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Single-storey backyard ADU with cedar siding and a deck, under a big shade tree in a Winnipeg-style back yard

Winnipeg ADU Builder for Backyard Homes & Suites

Garden suites, laneway homes, suites over the garage and legal basement suites. We check your lot, design it, get it through the City and build it.

Free site check See ADU types
Garage suitesA new double garage off the lane, with up to 600 sq ft of living space on top.Read more

Why build an ADU

Most people who call us want one of three things. Their parents closer, their grown kids out of the basement but not out of reach, or a rent cheque that helps with the mortgage. An ADU can do any of those, as long as the lot, the lane and the budget line up. We'll tell you early if they don't.

Figures from the City of Winnipeg, its Zoning By-law and By-law 59/2025.

Secondary suites permitted in Winnipeg in 2025
203
Largest detached suite, no variance
600sq ft
Homes allowed on qualifying R1 and R2 lots
4

What we build

Every Kind of ADU, From One Crew

Seven ways to add a home to a Winnipeg lot. Which one fits depends on your lot, your lane and what you want it for.

  1. 01/07

    Detached ADUs

    Single-storey white detached ADU with a wide deck and patio chairs under mature trees

    350-600sq ftSize range for a detached suite in Winnipeg

    A small house of its own behind yours, with its own kitchen, bathroom, heat and front door. The most common ADU people ask us about, and the one with the most rules attached.

    Good to know

    • One or two storeys
    • Rear yard, 10 ft back from the house
    • Water and sewer from your house or the street
    View Detached ADUs

  2. 02/07

    Laneway homes

    Narrow two-storey laneway home with a cedar-clad upper floor, a shed roof and a glass front door

    5ftRear setback when your lot backs onto a lane

    If your lot backs onto a lane, the new home can sit right at the back of it, face the lane and leave you most of your yard. Older neighbourhoods like River Heights and Wolseley are full of lots that suit it.

    Good to know

    • Lots with a back lane
    • Ground level or over a garage
    • Keeps the yard between the two homes
    View Laneway homes

  3. 03/07

    Garage suites

    White carriage-house garage suite with a black garage door and a living suite above

    25ftHeight allowed for a suite built over a garage

    A new double garage with a suite upstairs. You keep the parking, someone gets a bright place to live, and the yard stays a yard. Converting an existing garage is possible too, though old slabs rarely make it easy.

    Good to know

    • Parking stays
    • Suite above, stairs outside or in
    • New build or conversion
    View Garage suites

  4. 04/07

    Granny suites

    Small single-storey granny suite cottage with french doors and a stone patio

    $7,500Most you can get back from the federal family suite tax credit

    For a parent who wants to be close without moving into your spare room. Single storey, step-free, wide doors and a shower you can walk into. Close enough to bring soup over, far enough that everyone keeps their own routines.

    Good to know

    • Single storey, no stairs
    • Built for aging in place
    • May qualify for the MHRTC tax credit
    View Granny suites

  5. 05/07

    Attached & basement suites

    Open-plan ADU with navy kitchen cabinets, a cream sofa and skylights in a wood ceiling

    800sq ftLargest attached suite, or 33% of the total floor area

    A suite inside the house, usually the basement, or added onto it. Cheaper than building a second house, and allowed in more zones, though making a basement legal takes more than drywall and a hot plate.

    Good to know

    • Basement or addition
    • Own entrance and heat
    • Fire separation and egress windows
    View Attached & basement suites

  6. 06/07

    Tiny homes

    Tiny home with its glass end wall open, showing a bench seat, kitchen and wood ceiling inside

    350sq ftSmallest suite the City of Winnipeg allows

    Tiny homes are great, but in Winnipeg a tiny home in your yard is a detached suite in the City's eyes. That means a foundation, a permit and a 350 sq ft minimum. We build the small, clever version that's actually legal.

    Good to know

    • On a real foundation
    • Lofts and built-ins
    • Legal to live in year-round
    View Tiny homes

  7. 07/07

    Studios & backyard offices

    Dark corrugated backyard studio with its doors open onto a gravel garden and shelves inside

    2waysA studio suite to live in, or a studio to work in

    A studio ADU is a one-room suite with a kitchen and bathroom, about the simplest home you can build. A backyard studio for work or art has no kitchen, which changes the rules and the price a lot.

    Good to know

    • Bachelor-style suite
    • Home office or art studio
    • Simpler permits for no-kitchen builds
    View Studios & backyard offices

Built to Manitoba Code, and for a Winnipeg January

Free site check

Minimum depth for the sewer line to a detached suite

6ft

What goes into every legal suite we build

  • Permit drawings
  • Site servicing plan
  • Below-frost footings
  • Water & sewer tie-in
  • Fire separation
  • Its own electrical
  • Its own heat
  • Air sealing & insulation
  • Wired smoke & CO alarms
  • Its own entrance
  • Egress windows
  • Final inspection

Our services

Design, Permits, Servicing and the Build.
One Contract.

ADUs go sideways when the designer, the permit runner and the builder are three different people. We keep it in one place.

01.

Design & Planning

A layout that fits the lot, the by-law and the way you actually live. Floor plans, elevations and a 3D look before anything is priced to the dollar.

Vaulted ADU living room and kitchen with two skylights and a grey sofa
ADU design
02.

Plans & Permits

Permit drawings, the site plan, the servicing plan, the development and building permits, and a conditional use hearing if your lot needs one.

ADU under construction, a dark upper module set on a new concrete base
Plans & permits
03.

Water, Sewer & Power

The part nobody budgets for. Running water and sewer to the back of a lot below the frost line, and power out to the new home. Corner lots and wide side yards make it easier.

Two-storey garage suite with a carriage-style garage door and an outside stair to the suite above
Servicing rules
04.

Construction & Finishing

Foundations, framing, the envelope, mechanical, finishes and the final inspection. One site lead from the first dig to the keys.

Open-plan ADU with navy kitchen cabinets, a cream sofa and skylights in a wood ceiling
How the build works

How it works

Four Steps, No Surprises Saved for the End

The expensive mistakes happen in step one, so that's where we spend the most care. The whole process

  1. Single-storey backyard ADU with cedar siding and a deck, under a big shade tree in a Winnipeg-style back yardStep 1

    Site Check

    Zoning, lot size, the lane, setbacks and where the sewer runs.

  2. ADU living room with a sofa and rug, an open stair and a loft bedroom over the kitchenStep 2

    Design

    Plans and a price you can make a decision with.

  3. ADU under construction, a dark upper module set on a new concrete baseStep 3

    Permits

    Drawings, servicing plan and the City approvals.

  4. Tall gabled two-storey backyard home in dark blue siding with big windows and a patioStep 4

    Build & Keys

    Foundation to final inspection, one crew.

Why homeowners call us

The Things We Wish Every ADU Builder Did

  • Real numbers, early

    You'll hear a realistic range at the first visit, before you pay for a single drawing.

  • Lot check before plans

    Some lots need a public hearing. We find out first, so drawing money isn't spent on a lot that can't take a suite.

  • Built for minus 35

    Footings and lines below frost, a tight envelope and heat that keeps up in February.

  • Permits handled

    Development, building, plumbing and electrical permits, plus every inspection along the way.

  • Neighbours kept in the loop

    Windows placed for privacy, a tidy site and a heads-up before the noisy days. It helps if a hearing comes up.

  • One person to call

    The same site lead from design to keys, who picks up the phone and answers the question you asked.

Who builds an ADU

Three Reasons People Build One

Different reasons lead to different buildings, so this is the first thing we'll ask you about.

  • Small single-storey granny suite cottage with french doors and a stone patio
    Family

    Parents Close By, With Their Own Front Door

    A single-storey suite with no stairs, built for the years ahead. They keep their independence, you skip the drive across the city, and the federal family suite tax credit may take a bit off the cost.

    Granny suites
  • Modern two-storey detached ADU in black siding with lit windows, behind a cedar privacy fence
    Rental Income

    A Long-Term Rental in Your Own Back Yard

    Winnipeg's vacancy rate has been tight for years. The honest part: a new detached unit takes a long time to pay for itself on rent alone, so we'll run the numbers with you before you commit.

    What an ADU costs
  • Narrow two-storey laneway home with a cedar-clad upper floor, a shed roof and a glass front door
    Grown Kids

    A First Place That Isn't Your Basement

    For the kid who can't afford a place yet and is tired of living with you, as much as you're tired of it. A laneway home or garage suite gives everyone a door to close.

    Laneway homes

Before you call anyone

Do Your Homework Here First

Plain-English guides to cost, Winnipeg's rules, floor plans, financing and how a build actually runs. No email needed.

ADU kitchen with a pine ceiling, a butcher-block island and a window over the sink

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

The questions we get on almost every first call. There's a longer list on the FAQ page.

  • How much does an ADU cost in Winnipeg?

    As a ballpark, a legal basement suite runs about $60,000 to $150,000, a detached backyard suite about $200,000 to $320,000, and a suite over a new double garage about $250,000 to $380,000. The lot, the distance to your sewer line and the finishes move it most. Our cost guide breaks it down.

  • Can I build an ADU on my lot?

    For a detached suite, the City wants an R1 or R2 lot of at least 3,500 sq ft, a house that's a single-family home, room in the rear yard 10 ft back from the house, and two off-street parking spots. Lots that don't fit can sometimes go through a conditional use hearing. We check all of it on the first visit.

  • How big can a backyard suite be in Winnipeg?

    A detached secondary suite can be 350 to 600 sq ft of floor area, up to 15 ft tall on its own or 25 ft when it sits over a garage. Attached suites max out at 800 sq ft or 33% of the total floor area, whichever is less. Bigger second homes are possible under the 2025 infill rules on some lots.

  • How long does it take to build an ADU?

    Plan on roughly 9 to 14 months from the first visit to moving in for a detached or garage suite: a couple of months for design, two to four months for permits, and five to eight months of building. Basement suites are quicker. Winter affects when we can dig, so timing the start matters.

  • Are there grants for building an ADU in Manitoba?

    Fewer than the internet suggests. The federal $80,000 secondary suite loan was cancelled in 2025 before it opened. What's real: CMHC-insured refinancing up to 90% of the finished value, and the Multigenerational Home Renovation Tax Credit if a parent 65+ or a family member with a disability moves in. Our financing guide has the details.

  • Can I rent out my ADU in Winnipeg?

    Yes, a legal secondary suite can be rented long-term. You can't sell it separately from the house, and it has to be built and permitted as a suite. Short-term rentals have their own rules, and CMHC's suite refinancing excludes them.

Free site check

Find out what your lot can hold

Tell us where you are and what you have in mind. We'll look at your lot, the lane, the sewer line and the by-law, and tell you straight what's possible and roughly what it costs.

Rather talk it through? Call or text(431) 444-6291

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