By Jesse Skulmoski · Operandi Design Build
Having family nearby can work particularly well when everyone has a place to call their own. A garden suite offers that possibility: a separate home with its own front door, kitchen and daily routine, a short walk from the main house.
It can also create a home for a long-term tenant. The design needs to consider the whole property: the people living in both homes, how they come and go, and the outdoor space they will share or enjoy separately.
What is the difference between an ADU and a garden suite?
Accessory dwelling unit, usually shortened to ADU, is a broad term for an additional self-contained home on the same property as the main home. BC’s guidance includes detached homes, attached additions and internal conversions.
A garden suite is one form. In Saanich and Victoria it means a detached, ground-oriented dwelling, typically behind the main house. You may also encounter terms such as laneway home, carriage house or garage suite. Municipal definitions and rules vary, so establish which apply to the accommodation you are considering.
Decide who the home is for
Think beyond the number of bedrooms. A parent may want an easy route to the main house while keeping their own kitchen and visitors. An adult child may value privacy, storage and somewhere to work. A long-term tenant needs a comfortable independent home with clearly understood shared areas.
Discuss entrances, laundry, outdoor space, bicycle storage, bins and deliveries. Our multigenerational living guide explores the conversations that help families plan life on a shared property.
Confirm that the intended use is permitted. Saanich, for example, allows garden suites for family or rental accommodation but prohibits short-term rental and bed-and-breakfast use.
Understand the property before choosing a floor plan
The open area you can see in the yard is only part of the picture. Start with zoning, reliable boundary information, existing buildings and a dimensioned site plan. Check title restrictions, easements and rights-of-way that may affect where construction and service connections can go.
Trees, slopes, drainage, heritage or archaeological considerations and streamside or other protected areas can also shape the possibilities.
An existing garage deserves its own assessment. Its location may look convenient, but the foundations, structure, floor, moisture protection and services need to be suitable for residential use. Establish the work needed to convert it before assuming the existing building will be economical to keep.
Plan both homes together
Place windows and outdoor areas with each household in mind. Where will morning light enter? Will a living-room window look directly into a bedroom in the main house? Can someone sit outside without feeling they are in another household’s doorway?
Useful separation can come from the layout, window placement and thoughtful landscape design. Work these choices through alongside the applicable fire-safety and building-separation requirements; a preferred window or wall position may affect the design options.
Plan the route from parking or the street, including lighting, groceries and visitors. If the home is for someone with changing mobility needs, look carefully at gradients, steps and the entrance from the outset. Our Aging in Place guide covers further adaptations that can make daily life easier.
Keep useful outdoor space for both homes. A larger building footprint is not always the best answer if it leaves awkward paths, little privacy or no comfortable place to spend time outside.
Look closely at services and construction access
Confirm water supply, sanitary drainage, electrical capacity and how rainwater will be managed. Existing services may need work, and their route can affect excavation, trees and the main house.
Discuss servicing with municipal Engineering early. Have the design team confirm how emergency crews can reach the home, along with the required exits and separation from other buildings, before settling the footprint.
Consider the construction route too. How will excavation equipment, materials and waste move through the property? A narrow side yard, retained trees or an occupied home can affect the work sequence and cost. Include reinstating paths, fences and landscaping in the plan.
Budget for a complete home and its site work
A small detached dwelling still needs foundations, a roof, walls, windows and doors, a kitchen, bathroom, heating, ventilation and cooling where needed. Build the budget around the complete project, including:
Site preparation, investigations, excavation and foundations.
The building, finishes, appliances and building services.
Utility connections, drainage and any necessary upgrades to existing services.
Design and engineering, permits, applicable municipal fees and warranty arrangements.
Construction access, protection, exterior works and landscape restoration.
Ask how allowances, contractor charges and taxes are included, and plan a contingency for unresolved site conditions. If comparing prefabricated options, establish whether the quoted price includes delivery, lifting, foundations, connections and the other work needed on your site.
Confirm approvals and new-home requirements
The approval path depends on the address and proposal. Confirm the zoning that applies to your property and any development, heritage, tree or other approvals alongside the building and trade permits. Plan required inspections and final occupancy approval into the project.
For a new detached dwelling, confirm the builder licensing and home warranty requirements before construction. New homes normally require a licensed residential builder and third-party home warranty insurance, unless an applicable exemption has been obtained. A home’s size or intended family use does not, on its own, establish an exemption.
How Operandi can help
We begin with your priorities and a site visit, looking at the existing home and property together. Bring any plans, surveys or previous permit information you have, along with how you would like the new accommodation to be used.
Where further investigation is needed, we agree on a paid feasibility stage, the fee and what you will receive. We can compare a detached suite with an in-house conversion or extension, coordinate specialist input and develop a preliminary budget.
As the project develops, we coordinate appropriate design professionals and trades, refine the scope and selections, and plan approvals, servicing and construction. Under a separate construction agreement, Jesse leads site coordination, communication and agreed changes through to handover.
Book a site visit to talk through your property and what you have in mind.