Before 1920

    Canadian homes built before 1920

    Housing from this period predates the first National Building Code of Canada (1941) and most municipal permit record-keeping. Documentation is usually thin, so the research task is to reconstruct what has been changed rather than to assume what was original.

    Era association is not a finding. Everything on this page describes what was typical when these homes were built. It does not establish what any specific property contains today.

    What should you know about a Canadian home built before 1920?

    Canadian homes built before 1920 were generally constructed before national building codes existed, using solid masonry or heavy timber framing, plaster on wood lath, and early electrical and plumbing systems added or upgraded over time. Era association is not a finding: what remains in any specific house depends entirely on a century of alterations, and only records and inspection can establish what is actually present.

    Common at the time

    • Solid masonry (double or triple wythe brick) or balloon-framed wood structures
    • Rubble stone, brick or early unreinforced concrete foundations with stone or clay drainage
    • Plaster over wood lath interior finishes
    • Knob-and-tube electrical wiring where a house was electrified at all
    • Gravity warm-air or early hot-water heating, originally coal-fired
    • Little or no wall insulation and no continuous vapour or air barrier

    May have been altered since

    • Electrical service and branch circuits may have been replaced once or several times
    • Plumbing supply and drains may be a mix of original and modern materials in different areas
    • Heating plant almost certainly replaced, sometimes with the original chimney reused
    • Insulation may have been blown, batted or foamed into walls and attics at unknown dates
    • Structural openings, additions, and basement underpinning may be undocumented

    Verify today

    • Municipal or provincial permit history for electrical, plumbing, heating and structural work
    • Utility or service company records for the heating appliance and any chimney liner
    • A home inspection with attention to concealed framing, foundation and moisture pathways
    • Laboratory testing where suspected asbestos-containing or lead-painted materials will be disturbed
    • A long-term radon test regardless of age, since radon depends on soil and building pressure, not age

    Materials associated with this era

    • Solid brick
    • Stone foundation
    • Wood lath and plaster
    • Cast iron drains
    • Wood shingles

    Systems to research for this era

    Regional variability

    Ontario and Quebec
    Solid masonry construction is comparatively common in older urban cores; heritage designation may apply to façades and windows.
    Prairies
    Wood-frame construction with wood or early concrete basements predominates; ground movement in expansive clay soils is a common inspection theme.
    Atlantic Canada
    Wood-frame with wood cladding is widespread; salt exposure and wind-driven rain shape envelope condition.
    British Columbia coast
    Wood-frame with high rainfall exposure; drainage and rot pathways dominate inspection questions.

    Requirements differ by province and territory. Check the provincial source directory before relying on any rule.

    Evidence note

    Sources
    Jurisdiction
    Canada (model code; adopted with amendments by each province/territory); Canada (federal); Canada (federal); Canada (guidance; municipal heritage rules vary)
    Applies to
    Canadian residential buildings constructed before 1920
    Last reviewed
    2026-08
    Limitations
    Construction practice varied by region, builder and budget, and later work is common. This page does not describe any specific property.
    What you should verify
    Municipal permit records, provincial safety-authority histories, service records, and assessment by qualified professionals.