Home/Modular Homes by City/Cambridge
Serving Cambridge & Waterloo Region
Modular Homes & Garden Suites in Cambridge, Ontario
Factory-direct modular homes and backyard suites for Cambridge and Waterloo Region. Here's what Cambridge's new additional-residential-unit by-law allows in your backyard, what it costs, and the rules that apply.
What you can build in Cambridge
Full modular homes — from $175,696. 29 models from 560 to 1,405 sq ft, 1–3 bedrooms — factory-built to the Ontario Building Code and set on a permanent foundation (a real, permanent house, not a “trailer”).
Backyard suites (ADUs) — from $96,244. 7 compact models built for garden-suite and in-law-suite use, sized to fit what Cambridge's by-law allows.
All homes are CSA-certified (A277 modular / Z240MH manufactured), finished in the factory, and delivered ready for foundation and hook-up. What's the difference between modular, manufactured, and mobile? →
Find your backyard suite — 3 quick questions
We'll narrow the models that fit a typical Cambridge backyard allowance to the ones that fit your life. No email needed.
1 · Who's it for?
2 · What layout?
3 · What size feels right? (Cambridge lots typically allow up to ~900 sq ft)
Cambridge caps a detached suite at the lesser of 100 m² (≈1,076 sq ft) or 15% lot coverage. Your exact lot may allow more or less — get the real number for your address in seconds.
Check your exact Cambridge address →Can you put a garden suite (ADU) in your Cambridge backyard?
Often, yes — Cambridge permits a detached Additional Residential Unit on most serviced residential lots. The specifics, from City of Cambridge Zoning By-law 26-007 §4.19 (Additional Residential Units), in force after February 3 2026:
| Max size | The lesser of 100 m² (≈1,076 sq ft) or 15% lot coverage |
|---|---|
| Max height | 4.5 m (≈15 ft) — up to 6.0 m (≈20 ft) where the lot has ≥21 m (≈69 ft) frontage or lane access |
| Setbacks | 1.2 m (≈4 ft) side · 1.2 m (≈4 ft) rear (0.6 m / ≈2 ft with lane access) · 4.5 m (≈15 ft) separation from the main house |
| Units per lot | Up to 2 ARUs — at most one detached — on single-detached, semi, or street-townhouse lots (RR/R1/R2/R3) |
| Parking | 1 space per ARU |
| Servicing | Connect to municipal water & sewer where available; private servicing only where municipal is genuinely unavailable and capacity is proven |
| Conservation | Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA); not permitted in the Floodway or any Floodplain Overlay |
Getting your building permit in Cambridge
An eligible lot still needs a building permit before anything is delivered. Here's how Cambridge's process actually works — verified against the Cambridge building department's own pages.
How do you apply for an ADU building permit in Cambridge?
Through City of Cambridge Online Applications portal (Clariti) (application portal ↗). Run the project through the Cambridge Application Navigator first (app.oncamino.ca/cambridge) to compile the document checklist, then submit, track, and pay through the Online Applications portal at permits.cambridge.ca. Cambridge's building-permit page ↗
- Pre-check zoning with planning@cambridge.ca — a detached ARU is as-of-right only in the RR1/RR2/R1–R4 zones
- Run the project through the Application Navigator to confirm the permit type and required documents for your property
- Prepare the drawings and forms with a qualified designer (identified on Schedule 1)
- Register on the Online Applications portal and submit the complete package
- A Building Official invoices the permit fee after review — pay it for the application to be considered complete
- The permit issues listing all required inspections; book each with the assigned inspector at least 24 hours ahead
- Pass the final inspection and receive occupancy approval from Building Services before the unit is occupied
What does a Cambridge ADU permit application need?
- Application for a Permit to Construct or Demolish (the provincial form)
- Schedule 1: Designer Information + the residential permit information form
- Complete drawing set showing compliance with Zoning By-law 26-007 §4.19 (setbacks, parking, unit size, entrance location)
- Heat-loss/heat-gain calculations and the Energy Efficiency Design Summary
- Sewage-system design + Schedule 2 (installer information) where the lot is on private septic
How much does an ADU building permit cost in Cambridge?
Cambridge calculates permit fees from a per-m² construction formula with a $143 minimum for Part-9 residential work (2026 schedule) — the exact per-m² rate wasn't published in a fetchable form, so get an estimate from the Building Division (519-623-1340 ext. 4070) before budgeting; the good news is the City and Region collect no development charges on ARUs.
| Permit fee | Per-m² residential construction formula; $143 minimum for a Part 9 residential structure (2026 schedule) — confirm the current rate with the Building Division |
|---|---|
| Re-inspection fee | $100 where a failed item needs another visit |
| ARU incentive grant | Up to $10,000 for service upgrades, permit drawings, and construction costs (launched Nov 2024) — confirm current intake before counting on it |
The City of Cambridge and Region of Waterloo collect no development charges on additional residential units — school-board charges can still apply in some cases, so confirm with Planning.
How long does an ADU building permit take in Cambridge?
Ontario's Building Code requires a decision on a complete house-class application within 10 business days. The clock starts only once the application is complete AND the invoiced fee is paid — and a GRCA-regulated lot adds the conservation authority's own 4–6-week review on top.
Registration: No separate ARU registration or renewal — occupancy approval at final inspection is the close-out step.
Worth knowing before you apply
- Lots near the Grand or Speed rivers, a watercourse, wetland, or the floodplain need a SEPARATE Grand River Conservation Authority permit — GRCA's review runs about 4–6 weeks outside the City's timeline; check GRCA's Map Your Property tool early
- The Application Navigator step is worth doing — it produces the property-specific document checklist that keeps the submission from bouncing
- The $10,000 ARU grant is applied for separately through the portal under "Financial Incentives" — verify the program is still taking applications first
- Small storage sheds are permit-exempt, but a habitable ARU always needs a full permit regardless of size
Fees and timelines are estimates from Cambridge's published schedules, verified July 4, 2026. Rates and processes change — always confirm current requirements with the building department before you apply.
Grants & financing in Cambridge
Cambridge ADU Grant — Up to $10,000 toward eligible costs. Neither the City nor the Region collects development charges on ARUs.
See every program → Ontario ADU Grants Directory
A modular or prefab home on a permanent foundation is financed like any house. CMHC Prefab Plus allows an insured mortgage with as little as 5% down on the first $500,000, with construction funds released in stages. How modular home financing works →
Thinking of the suite as a rental? Run the numbers →
Cambridge modular homes — FAQ
Can you put a garden suite in Cambridge?
Yes. Cambridge permits up to two additional residential units (at most one detached) on lots with a single-detached, semi, or street-townhouse home in the RR/R1/R2/R3 zones — subject to the size, height, and setback rules and a building permit.
How big can a garden suite be in Cambridge?
A detached ARU is capped at the lesser of 100 m² (≈1,076 sq ft) or 15% lot coverage. Check your address for the exact number.
Can you put a modular home in Cambridge?
Yes. On land you own, a modular home on a permanent foundation is legal residential housing under the Ontario Building Code throughout Cambridge, subject to standard zoning and permits.
How much does a modular home or backyard suite cost in Cambridge?
Modular home models start at $175,696 and run to about $338,000 for the largest layouts; backyard ADU models start at $96,244. Site work, foundation, delivery, and permits are additional.
Can I get a mortgage on a modular home in Cambridge?
Yes — on a permanent foundation it is financed as real property, including via CMHC Prefab Plus (5% down on the first $500,000).
Local rules summarized from City of Cambridge Zoning By-law 26-007 §4.19 (Additional Residential Units), in force after February 3 2026; verified by Modular Homes 400 and reviewed by James Clarke, REALTOR®. Always confirm current requirements with the City of Cambridge before you build.