Maximize Your Property's Potential with Garden Suites and ADUs
- Property Perspective
- Aug 15, 2024
- 3 min read
A summary of key guidelines for building a Garden Suite or Laneway Suite in the City of Toronto
Garden suites and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) are becoming increasingly popular as flexible living spaces that can provide additional housing options. If you are deciding whether to transform your backyard into an income producing asset, here is a summary of the City of Toronto guidelines to consider.
Quick Facts
Emergency Access: Ensure there is a clear 45m (147.6’) path from the public street to the entrance of the garden suite for emergency access.
Ownership: Garden suites cannot be divided, severed, or sold separately from the main property.
Basements: Basements are permitted in garden suites, but you will want to determine if the extra cost associated with the shoring and excavation to construct a basement is worth it.
Maximum Footprint: The footprint of the garden suite cannot exceed 40% of the rear yard or 60 square meters, whichever is smaller. Note that the total area of ancillary buildings cannot exceed 20% of the lot area.
Floor Area: The floor area of all floors in a garden suite cannot be greater than the total floor area of the main residential building on the lot.
For example, if the main building is a bungalow with a total floor area of 2,000 sq-ft, a two-story garden suite must have a total interior floor area of less than 2,000 sq-ft.
Setback Distances:
Height Restrictions: A maximum height of 4m (13’) is allowed if the garden suite is located 5m (16.4’) from the main home. A maximum height of 7.5m (24’) is allowed if it is built 6m (19.6’) from the main home.
Angular Plane: For taller structures, an angular plane (a 45-degree sloped section of the roof) may be required to limit the impact of height and building mass on neighboring properties. Learn more about angular planes and why it is a contentious topic in Toronto in this STOREYS article.
Side Yard: The greater of 0.6m or 10% of the lot frontage, with a maximum of 3m. If windows or doors are present, side setbacks are slightly larger at the greater of 1.5m or 10% of the lot frontage.
Rear Yard: Generally, a 1.5m setback is required. For lots deeper than 45m (147’), the minimum rear yard setback is either half the height of the garden suite or 1.5m.
Landscaping Requirements: For homes with a frontage greater than 6m (20’), 50% of the rear yard area, including the garden suite, should be soft landscaping (grass, trees, shrubs, flowers). For frontages less than 6m, 25% soft landscaping is allowed.
Parking Requirements: No car parking is required, but two bike parking spaces are mandatory.
Factors to Consider
End Use Case: Are you planning to lease it, have family occupy it or use it as a flex space? These are key considerations to determine the final design and how much you want to invest in the finishing materials. There are also tax rebate implications you will want to consider!
Power Source: Determine whether the garden suite will be powered by electricity with a heat pump, gas, radiant heating, solar or a combination of the methods.
Cost: The cost to build a garden suite typically depends on its size, design requirements, and finishing materials. A safe estimate for cost is between $500-$650 per square foot including soft costs like design.
Rough Overview of the Process
Survey: Obtain an up-to-date survey that shows the topography of your lot.
Developer Selection: Interview garden suite developers to find the right fit. Lanescape is one of the more well-known developers in this area of the industry.
Site Assessment: Get an initial site assessment and perform a site planning exercise to determine what you can build on your lot.
Design and Approvals:
Preliminary Design: Create floorplans and schematic designs with exterior color renders.
Design Development: Develop structural drawings for permit applications. Depending on the topography, you may also need to hire an arborist to ensure no healthy trees are harmed.
Construction: This phase includes excavating/shoring, utility upgrades and connections, foundation work, and building to completion.
Financial Incentives: Don't forget to recoup some money through Federal HST rebates available depending on the final use case.
Building a garden suite or ADU can be a rewarding endeavor, providing additional living space and potential rental income. By understanding the rules and regulations, and considering the key factors, you can ensure a smooth and successful project.
Looking to maximize the return from your investment property? Get in touch with us to learn more about our Real Estate Consulting services.
