Additions / Laneway and garden suite
Laneway and garden suites.
A detached secondary dwelling on the rear of an existing residential lot. Toronto's laneway and garden suite by-laws permit these as-of-right on most qualifying lots. The typical use is multigenerational housing, a primary-residence office, or a long-term rental.
Laneway suites front a public laneway; garden suites occupy the rear yard with no laneway frontage. Toronto adopted permissive by-laws for both in 2018 and 2022 respectively, and the Housing Now Action Plan continues to expand the eligible lot count.
Leman has built and is building several of these. The work runs faster than a full custom home because the structures are smaller and the permit pathway is well-trodden. The finish standard remains the Leman standard.
What is included
What a Leman laneway and garden suite includes.
Discovery and design
Site visit, scope discussion, design partnership with your architect or ours, structural assessment where applicable, fixed-price contract once design is finalized.
Construction
Daily site supervision by an owner or partner, weekly photo updates, fixed milestone schedule, transparent change-order process, fully insured and WSIB-compliant trades.
Closing
Pre-handover walk-through, deficiency resolution before keys change hands, final cleaning, one-year warranty work, twelve-month check-in visit.
Typical timeline
Six to ten months
Typical scope
Detached one or two-storey suite
Specifics
The lot must qualify. Toronto's by-laws set rules for lot size, laneway access, distance from the main house, and tree protection. Leman runs the qualifying check in the discovery phase before any design work begins.
Servicing is the first technical decision. The new suite needs water, sanitary, electrical, and gas connections; depending on the lot configuration, these run from the main house or from new street connections. Leman scopes the servicing during design so it is priced in the contract, not discovered in construction.
Recent work
Laneway and garden suite projects.
Ready to add a laneway or garden suite?
Book a thirty-minute consultation. We will discuss the scope, the neighbourhood, and whether Leman is the right fit. There is no obligation.