How to Build a Garden Suite on a Tight Budget
Learn what needs to be considered when you are considering building or retrofitting a garden suite onto your property. There are many ways to keep the costs low, which we will outline below, and add to as we continue working with designers and homeowners on their garden suite projects.
Retrofitting an existing structure
If you have a garage or larger structure already existing on your property (and it was built well) you may be able to utilize the existing foundation and/or above-grade structure to use it as a garden suite structure. We have already seen this conversion be designed and approved by the City of Toronto in the first wave of garden suite applications, and expect to see many more because of the lower-cost nature of the work.
The most important part of doing a conversion like this is evaluating the existing structure to see if it is structurally sound. Any reputable General Contractor in Toronto will be able to help you with this evaluation and ensure that the conversion can be completed. There will also have to be utilities run from the primary home to the converted structure, so make sure that you understand what is involved on that end of things as well.
Frost Free or slab on grade foundation Construction
If you are not planning on needing a basement in your garden suite, these types of foundations will save you quite a bit of money. Due to the lessened amount of excavation involved, along with less foundation materials and labour needed it is an easy way to save some money at the start of the project!
All-electric Garden Suite
The creation of an exclusively electric garden suite will save you money in a couple of ways:
Reduced cost to prevent the running of natural gas out from the primary home, which will save you quite some money
With the continuous improvement of cold climate heat pump technology you can use electricity for exclusive heating and cooling for the garden suite and spend less money on the system.
Placement of the garden suite relative to primary home
Due to the need for the garden suite utilities to be connected to utilities through the main home, the proximity of the garden suite to the main home will need to be considered to keep costs low. Every foot you can get closer to your home the less trenching will need to be completed to get the utilities out to the garden suite, which will save you quite a bit of money (on the order of $1200-$1600 per meter)
Interior and exterior finishes
As with any new home build or substantial renovation project (including home addition projects) the materials and finishes you select will ultimately affect the overall budget for the project. Before you go overboard with your design (because designers have a habit of overdoing it on plans) it is always a great idea to get your home builder to review your plans and give you some representative numbers so you can properly plan your budget for the cost of your finishes. The last thing you want to do is get finishes spec’d that you cannot afford so make sure that once you have a preliminary draft of your plans ready send them to your General Contractor to get a representative preliminary budget.
Prefabricated and Templated Garden Suites
Prefabricated garden suites can be a lower-cost option if the space and property allow for it. A lot of the prefabricated options will need to be craned onto a property to be properly installed but there are a few options that can be built on-site in components to make the process of building a prefabricated garden suite more logistically feasible. There are also templated designs that you can utilized to lower the design/permitting costs (so you don’t have to spend too much money on a custom garden suite design).
Conclusion
Do you have any other ideas to save money on the construction of an accessory dwelling unit? We would love to hear about your ideas!
Garden suites and ADU’s are a new type of construction in Toronto but it is looking as though the cost of constructing a garden suite can be affordable compare to the other options available (like home additions). If you are looking to add additional space with minimally affecting your primary residence, constructing a garden suite might be your best option!
Reach out to us with any additional questions or inquiries you have!
Please reach out to us or leave a comment below if you have any specific questions!
About BVM COntracting
BVM Contracting is a full-service General Contractor or Home Builder located in Toronto. We provide home renovation and building services for major home renovations (kitchen renovations, bathroom renovations, basement renovations, full interior renovations, home additions, lot severances, and new home construction). Our goal is to help guide our clients through the process of renovating their home, from concept to completion.
Further than providing General Contracting and Project Management for major home renovations, we also offer value-added services such as renovation financing, renovation rebate consultations and services, building permit and design services, smart home installation services, and real estate investor services.
To learn more about our offering by visiting our services page.