Home/Modular Homes by City/Clarington
Serving Clarington & Durham Region
Modular Homes & Garden Suites in Clarington, Ontario
Factory-direct modular homes and backyard suites for Clarington and Durham Region. Here's what Clarington's additional-dwelling-unit by-law allows in your backyard, what it costs, and the rules that apply.
What you can build in Clarington
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 Clarington'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 Clarington 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? (Clarington lots typically allow up to ~700 sq ft)
Clarington has no fixed size cap — a detached suite just must be smaller than your house. Your exact lot may allow more or less — get the real number for your address in seconds.
Check your exact Clarington address →Can you put a garden suite (ADU) in your Clarington backyard?
Often, yes — Clarington permits a detached Additional Residential Unit on most serviced residential lots. The specifics, from Municipality of Clarington Zoning By-laws 84-63 and 2005-109 (Bill 23 conformity):
| Max size | No fixed square-footage cap — a detached suite just must be smaller than your main house’s floor area |
|---|---|
| Max height | 5.25 m (≈17 ft) in urban residential zones; 6.5 m (≈21 ft) in Agricultural / Rural Residential zones |
| Units per lot | Up to 2 ADUs — one inside the main home plus one in an accessory building |
| Parking | 1 space per ADU |
| Servicing | Municipal services or a private well/septic |
| Conservation | Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) |
Getting your building permit in Clarington
An eligible lot still needs a building permit before anything is delivered. Here's how Clarington's process actually works — verified against the Clarington building department's own pages.
How do you apply for an ADU building permit in Clarington?
Through Service Clarington (online portal) (application portal ↗). Create a free Service Clarington account, complete the building-permit application online, upload documents, and pay the fee — the portal also lets you search past permits on any Clarington property. Clarington's building-permit page ↗
- Consult Planning Services first to confirm your lot's zone category — Clarington's ADU rules differ across its urban ('green'), Oak Ridges Moraine ('red'), and Greenbelt ('blue') map areas
- Confirm servicing: municipal water/sewer connects through the existing home's service, while a private-serviced lot needs Durham Region Health Department septic approval BEFORE the permit can issue
- Create or log in to a Service Clarington account and complete the online building-permit application
- Upload the drawings and forms (including Schedule 1: Designer Information) and pay the permit fee
- The Building Division reviews for Building Code, zoning, and applicable-law compliance (conservation authority, Region)
- The permit issues by email once all requirements are met; book inspections as construction proceeds
- Final occupancy approval from the Building Inspector also formally registers the ADU with the Municipality
What does a Clarington ADU permit application need?
- Building-permit application via Service Clarington + Schedule 1: Designer Information
- Site plan showing the house, the proposed detached unit, lot lines, and setbacks
- Architectural drawings (foundation, floor plan, elevations) plus structural engineering where required
- Proof of servicing — municipal connection details, or Durham Region Health Department septic approval on well/septic lots
- Energy-efficiency and mechanical compliance documentation required under the Building Code
How much does an ADU building permit cost in Clarington?
Clarington prices ADU permits per square metre of floor area under its Building By-law fee schedule (fees are indexed about 3% annually) — get a current estimate from Building Services before budgeting, and on a private-serviced lot add the separate Durham Region septic-review fee.
| Permit fee | Per-m² ADU rate under the Building By-law fee schedule — confirm the current rate with Building Services (fees indexed ~3% annually) |
|---|---|
| Septic review (private-serviced lots) | A separate Durham Region Health Department fee for sewage-system approval |
| Development charges | Clarington and Durham Region both exempt additional dwelling units from development charges, consistent with provincial rules |
Both Clarington's and Durham Region's development-charge by-laws exempt additional residential units — confirm with Planning that a new-build detached unit qualifies on your lot, since some by-law wording centres on units within the existing dwelling.
How long does an ADU building permit take in Clarington?
Ontario's Building Code requires a decision on a complete house-class application within 10 business days. Durham Region's private-septic review (needed before the permit on well/septic lots) runs its own roughly 10-business-day cycle on top.
Registration: No separate registration application or fee — the ADU is formally registered with the Municipality automatically when the Building Inspector issues final occupancy approval.
Worth knowing before you apply
- Where a detached ADU is allowed depends on Clarington's colour-coded zoning map: urban/hamlet 'green' areas allow one in the house plus one detached; Oak Ridges Moraine 'red' areas allow one in the house only; Greenbelt 'blue' areas allow one in the house or a pre-July-2017 accessory building — confirm your lot's category with Planning first
- The main house must already have 2 parking spaces before an ADU can be added, and each ADU needs one more
- On well/septic lots, the Durham Region septic approval is a distinct application that must finish before the building permit can issue
- Two conservation authorities split Clarington — CLOCA (Bowmanville/Courtice, west) and GRCA (Newcastle/Orono, east); building near a stream, wetland, or floodplain may need a CA permit alongside the building permit
Fees and timelines are estimates from Clarington'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 Clarington
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 →
Clarington modular homes — FAQ
Can you put a backyard suite in Clarington?
Yes. Clarington permits up to two additional dwelling units per lot — one inside the main home plus one in an accessory building — subject to the rules and a building permit.
How big can a backyard suite be in Clarington?
There’s no fixed square-footage cap — a detached suite just has to be smaller than your main house. Check your address for the specifics.
Can you put a modular home in Clarington?
Yes. On land you own, a modular home on a permanent foundation is legal residential housing under the Ontario Building Code throughout Clarington, subject to standard zoning and permits.
How much does a modular home or backyard suite cost in Clarington?
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 Clarington?
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 Municipality of Clarington Zoning By-laws 84-63 and 2005-109 (Bill 23 conformity); verified by Modular Homes 400 and reviewed by James Clarke, REALTOR®. Always confirm current requirements with the City of Clarington before you build.