Home ADU Types Regions Pricing & ROI Process Rules FAQ Book a Free Consultation
Modern Ontario garden suite at golden hour with warm interior glow
Garden, laneway and basement suites across Ontario

Your property already has room for another home.

DivineADU plans, permits and manages legal additional dwelling units, built by licensed builders, with one accountable lead from feasibility to keys.

Why build an ADU

Four reasons Ontario homeowners are building a second home on their own lot.

Monthly rental income
A purpose-built suite generates steady monthly rent. GTA two-bedroom apartments averaged $3,013/month in TRREB's Q2 2026 reference data, a useful benchmark when sizing your suite.
Multigenerational living
Keep aging parents close or give an adult child independence: privacy and proximity on one property. Ontario's Bill 23 permits up to three units on most residential lots.
Property value uplift
A legal, income-producing suite can meaningfully increase what your property is worth. We estimate roughly $120K–$450K of added value depending on the ADU type (property-specific estimate).
Mortgage relief
Rental income from a suite can offset your monthly carrying costs. CMHC's insured refinance program can help eligible owner-occupiers fund construction of up to four suites at up to 90% loan-to-value.
The numbers

A $180,000 garden suite can pay itself back.

Sized and rented well, a backyard suite turns under-used land into a long-term income engine. Run your numbers in seconds.

Run my numbers
$3,013

avg GTA 2-bed rent / mo (TRREB Q2 2026)

$36,156

gross rental income / year

6 yrs

~5–7 yr typical payback (estimate)

+$275K

est. property value uplift ($200–350K)

Illustrative estimates only. Actual rent, payback and value depend on your lot, suite size, finish and municipality.

Sources: CMHC refinance program · CMHC rental reports · TRREB rental data

Income potential

How much could your property earn?

Pick a city to see typical figures for the three most popular suite types. Rent anchors are CMHC- and TRREB-informed estimates, not guaranteed.

Basement Suite

Lower-level conversion

Typical monthly rent—
Annual gross—
10-year gross—
Typical value lift+$120K–220K

Garden Suite

Detached backyard home

Typical monthly rent—
Annual gross—
10-year gross—
Typical value lift+$200K–400K

Laneway Suite

Rear-lane standalone home

Typical monthly rent—
Annual gross—
10-year gross—
Typical value lift+$220K–450K

Estimates only. Actual figures depend on size, finish, market timing, and municipal approvals. Rent anchors are drawn from CMHC and TRREB market data.

Five ways to build

Choose the ADU that fits your lot, budget and goals.

Bright finished basement suite interior

Basement Suite

Convert lower-level space into a legal, light-filled rental.

Est. $60K–$120K

View details
Modern attached suite addition exterior

Attached Suite

An addition that blends seamlessly with your existing home.

Est. $80K–$180K

View details
Above-garage suite exterior at dusk

Above-Garage

Add a private suite above a new or existing garage.

Est. $100K–$200K

View details
Backyard garden suite at golden hour

Garden Suite

A detached backyard home.

Est. $150K–$400K+

View details
Two-story Toronto laneway suite

Laneway Suite

A standalone home facing a rear laneway in urban lots.

Est. $200K–$450K+

View details
Where we work

Permitted across Ontario's growing communities.

Where your ADU lives shapes what's permitted, what it can earn, and which incentives apply. Explore your municipality.

See all regions
How it comes together

Watch a garden suite take shape.

Six stages from first survey to handover. Scroll to build it.

Illustration of a typical garden suite build.

Property line Existing house Setback 1.5 m Separation 4.0 m A-201 South elevation Garden suite · 1:50 9.1 m 4.8 m PERMIT ISSUED Water Sanitary Hydro
  1. 01

    Survey & feasibility

    We confirm what your lot allows before you spend a dollar.

  2. 02

    Design & permits

    Drawings, engineering and the permit package, prepared and submitted for you.

  3. 03

    Foundation & servicing

    Footings, slab and services trenched to the main house.

  4. 04

    Framing

    Structure goes up, inspected at every stage.

  5. 05

    Envelope & finishes

    Weather-tight envelope, real materials, large windows.

  6. 06

    Handover

    Keys, warranty documents and a tenant-ready suite.

See the full process
One lead, every trade

What DivineADU handles for you.

One point of contact from feasibility to keys. We coordinate the designers, engineers and licensed builders behind your suite, so you never juggle architects, contractors and permit expediters.

Feasibility before money
A property-specific review of zoning, servicing, setbacks and conservation flags, with an itemized budget envelope before you commit.
Design & drawings
Concept to permit-ready drawings by BCIN-qualified designers, tailored to your lot, budget and goals.
Permits, handled
We prepare and submit the permit package, answer municipal comments and coordinate conservation-authority approvals.
Engineering & code
Structural, servicing and 2024 Ontario Building Code requirements designed in from the first sketch, not patched to pass inspection.
Licensed construction
New detached suites are built by an HCRA-licensed builder under its own contract with you, with Tarion new-home warranty coverage. Renovations are built by licensed contractors under their written workmanship warranty.
One point of contact
One accountable lead coordinates trades, inspections and schedule through to occupancy and a tenant-ready handover.
Warm, light-filled premium ADU interior with full kitchen and natural materials
The DivineADU difference

Built for income. Designed for dignity.

A DivineADU suite is not a tacked-on rental. It is a small, complete home: planned around natural light, generous ceiling height where the lot allows, and real materials that age well rather than the cheapest finish that meets code.

Every suite gets a proper kitchen, a comfortable bathroom, and storage that respects how people live. Level entries, wider doorways, and barrier-free options mean the space works for a tenant today or an aging parent tomorrow.

The result is a home people are proud to live in and proud to show. That pride is what protects your occupancy, your rent and your resale value over the long term.

At a glance

Compare your ADU options.

Five ways to build, side by side. All figures are estimates for educational purposes.

  Basement Attached Above-Garage Garden Laneway
Cost range$60K–120K$80K–180K$100K–200K$150K–400K+$200K–450K+
Typical rent$1,500–2,100$1,800–2,400$1,800–2,400$2,000–2,800$2,300–3,200
Timeline8–14 wks16–26 wks18–28 wks20–32 wks22–34 wks
Value-add+$120K–220K+$150K–280K+$160K–300K+$200K–400K+$220K–450K
Best forLowest entry costBlending with the homeLots with a garageBackyard privacyUrban rear-lane lots
FootprintExisting lower levelSide / rear additionOver new/existing garageDetached in rear yardDetached on laneway

Estimates only. Actual cost, rent, timeline and value depend on your lot, finish level and municipality. Rent ranges are CMHC/TRREB-informed market references, not guaranteed ADU rents.

Explore each type in detail
No cost, no obligation

5 free ways to start.

Begin wherever you're comfortable. Every option is free and feasibility-first.

Property Feasibility Review

A first read on what your lot can support.

Request

Pricing Estimate

A budget envelope, returned within one business day.

Request

ROI Snapshot

City-specific rent and payback projection, emailed within one business day.

Request

Region-Specific Briefing

Rules, incentives and rent context for your city, emailed within one business day.

Request

30-Minute Consultation

A free call about your property and goals.

Request
Two-minute tool

Find my ADU type

Answer four quick questions and we'll suggest the suite that best fits your lot, budget and goals.

Honest transparency

What can delay an ADU project?

These are the five most common things that add time. We screen for every one of them before you commit.

We surface every one of these in feasibility, before you commit a dollar.

Request a feasibility review
Questions

The things homeowners ask first.

In most cases, yes. Ontario's Bill 23 permits up to three residential units on most urban residential lots, and several municipalities now allow four. Local bylaws, lot size, servicing and conservation authority rules still apply, which is why every project starts with a property-specific feasibility review.
It depends on the type. As estimates: basement suites run roughly $60K–$120K, attached suites $80K–$180K, above-garage $100K–$200K, garden suites $150K–$400K+, and laneway suites $200K–$450K+. We give you a clear budget envelope after feasibility.
Most projects run 6–14 months end-to-end including design, permits and construction. Basement conversions are quickest; detached garden and laneway suites take longest. Municipal approval timelines vary by city.
A legal, income-producing suite typically adds meaningful value. We estimate roughly $120K–$450K depending on type. The actual uplift is property-specific and best confirmed by an appraisal.
Yes. Our design partners prepare the drawings, and we manage municipal permit applications and coordinate inspections through to occupancy, so you are not navigating City Hall alone.

See all FAQs Every figure links to its primary source

Ontario ADU pulse

Ontario ADU news, updated daily.

Verified housing-policy and ADU coverage from leading Ontario sources. Aggregated, not written.


Let's see what your property is capable of.

Free 30-minute consultation. No obligation. Feasibility-first.

Book a call