You or an authorized agent can apply for one at your local municipality. However, should you wish to design your own house, municipalities will insist that a certified designer, architect or engineer sign off on your construction drawings. This is done to ensure that the design complies with building code and is safe.

Although most municipalities in Ontario are now developing regulations for adding a tiny home, garden suite or laneway home to a property, this is still considered a relatively new trend in the province. Successfully navigating through approvals and meeting the necessary building requirements can be challenging.

There are several important considerations to consider before building a second dwelling on your property. From an approvals point of view, you should consider:

• the requirements and standards set out in the zoning bylaw and other relevant bylaws;
• whether you need to apply for rezoning or a minor variance;
• any other applicable agreements and approvals that are required before you can add a second unit; and
• whether your second unit will need to be registered with your municipality.

To add a second unit to your property, you will need a building permit. In order to get a building permit you will need to submit:

• a completed application form and any other forms and supporting documents requested by the municipality;
• construction drawings (most municipalities require at least two sets of drawings); and
• payment of the building permit fee.

You should also check with your municipality to find out if:

• you need to hire a licensed contractor to do the work; and
• whether they accept electronic building permit applications, as this can speed up processing time.

Our full service guides you from the design of your new home, through the formal planning approvals (if required), and onto the successful issuing of a building permit. You can also work with us for part of your journey, but maintaining continuity throughout this process gives you a distinct advantage as it allows greater follow through on your vision. We work with certified designers (registered with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing) and qualified planners (members of the Ontario Professional Planners Institute), so are well placed to coordinate the process and advise on the various requirements needed to realize your dream home.

Upon receiving all the necessary information, we typically will take about 10 to 15 working days to do the necessary drawings and put the application together. Once your complete application has been submitted to the relevant department, you will hear back within the allotted timeframe as to whether it has been approved or not. The waiting times vary but you can budget on four to six weeks for site plan approval and 10 working days for a decision on your building permit. Incomplete applications or improper design may mean that your permit will be delayed or denied.

The first step in the process is our FREE online lot pre-screening and feasibility assessment. Provided we are confident that you will be successful, our initial consultation costs $100. After that we bill per complexity of the case, but you can expect to pay in tranches for our full service and only after official forms and drawings have been submitted. In addition, municipalities charge processing fees for applications as well as rebate fees which are refunded after inspection. Some municipalities also apply a development charge for adding a second unit to your lot.