Explore homes you can build in your own backyard. Then, get connected with your builder of choice for a free quote.
Now operating in 15 Canadian municipalities
We connect you to experts in the backyard home building industry and help you get from lot assessment to model selection in just a few steps. We’re here to help make your dream home a reality.
Say goodbye to the headache of figuring out if your lot is suitable for a backyard home. Using Resimate’s innovative assessment tool, you can type in your address to see if your property is compatible with local bylaws, so you can confidently move forward with your backyard home plans.
Take advantage of our partnerships with trusted builders and unlock access to prefab backyard home models. With our interactive selection tool, you can choose a home that you like most and place it on your lot to see your backyard home dream come to life. From there, we’ll connect you to industry partners to help you permit, finance, and install your model of choice - saving you time and resources along the way.
We know that building a backyard home can be complicated to navigate. That’s why we have a dedicated team of backyard home experts creating resources and connections to help you through the journey. Check out our FAQ and learning center for more information. If you don’t find what you’re looking for, reach out to our team, and we’ll try to point you in the right direction!
Canada’s largest selection of modular backyard homes
Over 12,000 lots assessments completed across 6 provinces
18+ designs & floor plans
We believe it should be easy to build in your backyard. That’s why we’ve created a tool to assess your lot based on your local bylaws and connect you directly to backyard home builders that can deliver and help install your home, saving you time and money. Whether it's a home for a family member, a flexible space to host guests, or an extra rental suite to boost your income, our marketplace offers a range of prefab models to suit your unique taste and lifestyle. Let us help make your backyard dream a reality.
A backyard home is a home that is completely detached from the
main dwelling. They must (1) be on a property with an existing
main dwelling and (2) contain their own private kitchen and
bathroom facilities.
These secondary living spaces are also
known as:
Although “backyard home” and “tiny home” may sometimes be used interchangeably, there are distinct characteristics between the general definitions of these two housing alternatives. While backyard homes are forms of permanent housing that exist in addition to a larger main dwelling unit on a lot, tiny homes are often the only residence on a small piece of property and/or are a mobile structure.
You’ve started in the right place! You can use the Resimate marketplace to determine if your lot allows for a backyard home and if there are additional considerations at this time. If your lot is suitable for a backyard home, you can select a backyard home model from one of our partner builders, place it on your lot, and get connected to the builder to start your build.
Building permit processes vary across municipalities. It usually begins with a preliminary review with your Planning and/or Building department before a formal application submission, so we would advise that you consult your local planning department for more information.
The cost of building a backyard home can vary greatly depending on factors such as location of your property, the type of backyard home you want to build (1 or 2 storey), the choice of construction (modular/prefabricated or custom conventional build), interior finishes (standard or upgraded), and even design. You also need to consider the ‘soft costs’ like design and permit fees, increase in property taxes, and site preparation/project management costs. Some builders offer full service pricing (meaning they take care of everything, start to finish), while others may only charge you for the unit or construction, and leave it to you, the homeowner, to take care of the extras. Modular or prefabricated builders often price the unit itself, and then add on the site preparation, delivery and installation (meaning foundation and inspections) separately.
It’s important to note that the price per square foot tends to be a bit higher ($350-600/sqft), as the smaller size and site specific considerations often result in higher initial fixed costs. As a rough approximation, backyard homes can cost between $120,000 to $500,000 to build.
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