Rooftop Patio Listings from Burnaby to North Vancouver

Rooftop Patio listings describe homes with a private outdoor room on the roof, most often a newer townhouse or a top-floor condo, so check what you are allowed to put up there and how easily you can reach it before you plan your summers around it.

Check What the Rooftop Patio Rules Allow

A rooftop patio is only as useful as the bylaws let it be. In a strata it is usually limited common property: yours to use, but controlled by the strata. Read the bylaws for barbecues and open flame, gas lines, planters and their weight, pergolas and umbrellas, privacy screens, lighting, hot tubs and music. Many strata corporations restrict anything heavy or fixed because it can damage the membrane or void the roof warranty.

Ask the listing agent whether any current fixtures, such as a gas line, a pergola or built-in planters, were approved by the strata, and get that approval in writing. Unapproved additions can become the new owner's problem.

Ask How You Reach the Rooftop Patio

Access decides how often you use it. A proper stair with a door from the top floor, or a private elevator in a penthouse, makes the space part of the home. A steep ladder or a heavy hatch makes it a place you visit a few times a summer. Check whether there is water for plants, power for lights and a place to store cushions and furniture out of the rain.

Think about carrying things up. Groceries for a barbecue, a cooler, a tray of drinks and patio furniture all travel the same stairs.

Compare Rooftop Patio Listings by Sun, Shade and Privacy

A roof is the sunniest and windiest spot on any property. That suits evening gatherings and gardening in pots, but in July an unshaded patio can be too hot to use in the afternoon. Ask whether the bylaws allow umbrellas, awnings or a pergola, and how the wind affects furniture and planters.

Privacy varies a great deal. In a row of townhomes, each with its own rooftop patio, you may see and hear your neighbours' gatherings as clearly as your own. Check what screens are allowed and what the view is toward the skyline, the mountains or the water, and ask what is planned on nearby sites that could overlook or shade the space.

Weigh the Roof Beneath the Rooftop Patio

Under every rooftop patio is a waterproofing membrane protecting the home below. Ask how old it is, when it was last inspected, and who pays to replace it: the strata or the owner. Read the minutes and the depreciation report for roof work, and look for stains on the ceilings below during your viewing. Pavers, decking and planters usually have to be lifted when the membrane is replaced, so ask who pays for that too.

Check the Rest of the Home

A rooftop patio adds real outdoor space, particularly in a townhouse or condo without a yard. It should still add to a good home rather than make up for a weak one. Compare the floor plan, bedrooms, parking and storage, the strata's finances and the building's condition as you would for any property, and compare the price with similar homes in the same complex without one.

Browse Rooftop Patio Homes Across Greater Vancouver

Supply is strongest among newer townhouse developments in Burnaby, Coquitlam, Surrey and North Vancouver, with top-floor condos and penthouses in Vancouver neighbourhoods and new buildings across the market. Browse and compare current real estate listings on the MLS® through Strawhomes, filter by area and property type, and shortlist only the homes whose rules, access and roof you have checked. Compare them against a rooftop deck or a ground-level garden patio if you prefer outdoor space at your door.