Home/Modular Homes by City/Oakville
Serving Oakville & Halton Region
Modular Homes & Garden Suites in Oakville, Ontario
Factory-direct modular homes and backyard suites for Oakville and Halton Region. Here's what Oakville's additional-dwelling-unit by-law allows in your backyard, what it costs, and the rules that apply.
What you can build in Oakville
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 Oakville'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 Oakville 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? (Oakville lots typically allow up to ~750 sq ft)
Oakville allows up to 100 m² (≈1,075 sq ft) — but the suite must architecturally complement your home. Your exact lot may allow more or less — get the real number for your address in seconds.
Check your exact Oakville address →Can you put a garden suite (ADU) in your Oakville backyard?
Often, yes — Oakville permits a detached Additional Residential Unit on most serviced residential lots. The specifics, from Oakville Zoning By-law 2014-014 (as amended by By-law 2020-057):
| Max size | Up to 100 m² (≈1,075 sq ft); detached structures capped at 40% lot coverage |
|---|---|
| Max height | 6.0 m (≈20 ft) |
| Setbacks | 0.6 m (≈2 ft) rear; 0.9 m (≈3 ft) side |
| Parking | None required |
| Design | Materials, colour, and roof pitch must match or complement the main house; low-flow fixtures required |
| Servicing | Municipal water & sewer required |
| Conservation | Credit Valley Conservation (CVC) and Conservation Halton |
Getting your building permit in Oakville
An eligible lot still needs a building permit before anything is delivered. Here's how Oakville's process actually works — verified against the Oakville building department's own pages.
How do you apply for an ADU building permit in Oakville?
Through ePlan (ProjectDox) via Oakville's online citizen portal (application portal ↗). All building permit applications go through the Town's ePlan online service (ProjectDox handles drawing upload, review and status updates). A $100 non-refundable pre-screening fee is paid at online submission and is credited toward the permit fee on the first submission. Permit fees up to $10,000 can be paid by credit card or e-transfer; larger amounts by EFT or cheque. Oakville's building-permit page ↗
- Line up the pre-approvals first: a Zoning Certificate of Occupancy from the Town's zoning team ($300 in 2026) confirming the additional dwelling unit is permitted on your lot, plus heritage approval if the property is on the heritage registry and Conservation Halton approval if the lot backs onto green space, a watercourse or a wetland
- Prepare the drawing package and forms to the Town's submission standards and file-naming conventions (drawings must be organized into the correct ProjectDox folders)
- Submit the application online through ePlan and pay the $100 pre-screening fee — the Town pre-screens the request and calculates your exact permit fee
- Pay the permit-fee invoice once the application is accepted; document review then runs through ProjectDox, where examiners send comments and you upload any resubmissions
- Pick up the permit once approved and build, booking the required inspections through Building Services as each stage completes (a lot-grading certification and final inspection are needed to release any Development Engineering securities)
- Register the additional dwelling unit with the Town — a new $800 Accessory Dwelling Unit Registration fee appears in the 2026 fee schedule (effective January 2026)
What does a Oakville ADU permit application need?
- Building Permit Application + Applicant Authorization form
- Schedule 1: Designer Information (when the designer is not the homeowner)
- Site plan, elevations, and floor plans showing fire separations and construction details
- HVAC design and Energy Efficiency Design Summary (EEDS)
- Water services calculation form
- Tree Protection Declaration and Grading Declaration
- Zoning Certificate of Occupancy, heritage approval and Conservation Halton approval, where applicable
How much does an ADU building permit cost in Oakville?
Expect roughly $1,800 in Town fees for a typical ~600 sq ft (56 m²) detached ARU — about $670 in building permit fees if the 2026 accessory-dwelling-unit rate of $12.00/m² applies (the $100 pre-screening fee is credited toward it), a $300 Zoning Certificate of Occupancy, and the new $800 ADU registration fee — an estimate only; Development Engineering securities, tree permits and any Conservation Halton fees are extra where they apply.
| Building permit fee — accessory dwelling units | $12.00 per m² (2026 rate; ~$672 on a 56 m² unit; minimum permit fee $200) — confirm with Building Services whether this class or the $17.80/m² houses rate applies to a new detached unit |
|---|---|
| Pre-screening application fee | $100 — non-refundable, credited toward the permit fee on the first submission |
| Zoning Certificate of Occupancy | $300 (2026 rate) |
| Accessory Dwelling Unit Registration | $800 — new fee effective January 2026 |
| Development Engineering permit securities | Securities collected before approval for site works outside the building footprint (landscaping, hardscaping, retaining walls); amount set per project — confirm the current amount. Released only after a lot-grading certificate and approved final inspection |
| Private tree removal permit | Required for removing any tree ≥15 cm diameter at breast height; replacement planting of 1 tree per 10 cm DBH removed |
Oakville's development-charges page confirms the creation of additional dwelling units in existing and new residential buildings is exempt from Town and Halton Region development charges, subject to the restrictions in the Development Charges Act — but notes education development charges may still apply to units exempt from Town and Regional DCs ($12,021.25 per dwelling unit as of June 1, 2026). Confirm your unit's treatment with Development Finance (developmentfinance@oakville.ca).
How long does an ADU building permit take in Oakville?
Ontario's Building Code requires a decision on a complete house-class application within 10 business days. The Town says applications follow the Large Municipalities Chief Building Officials (LMCBO) review timelines and that review times vary with request volumes, complexity, staff availability and resubmissions — it advises applying well in advance.
Registration: Oakville's 2026 fee schedule introduces an $800 'Accessory Dwelling Unit Registration' fee (new, effective January 2026), and a separate Zoning Certificate of Occupancy is required when creating an accessory dwelling/second suite — confirm the registration procedure with Building Services (buildingrequests@oakville.ca, 905-845-6601 ext. 7377).
Worth knowing before you apply
- The Zoning Certificate of Occupancy is a separate approval from the building permit — the Town's accessory-apartment guide says to have it (plus any heritage or conservation approvals) in place before preparing the permit application
- Detached ADUs only became broadly permitted in May 2024: By-laws 2024-051/052/053 allow up to two attached units plus one detached unit in an accessory building (or three attached) on a lot — verify your lot's zoning permissions first
- Oakville's Private Tree Protection By-law requires a permit and on-site consultation before removing any tree 15 cm DBH or larger, with replacement planting of one tree per 10 cm DBH removed — a real constraint on backyard builds, and a Tree Protection Declaration is part of the permit package
- Site works outside the building footprint (landscaping, hardscaping, retaining walls) trigger a separate Development Engineering permit with securities that are released only after a professional lot-grading certification and an approved final inspection
- Conservation Halton approval is needed if the property backs onto green space, a river or a wetland (905-336-1158)
- Heritage approval is required for properties on the Town's heritage registry
- Drawings must follow ePlan's standard file-naming conventions and folder structure or the submission is bounced at pre-screen; the $100 pre-screening fee is credited only on the first submission — subsequent submissions pay it again
- Building without a permit adds a surcharge of 50% of the required permit fee (to a $5,000 maximum) on top of the normal fees
- Adding the unit triggers an MPAC reassessment and a supplementary property-tax bill
Fees and timelines are estimates from Oakville'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 Oakville
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 →
Oakville modular homes — FAQ
Can you put a backyard suite in Oakville?
Yes — on most serviced residential lots, with a building permit. Note that suites are not permitted in the Lakeshore character areas or the Old Oakville Heritage Conservation District.
How big can a backyard suite be in Oakville?
Up to 100 m² (≈1,075 sq ft), with detached structures capped at 40% lot coverage — and the suite’s materials, colour, and roofline must complement your home. Check your address for the specifics.
Can you put a modular home in Oakville?
Yes. On land you own, a modular home on a permanent foundation is legal residential housing under the Ontario Building Code throughout Oakville, subject to standard zoning and permits.
How much does a modular home or backyard suite cost in Oakville?
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 Oakville?
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 Oakville Zoning By-law 2014-014 (as amended by By-law 2020-057); verified by Modular Homes 400 and reviewed by James Clarke, REALTOR®. Always confirm current requirements with the City of Oakville before you build.