Home/Modular Homes by City/Mulmur
Serving the Township of Mulmur (Dufferin County)
Modular Homes & Garden Suites in Mulmur, Ontario
Factory-direct modular homes and backyard suites for the Township of Mulmur — Mansfield, Honeywood, Terra Nova and the hill-country concessions of northern Dufferin. Mulmur permits a detached 'additional single dwelling' as-of-right on larger rural lots: at least 2 ha (≈4.9 acres), capped at the LESSER of 80 m² (≈861 sq ft) or 50% of your house's floor area. One thing to check before anything else: roughly the western half of the Township is in the Niagara Escarpment Plan Area, where the zoning by-law doesn't apply at all and the NEC's own permit rules govern. Here's what By-law 28-18 allows, what it costs, and the rules that apply.
What you can build in Mulmur
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 Mulmur'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 Mulmur 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? (Mulmur lots typically allow up to ~800 sq ft)
Mulmur caps a detached unit at the LESSER of 80 m² (≈861 sq ft) or 50% of your house's floor area, on a lot of at least 2 ha (≈4.9 acres) — and inside the Niagara Escarpment Plan Area (roughly the western half of the Township) the by-law doesn't apply at all. Enter your address for the specifics. Your exact lot may allow more or less — get the real number for your address in seconds.
Check your exact Mulmur address →Can you put a garden suite (ADU) in your Mulmur backyard?
In Mulmur it depends on the lot: a detached additional dwelling is as-of-right in the Countryside (A), Rural Residential, Estate Residential, Rural Commercial and Recreational zones on lots of at least 2 ha (≈4.9 acres) — and in the Niagara Escarpment Plan Area, roughly the western half of the Township, the by-law doesn’t apply at all, so a Niagara Escarpment Commission Development Permit governs instead. The specifics, from Township of Mulmur Comprehensive Zoning By-law 28-18, §3.3 — Additional Dwelling Units (office consolidation to May 2024):
| Check the Escarpment first | Roughly the western half of Mulmur lies inside the Niagara Escarpment Plan Area, where By-law 28-18 legally does not apply (§1.2) — a backyard unit there runs through a Niagara Escarpment Commission Development Permit, not the Township’s zoning. Tell us your lot and we’ll help you confirm which side you’re on. |
|---|---|
| Max size | The LESSER of 80 m² (≈861 sq ft) or 50% of your house’s floor area, within the 140 m² (≈1,507 sq ft) all-accessory-buildings envelope (§3.3.2, §3.2.3). One site-specific sweetener: lands zoned Countryside Exception Sixteen (A-16) allow a detached unit up to 124 m² (≈1,335 sq ft) — zone exceptions matter in Mulmur, so ask us to check your parcel. |
| Where it’s allowed | As-of-right in the Countryside (A), Rural Residential (RR), Estate Residential (ER), Rural Commercial (RC) and Recreational (RE) zones on lots of at least 2.0 ha (≈4.9 acres). Hamlet Residential lots get an ATTACHED unit only (max 80 m²), and an attached unit is also available on smaller lots generally (min 0.2 ha lot of record with 30 m / ≈98 ft frontage on a maintained road) — it must share a real common wall or floor of at least 12 m² with the house; a breezeway doesn’t count (§3.3.3, §4.5.1). |
| Height & setbacks | Setbacks scale with the building: an accessory building over 60 m² needs 6 m (≈20 ft) side and rear yards (4.5 m at 40–60 m², 3 m at 20–40 m²), and accessory height caps at 6 m (≈20 ft) in the rural zones, 4.5 m (≈15 ft) in Hamlet Residential (§3.2.3). No fixed separation-from-house or maximum-distance rule is codified. |
| Parking | 1 space for the unit (§3.14.2.10). |
| Servicing | Well-and-septic country: the by-law requires 'approved sewage disposal and water supply services' available and sized for the unit (§3.3.1, §3.3.3) — a septic assessment is the practical first step. Conservation permits come from the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) where the lot is regulated. |
Getting your building permit in Mulmur
An eligible lot still needs a building permit before anything is delivered. Here's how Mulmur's process actually works — verified against the Mulmur building department's own pages.
How do you apply for an ADU building permit in Mulmur?
Through CityView Portal (Dufferin County Building Services) + Township of Mulmur Municipal Approval (application portal ↗). Mulmur doesn't run its own building department — building AND septic permits are issued by Dufferin County Building Services (519-941-2816 ext. 2700, building@dufferincounty.ca), with applications online-only through the County's CityView Portal. The Township's own zoning review (the $200 'Municipal Approval') is paid inside the same CityView application; Township zoning questions go to planning@mulmur.ca (705-466-3341). Mulmur's building-permit page ↗
- Confirm which regime you're in FIRST — roughly the western half of Mulmur is inside the Niagara Escarpment Plan Area, where Zoning By-law 28-18 doesn't apply at all (§1.2): development there needs a Niagara Escarpment Commission Development Permit under the NEC's own rules, issued before any building permit. The Township or the NEC's online plan map will confirm which side of the line your lot is on.
- Confirm zoning — outside the Escarpment area, the detached 'additional single dwelling' is as-of-right in the A, RR, ER, RC and RE zones on lots of at least 2.0 ha, capped at the lesser of 80 m² or 50% of the house's floor area (§3.3.2). A zoning compliance letter is $150; a Zoning By-law Amendment for a non-qualifying lot runs $2,500 (2025 fee schedule).
- Check conservation — where the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) regulates the lot, its approval or exemption comes before the building permit.
- Assess the septic — the by-law requires approved sewage disposal and water supply services available and adequately sized for the unit (§3.3.1, §3.3.3); where a new or upgraded system is needed, Dufferin County issues the septic permit ($575 for a new residential system, 2026) with the design submitted alongside the building application.
- Sort the entrance — where entrance or road-occupancy work is needed on a Township road, Mulmur's Public Works Entrance Permit is $500 with $200 non-refundable (2025 fee schedule); on a County road, the application goes to Dufferin County instead.
- Retain a qualified BCIN designer for the Ontario Building Code drawings — architectural, mechanical (heat-loss and duct design) and the SB-12 Energy Efficient Design Summary, with a Schedule 1 for each designer.
- Register for a CityView Portal account and submit everything in one application per the County's ARU checklist, including the Township review items. Incomplete applications are not reviewed — deficiencies come back by email once all reviews finish.
- Dual review runs from there — the Township checks Official Plan and Zoning By-law conformity while the County checks Building Code compliance — and the permit issues through the Portal. Keep printed approved drawings onsite through inspections.
What does a Mulmur ADU permit application need?
- Application for a Permit to Construct or Demolish + Schedule 1 Designer Information (one per designer — BCIN, or the homeowner exemption)
- Township Municipal Approval application, uploaded into the same CityView application
- Site plan drawn to scale — north arrow, address, property lines with distances, dimensions and heights of all structures, entrance/driveway, and all utilities including the septic location
- Architectural drawings: foundation, floor and roof plans, elevations, and cross-sections
- Mechanical drawings by a qualified designer, including heat-loss and duct design
- Energy Efficient Design Summary (SB-12)
- Septic design and calculations where a new or upgraded system is needed (tank and bed layout with clearances) + Schedule 1 (septic designer) and Schedule 2 (septic installer)
- Public Works Entrance/Road Occupancy Permit application where entrance work is needed (Township roads; County roads apply to Dufferin County)
- NEC Development Permit (Niagara Escarpment Plan Area lots) or NVCA approval/exemption where the lot is regulated — issued before the building permit
How much does an ADU building permit cost in Mulmur?
Building-permit fees follow Dufferin County's Building By-law 2020-14, Schedule A (consolidated September 2024; CPI-indexed): an Additional Residential Unit is $16.47/m² in 2026 with a $600 minimum — roughly $1,320 on a maximum-size 80 m² unit — plus the Township's $200 Municipal Approval and, where needed, a $575 County septic permit and a $500 Township entrance permit. All figures are estimates — confirm with County Building Services (519-941-2816 ext. 2700).
| Building permit — Additional Residential Unit | $16.47/m² (2026), $600 minimum — Dufferin County Building By-law 2020-14, Schedule A; ≈ $1,320 on a maximum-size 80 m² unit (the 2027 rate is $17.83/m²) |
|---|---|
| Township Municipal Approval | $200 — Mulmur's 2025 Schedule of User Fees & Charges (the County's process sheet still shows $150; the Township's current schedule governs). Starting before approval is costly: Municipal Approval after construction has commenced is $500 |
| Septic (sewage-system) permit — where a new or upgraded system is needed | $575 (2026) for a new residential on-site sewage system, issued by Dufferin County Building Services |
| Entrance Permit — Township roads, where entrance work is needed | $500, of which $200 is non-refundable (2025 fee schedule; the County's process sheet still shows $400) — payable directly to the Township; County-road entrances apply to Dufferin County |
| Planning path on non-qualifying lots | Zoning/Subdivision Compliance Letter $150; Zoning By-law Amendment $2,500; Minor Variance (as part of the ZBA process) $2,500 (2025 fee schedule) |
| Development charges | Township residential DC is $20,513.31/dwelling unit (2025 schedule, everywhere except Mansfield) — but Ontario's Development Charges Act exempts qualifying additional residential units, and Dufferin County DC By-law 2022-28 carries the matching exemption; confirm the Township's treatment before budgeting |
Ontario's Development Charges Act exempts qualifying additional residential units (up to two units added to an existing home, or one unit in a building ancillary to it), and Dufferin County's DC By-law 2022-28 writes the matching exemption in. Mulmur's published fee schedule lists the residential charge without reproducing the exemption wording — confirm your project's treatment with the Township before budgeting.
How long does an ADU building permit take in Mulmur?
Ontario's Building Code requires a decision on a complete house-class application within 10 business days. The County's FAQ says a complete application should issue within the 10 business days — but an NEC Development Permit (western Mulmur) or NVCA approval must be issued before the building permit and adds real time. Sequence those first.
Worth knowing before you apply
- Two governments, one application: the Township reviews zoning (the $200 Municipal Approval) while Dufferin County reviews the Building Code and issues the permit — all inside the County's CityView Portal, online only, and incomplete applications are not reviewed.
- The stale-fee trap, again: the County's Mulmur process sheet (March 2024) still lists the Municipal Approval at $150 and the entrance permit at $400 — the Township's own 2025 Schedule of User Fees & Charges sets them at $200 and $500, and it governs.
- Check the Escarpment before anything else: in the Niagara Escarpment Plan Area (roughly the western half of the Township) By-law 28-18 doesn't apply — an NEC Development Permit under the NEC's own rules replaces the zoning review, and it must be issued before the building permit.
- Don't start early: Municipal Approval sought after construction has commenced is $500 instead of $200 (2025 fee schedule).
- Any structure over 10 m² (≈108 sq ft) needs a building permit in Dufferin — and a smaller one still does if it has plumbing.
Fees and timelines are estimates from Mulmur's published schedules, verified August 28, 2026. Rates and processes change — always confirm current requirements with the building department before you apply.
Grants & financing in Mulmur
Development charges — qualifying ADUs exempt — Mulmur's Township development charge is $20,513.31 per dwelling unit (2025 fee schedule, everywhere except Mansfield) — but Ontario's Development Charges Act exempts qualifying additional residential units (up to two units added to an existing home, or one unit in an ancillary building), and Dufferin County's DC by-law carries the matching exemption. Confirm your project's treatment with the Township before budgeting.
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 →
Mulmur modular homes — FAQ
Can you build a garden suite / ADU in Mulmur?
Yes, on the right lot: By-law 28-18 (§3.3.2) permits a detached 'additional single dwelling' as-of-right in the Countryside (A), Rural Residential, Estate Residential, Rural Commercial and Recreational zones on lots of at least 2 ha (≈4.9 acres). Two cautions: inside the Niagara Escarpment Plan Area (roughly the western half of the Township) the by-law doesn't apply and NEC permitting governs instead — and what the by-law calls a 'garden suite' is a separate temporary, portable instrument with a removal agreement (§3.3.4), which you can't have on a lot that already has a detached additional dwelling.
How big can a backyard suite be in Mulmur?
The LESSER of 80 m² (≈861 sq ft) or 50% of your house's floor area — so an 80 m² unit takes a house of at least 160 m² (≈1,722 sq ft) — within the 140 m² all-accessory-buildings envelope. Lands zoned Countryside Exception Sixteen (A-16) allow up to 124 m² (≈1,335 sq ft). Watch the setback laddering too: an accessory building over 60 m² needs 6 m side and rear yards.
Does the Niagara Escarpment affect building in Mulmur?
More than anywhere else in Dufferin: roughly the western half of Mulmur is inside the Niagara Escarpment Plan Area, where By-law 28-18 expressly does not apply (§1.2). A backyard unit there needs a Development Permit from the Niagara Escarpment Commission under the NEC's own rules — a different process with different standards. Confirm which side of the line your lot is on before you design; we can help.
Can you build an ADU on well and septic in Mulmur?
Yes — essentially every eligible lot here is on private services. The by-law requires 'approved sewage disposal and water supply services' available and adequately sized for the unit (§3.3.1, §3.3.3), so a septic assessment is the practical first step. Because Mulmur has no full municipal water-and-sewer network, Ontario's Bill 23 as-of-right override (which applies only to fully serviced lots) doesn't reach here — the by-law's own gates govern.
Can you put a modular home in Mulmur, Ontario?
Yes. On land you own, a CSA A277 modular home on a permanent foundation is legal residential housing under the Ontario Building Code throughout Mulmur — as the principal dwelling, or as the detached additional dwelling on a qualifying 2 ha lot. The compact backyard models fit the 80 m² cap.
How much does a modular home or backyard suite cost in Mulmur?
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 Mulmur?
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 Township of Mulmur Comprehensive Zoning By-law 28-18, §3.3 — Additional Dwelling Units (office consolidation to May 2024); verified by Modular Homes 400 and reviewed by James Clarke, REALTOR®. Always confirm current requirements with the municipality before you build.