Garden Suite & Laneway House Builders in Toronto
A garden suite is a self-contained home built in your backyard, complete with its own kitchen, bathroom, living area, and entrance. It can be rented out, used for family, or kept as a long-term investment in your property.
Introduction
Homewrap is a licensed new home builder that designs and constructs garden suites and laneway houses across Toronto and the GTA. We manage the entire process, from zoning assessment and design through permits, construction, and occupancy approval.
Building a garden suite is closer to building a small custom home than it is to a renovation. It requires foundation work, framing, full mechanical systems, and compliance with Toronto's specific zoning rules for garden suites. Having a licensed builder who understands this scope from the start is what separates a smooth build from a prolonged one.
What We Build
Concrete foundation or slab-on-grade, depending on site conditions and whether a basement or crawlspace is included. Full structural framing, sheathing, insulation, and roofing.
Independent HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems connected to the main property's services. The City of Toronto offers a Garden Suite Servicing Grant of up to $35,000 for water and sewer connection costs.
Kitchen with cabinetry, countertops, and appliances. Full bathroom with tile, fixtures, and ventilation. Living area, bedroom, and all interior finishes to move-in ready standard.
Grading, drainage, pathways, utility trenching, and landscape restoration after construction. We ensure the garden suite integrates with the existing property without damaging trees or existing structures.
Garden Suites vs. Laneway Houses
Built on a lot that borders a public laneway. The lane provides the primary access point for the unit, and the design must meet specific setback and access requirements under Toronto's zoning by-law.
Built in the rear yard of a property without laneway access. Garden suites are permitted as-of-right in most residential zones across Toronto, provided the property meets minimum lot size, setback, and access requirements.
Smaller footprint units (typically 400 to 500 square feet) that maximize the usable floor area within Toronto's zoning limits. Efficient layouts with full kitchen, bathroom, and living space.
Where lot conditions allow greater separation from the main house, two-storey builds (up to 6 metres) provide more living area within the same footprint. Subject to Toronto height and separation requirements.
How Much Does a Garden Suite Cost in Toronto?
Garden suites are a significant investment, similar in complexity to a small custom home. Here's what homeowners in the GTA are typically looking at in 2026.
A smaller single-storey garden suite (400 to 500 square feet) generally costs $225,000 to $275,000. A mid-size suite (500 to 650 square feet) typically runs $275,000 to $350,000. A larger two-storey suite (650 to 900 square feet) can cost $350,000 to $450,000+.
On top of construction costs, plan for $15,000 to $32,000 in additional expenses: surveys, permit fees, utility connection fees, and engineering. Construction costs run roughly $400 to $600 per square foot, though this varies by design complexity, site conditions, and finish level.
How We Manage Your Garden Suite Build
A garden suite is new construction on a constrained urban site. Our process is built to manage zoning complexity, site challenges, and permit requirements with a clear plan from day one.
We assess your property's zoning, lot dimensions, setbacks, tree coverage, and access to determine what's buildable. If the property is in a former municipal zone, we verify the applicable rules before any design work begins.
Our in-house team designs the suite to maximize usable space within your zoning limits. We prepare architectural drawings, structural engineering, and all documentation needed for the building permit.
We submit the full permit package to the City of Toronto or your local municipality and manage the review process. Complex sites may require tree protection plans, grading studies, or other supplementary documentation.
Foundation, framing, roofing, mechanical rough-ins, insulation, interior finishing, and site work. A dedicated project lead manages the full build from first excavation to final touches.
We coordinate all required inspections through to final occupancy approval. The finished suite is cleaned, tested, and handed over ready to rent or occupy.
Why Homeowners Choose Homewrap for Garden Suites
Garden Suite Builders Across the GTA
We build garden suites and laneway houses across Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area, including North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, East York, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham, Mississauga, Aurora, Newmarket, Oakville, Pickering, and surrounding communities.
