Home/Modular Homes by City/Kingston
Serving Kingston & Eastern Ontario
Modular Homes & Garden Suites in Kingston, Ontario
Factory-direct modular homes and backyard suites for Kingston and Eastern Ontario. Here's what Kingston's accessory-house rules allow in your backyard, what it costs, and the by-law that applies.
What you can build in Kingston
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 Kingston'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 Kingston 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? (Kingston lots typically allow up to ~900 sq ft)
Kingston has no fixed floor-area cap — a detached “accessory house” is governed by the 10% accessory-coverage limit. Your exact lot may allow more or less — get the real number for your address in seconds.
Check your exact Kingston address →Can you put a garden suite (ADU) in your Kingston backyard?
Often, yes — Kingston permits a detached Additional Residential Unit on most serviced residential lots. The specifics, from City of Kingston Zoning By-law 2022-62 §4.29 (Accessory Houses — Urban) and §4.30 (Rural Units):
| Max size | No fixed floor-area cap — governed by the 10% accessory-building coverage limit |
|---|---|
| Max height | 4.6 m (≈15 ft) |
| Setbacks | 1.2 m (≈4 ft) rear & interior side |
| Parking | None required |
| Shoreline | 30 m (≈98 ft) from the high-water mark on waterfront lots |
| Servicing | Municipal services in the urban area; private well & septic permitted on rural lots |
| Conservation | Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority (CRCA) near watercourses or hazard lands |
Getting your building permit in Kingston
An eligible lot still needs a building permit before anything is delivered. Here's how Kingston's process actually works — verified against the Kingston building department's own pages.
How do you apply for an ADU building permit in Kingston?
Through DASH (Development and Services Hub) — Kingston's Accela-based online portal for planning, development and building services (application portal ↗). Create a DASH account, submit the ARU building-permit application online 24/7, upload construction drawings, and pay fees online; inspections are also booked through DASH (minimum 24-hour notice). Support: buildingpermits@cityofkingston.ca or 613-546-4291 ext. 3280. Kingston's building-permit page ↗
- Confirm the property qualifies — check Kingston's Zoning Bylaw map (ARUs are permitted on most urban lots; the City's ARU page also lists exclusions — sewer-surcharging/sewer-capacity-limited areas, Loughborough Lake lands, natural hazard areas — and treats rural lots differently, so on a rural property confirm with Building Services how the by-law's rural-unit provisions apply), and check for heritage-district or Cataraqui Conservation regulated-area approvals your lot may need first.
- Prepare the construction drawing set — plot plan, floor plan, elevations and cross-section, spatial separation calculations, mechanical design, energy efficiency design summary, Schedule 1 designer form, and foundation engineering where applicable (or start from one of the City's Pre-Reviewed Detached ARU plans to speed Building Code review).
- Set up a DASH account and complete the ARU building-permit application online, uploading your drawings.
- Watch for the email confirming your application was accepted and pay the applicable permit fees through DASH.
- A building official issues the permit within 10 business days for a house-class application, or requests additional information.
- Build, and request each stage inspection through DASH with at least 24 hours' notice; a new municipal address is assigned to the unit.
What does a Kingston ADU permit application need?
- Plot plan
- Floor plan, elevations and cross-section
- Spatial separation calculations
- Mechanical (HVAC) design
- Energy efficiency design summary form
- Schedule 1: Designer Information form
- Engineering for the foundation, where applicable
How much does an ADU building permit cost in Kingston?
Expect roughly $850–$1,000 in building and plumbing permit fees for a typical ~600 sq ft (56 m²) detached ARU at Kingston's 2026 rate of $14.95 per square metre for new residential construction plus $12.65 per plumbing fixture (minimum permit fee $152) — an estimate only; confirm with Building Services whether the lower $4.80/m² Secondary Suites rate applies to your project, and note a qualifying ARU pays no development charges.
| Building permit — new residential construction (single detached / semi / row house class) | $14.95 per m² (2026 rate); minimum fee for all permits $152.00 |
|---|---|
| Building permit — 'Secondary Suites' line (single detached, semi-detached and row house) | $4.80 per m² (2026 rate) — confirm with the City which line applies to a new detached ARU structure |
| Plumbing permit (residential) | $12.65 per fixture (2026 rate) |
| HVAC permit (if independent of the building permit) | $252.05 per suite (2026 rate) |
| Detached ARU Incentive (forgivable loan) | Up to 50% of project cost or $40,000 (whichever is less), forgiven after 5 years of renting at ≤90% of average market rent to an income-eligible tenant; first-come, first-served while funding lasts |
| Rough-In Detached ARU Grant | $5,000 non-repayable grant for water/sewer/electrical rough-in (cannot combine with the other ARU incentives) |
Kingston's development-charge bylaw exempts additional second and third residential units on properties with single, semi-detached or row-house dwellings from development charges (consistent with Bill 23) — a saving of up to ~$33,848, the 2026 total DC for a new single-detached dwelling.
How long does an ADU building permit take in Kingston?
Ontario's Building Code requires a decision on a complete house-class application within 10 business days
Registration: Kingston has no ARU registration bylaw — the unit is assigned its own municipal address through the permit process. If you will rent the unit, note Council approved a Residential Rental Licensing pilot (January 2024) targeting 1–4-unit rental properties in the Sydenham and Kingscourt–Rideau districts; check whether your property falls in the pilot area.
Worth knowing before you apply
- The City's ARU page lists hard exclusions — sewer-surcharging areas (no basement/cellar units), lots with sewer capacity limitations, Loughborough Lake lands, natural hazard areas, and lots that already have multiple dwelling units, a garden suite, or a boarding house — and states ARUs aren't available on rural properties, while the zoning by-law carries separate rural-unit provisions (§4.30); check the Zoning Bylaw map first and confirm a rural lot with Building Services
- The City publishes Pre-Reviewed Detached ARU plans that speed up Building Code review — but pre-review covers Code compliance only, NOT zoning; every lot still gets a zoning check during the permit review.
- If the lot is near a shoreline, watercourse, floodplain or wetland, a Cataraqui Conservation (CRCA) permit under its regulated-area rules may be required before the building permit — for sewage systems near a water body, the CRCA permit must come first.
- Properties in one of Kingston's heritage conservation districts may need heritage approval in addition to the building permit — check the City's Conservation Districts page before designing.
- The detached ARU forgivable loan ($40K) requires renting at no more than 90% of average market rent to an income-eligible tenant for 5 years — it is an affordability program, not a no-strings rebate, and funding is first-come, first-served from a $1.25M pool.
- The unit's maximum gross floor area must be equal to or less than that of the principal dwelling, at least one parking space is required (tandem permitted), and the ARU needs its own separate access per the Building Code.
- Drawings must be uploaded digitally through DASH — set up the account and have the full drawing set (including the energy efficiency summary and Schedule 1 designer form) ready before applying.
Fees and timelines are estimates from Kingston's published schedules, verified July 9, 2026. Rates and processes change — always confirm current requirements with the building department before you apply.
Grants & financing in Kingston
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 →
Kingston modular homes — FAQ
Can you put a garden suite in Kingston?
Yes. Kingston permits a detached “accessory house” in the urban area (and rural additional units), subject to the coverage, height, and setback rules and a building permit.
How big can a garden suite be in Kingston?
There is no fixed floor-area cap — the size is governed by the 10% accessory-coverage limit. Check your address for the practical number.
Can you put a modular home in Kingston?
Yes. On land you own, a modular home on a permanent foundation is legal residential housing under the Ontario Building Code throughout Kingston, subject to standard zoning and permits.
How much does a modular home or backyard suite cost in Kingston?
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 Kingston?
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 Kingston Zoning By-law 2022-62 §4.29 (Accessory Houses — Urban) and §4.30 (Rural Units); verified by Modular Homes 400 and reviewed by James Clarke, REALTOR®. Always confirm current requirements with the City of Kingston before you build.