When you’re buying a duplex in Vancouver, square footage only tells you part of the story.
How that square footage is used can completely change how a home feels.
That’s one of the things that has always impressed us about Pavarya Homes and the father-and-son team behind it, Atma and Arvin Girn. https://pavaryahomes.ca/
They have become exceptionally good at something that sounds simple, but really isn’t:
Creating half-duplex floor plans that work incredibly well.
Two Generations of East Vancouver Builders
Pavarya Homes is a family business led by Atma Girn and his son Arvin.
The Girn family has been building luxury duplexes across East Vancouver since 2013, combining Atma’s experience with Arvin’s more contemporary, design-focused approach.
They intentionally build a relatively small number of homes at a time, allowing them to stay closely involved in each project and maintain a consistent standard from one home to the next.
We’ve had the opportunity to work with Atma and Arvin on several of their projects, and there’s one thing we continually notice:
They know how to make a duplex feel like a home.
Masters of the Half-Duplex Floor Plan
Building a great duplex isn’t simply about dividing a lot in two.
Every foot matters.
Where do you put the stairs? How do you create separation between the kitchen and living areas without making the home feel closed off? Where does the dining table actually go? Can you fit full-sized furniture? Is there enough storage? How do you connect the main living space to the backyard?
And perhaps most importantly:
Does the home actually work for a family?
This is where we think Pavarya really stands out.
Atma and Arvin have become masters at creating floor plans that maximize the space available without making the home feel compromised.
Rooms have a purpose. Circulation makes sense. Natural light is considered. Outdoor space connects to the living areas. And flexible spaces are incorporated in ways that allow the home to evolve with the people living there.
For buyers comparing Vancouver duplexes that appear similar on paper, these differences can be significant.
It’s Not Just About Square Footage
We spend a lot of time walking through new construction in Vancouver.
And one thing we’ve learned is that two homes with almost identical square footage can feel completely different.
A poorly planned 1,600-square-foot home can feel surprisingly small.
A thoughtfully planned one can feel much larger.
Pavarya understands that.
Their homes typically incorporate bright, open main floors, generous windows, strong indoor-outdoor connections and flexible spaces designed for everyday life. Their projects also feature details such as custom millwork, stone surfaces, integrated Fisher & Paykel appliances, white oak and engineered hardwood, air conditioning and thoughtfully designed primary suites.
But for us, the finishes aren’t the whole story.
The floor plan comes first.
Beautiful materials can elevate a good home. They can’t fix a home that doesn’t function properly.
Details That Give You More Ways to Live
Another thing we appreciate about Pavarya is how they find opportunities within a floor plan that other builders might overlook.
A great example is the garage.
Rather than treating it simply as a place to park a car, some Pavarya homes incorporate heated garages with French doors, creating a space that can potentially function as a gym, studio, office or workshop.
Inside, you’ll find the same kind of thinking: spaces designed to earn their place in the home rather than simply filling square footage.
That flexibility matters, particularly for Vancouver families whose needs can change over time.
Built for East Vancouver
Pavarya isn’t trying to build everywhere.
Their focus is East Vancouver.
Their portfolio includes homes in neighbourhoods including Hastings-Sunrise, Killarney, Kensington and the areas around Trout Lake, Renfrew and Grandview-Woodland. Current and recent projects include The Eton at 2735 Eton Street, homes on Kaslo Street, East 16th Avenue and upcoming projects on Dundas and Kitchener.
That neighbourhood focus matters.
When you repeatedly build on Vancouver’s typical residential lots, you start to understand the opportunities and limitations extremely well.
You learn how to capture light.
You learn where families need storage.
You learn how to create privacy between two homes.
And you learn how to make half of a Vancouver lot feel like much more than half a home.
A Father-and-Son Approach
There’s also something we really like about the family aspect of Pavarya.
Atma brings years of building experience, while Arvin represents the next generation of the business.
When you work with Pavarya, you’re dealing with the family whose name and reputation are attached to the home.
Their philosophy is simple: build a limited number of homes and put the same level of care into each one.
We’ve seen that approach firsthand through the projects we’ve represented.
Why We Like Working With Pavarya Homes
As Realtors, we see a lot of new construction.
That also means we see the difference between a home that photographs beautifully and a home that actually lives well.
With Pavarya, one of the first things we look at is always the floor plan.
Atma and Arvin have a talent for taking the constraints of a Vancouver duplex site and finding ways to make the resulting homes feel spacious, functional and considered.
That’s difficult to appreciate from a rendering.
But once you walk through one of their finished homes, you understand it.
Every square foot has been thought about.
And in Vancouver, where every square foot matters, that’s a skill we value enormously.
See a Pavarya Home for Yourself
It’s one thing for us to tell you that Atma and Arvin are masters at creating great duplex floor plans. It’s much easier to understand when you actually walk through one of their homes.
Take a full video tour of one of Pavarya’s East Vancouver duplex projects and see how they use the space, natural light, storage, finishes and indoor-outdoor connections to make a half duplex feel like a complete home
As you watch, pay particular attention to the floor plan. Look at how the rooms connect, where furniture can actually go, how much usable space has been created and the little details that make the home function better.
Those are the things that don’t always show up on a feature sheet — but they’re often what separates a great new home from an average one
Looking at a Pavarya Home?
If you’re considering a Pavarya home or comparing new duplexes in East Vancouver, we’d be happy to walk you through what to look for beyond the finishes.
We’ll help you understand the floor plan, construction, neighbourhood, resale considerations and the details that can make one new home very different from another.
A Few Fun Facts About Arvin
Hockey comes first. Arvin is a big hockey fan, and watching and playing sports with his family is a favourite way to spend time outside of work.
Soccer is part of the family mix too. Whether they’re watching a game or playing themselves, sports are a big part of family time.
You’ll usually find him smiling. Arvin doesn’t stress easily. When something unexpected comes up, he tends to stay calm, find a solution and keep things moving.
He’s a glass-half-full kind of person. That positive outlook is part of what makes him so easy to work with, especially in an industry where challenges inevitably come up.
He has a talent for floor plans. Arvin has an incredible ability to take the footprint of a Vancouver half-duplex and make every square foot count. It’s one of the things that consistently stands out to us about Pavarya homes.
Contact Hammer Group Realtors to learn about current and upcoming Pavarya Homes projects in East Vancouver.
October 13, 2026