacy. In contrast, a Langley custom home offers a quieter pace. You’ll enjoy larger lots, green space, and a strong sense of community—ideal for families or homeowners who want a backyard retreat or room to expand.

It’s also worth noting that commuting from Langley to downtown Vancouver can take 45 to 60 minutes by car, but for many, the spacious living and modern developments make the extra time worthwhile.

Utilities, Infrastructure, and Site Prep

Building a Vancouver custom home generally comes with fully serviced lots—utilities like electricity, water, and sewer are already in place, and fees are rolled into the land cost. Typical service connection fees might include $1,200+ for BC Hydro and $350–$3,000 for city utilities.

A Langley custom home may be on a semi-rural or rural lot, meaning additional infrastructure costs could apply. These might include $10,000 to $30,000 for well water and $10,000 to $50,000 for a septic system, depending on the site and design. That said, many newer subdivisions in Langley offer fully serviced lots, especially closer to urban centres like Willoughby or Walnut Grove.

Long-Term Value and Resale Considerations

If resale value is a priority, a Vancouver custom home has historically outperformed most markets in Canada. As of February 2025, the average home price in Greater Vancouver was $1,224,858, with detached homes averaging $2.125 million. Despite a recent dip (prices are down 4% year-over-year), the long-term growth remains strong—benchmark prices have risen 233% since 2005, a compound annual growth rate of 6.1%.

A Langley custom home enters the market at a much lower price point. Detached homes in the broader Fraser Valley average $1.5 to $1.8 million. Sales were down 27% year-over-year in early 2025, suggesting a softer short-term market. However, Langley appeals to a broader buyer pool thanks to its affordability and family-friendly appeal, which can support more consistent demand.

Bottom Line: Comparing the Total Picture

If you’re weighing the cost of a full custom build (excluding taxes and unexpected variables), here’s what the numbers look like:

Vancouver custom home (2,500 sq ft):

• $3.75M to $5.75M
• (Land: $2.5M–$2.8M + Build: $1.25M–$3.25M)
• Potential permitting delays of 12–18 months

Langley custom home (2,500 sq ft):

• $1.475M to $2.425M
• (Land: $750K–$1.3M + Build: $725K–$1.125M)
• Fast-track permitting in as little as 2 months

Final Thoughts

The choice between a Vancouver custom home and a Langley custom home depends on what you value most—proximity or privacy, design freedom or prestige, long-term growth or immediate cost savings.

If your dream home involves maximizing square footage, enjoying more land, and getting started sooner, Langley might be your ideal setting. But if you’re focused on elite schools, world-class amenities, and high resale value in a legacy neighbourhood, Vancouver still holds strong appeal.

Both paths lead to a beautiful custom home—the question is, which lifestyle fits your vision best?