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Serving Pickering & Durham Region
Modular Homes & Garden Suites in Pickering, Ontario
Factory-direct modular homes and backyard suites for Pickering and Durham Region. Here's what Pickering's additional-dwelling-unit by-law allows in your backyard, what it costs, and the rules that apply.
What you can build in Pickering
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 Pickering'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 Pickering 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? (Pickering lots typically allow up to ~700 sq ft)
Pickering allows up to 150 m² (≈1,615 sq ft), but binds to the lesser of that, 50% of your home, or your zone’s remaining lot coverage. Your exact lot may allow more or less — get the real number for your address in seconds.
Check your exact Pickering address →Can you put a garden suite (ADU) in your Pickering backyard?
Often, yes — Pickering permits a detached Additional Residential Unit on most serviced residential lots. The specifics, from City of Pickering ADU zoning amendments (Bill 23 conformity, adopted Sept 2023):
| Max size | Up to 150 m² (≈1,615 sq ft) — binds to the lesser of that, 50% of your home’s net floor area, or your zone’s remaining lot coverage |
|---|---|
| Max height | 4.5 m (≈15 ft) on lots up to 2,000 m² (≈21,500 sq ft); 6.5 m (≈21 ft) on larger lots |
| Setbacks | 1.2 m (≈4 ft) rear and side |
| Units per lot | Up to 2 ADUs — one may be a detached garden suite |
| Parking | 1 space per ADU |
| Servicing | Municipal services or a private well/septic (Durham Health sign-off) |
| Conservation | Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) |
Getting your building permit in Pickering
An eligible lot still needs a building permit before anything is delivered. Here's how Pickering's process actually works — verified against the Pickering building department's own pages.
How do you apply for an ADU building permit in Pickering?
Through City of Pickering Online Application Portal (application portal ↗). Building-permit applications are submitted fully electronically through the online portal — register, then upload drawings and documents as unlocked, flattened PDFs. Pickering's building-permit page ↗
- Confirm zoning compliance and ADU eligibility for the lot — and if using a pre-approved Regional Design Catalogue design, check that the lot fits its siting parameters
- Review the City's Required Documents – Residential checklist (or call Building Services, 905-420-4631) for the digital submission requirements
- Prepare drawings and supporting documents as unlocked, flattened PDFs
- Submit the complete package through mycity.pickering.ca with the initial minimum permit fee
- Building Services reviews for Building Code and zoning compliance — an incomplete submission is billed a 25% resubmission fee and takes longer
- Pay the full assessed permit fee and performance deposit; the permit issues, and construction must start within 6 months
- After construction, register the ADU under By-law 8040/23 (Fire + Building inspections passed, fees paid) before it can be occupied
What does a Pickering ADU permit application need?
- Completed building-permit application form
- Site plan showing the detached unit's location, setbacks, and separation from the main house
- Full architectural drawings — or one of the 5 pre-approved catalogue designs, which are already Building-Code pre-reviewed
- Structural design information
- Proof of servicing (municipal connection details, or septic approval on private-serviced lots)
- Parking plan showing the ADU parking space where applicable
How much does an ADU building permit cost in Pickering?
Expect roughly $1,125 in permit fees for a typical ~600 sq ft (56 m²) detached ADU at the July 2026 rate of $20.12 per m² of gross floor area (minimum $180) — an estimate; a $1,000 performance deposit also applies to secondary suites over 60 m², and the one-time ADU registration fee is separate.
| Permit fee | $20.12 per m² of gross floor area for residential occupancies (July 2026 schedule); minimum $180 |
|---|---|
| Performance deposit | $1,000 for secondary suites and accessory structures larger than 60 m² (refundable on compliance) |
| ADU registration | One-time fee under By-law 8040/23 (our verified rule pack records $500) — payable at registration, after final inspections |
| Incomplete resubmission | 25% of the application permit fee is billed when an incomplete application has to be resubmitted |
Under the provincial Development Charges Act (as amended by Bill 23), a detached additional dwelling unit on a serviced residential lot is exempt from development charges and parkland dedication — a statutory exemption, not a Pickering-specific incentive.
How long does an ADU building permit take in Pickering?
Ontario's Building Code requires a decision on a complete house-class application within 10 business days. Pickering says completeness is the biggest driver of speed — and construction must begin within 6 months of permit issuance.
Registration: Every ADU must be registered under By-law 8040/23 before it can legally be occupied — registration completes only after Building and Fire inspections pass and outstanding fees are paid; the City then issues the registration certificate you'll need for insurance and a future sale.
Worth knowing before you apply
- Pickering and Whitby jointly publish a 5-design ADU Regional Design Catalogue (pickering.ca/ApprovedADU) — catalogue designs are pre-reviewed against the Building Code, so the permit review covers siting only
- Lands in the federal Pickering Airport / Seaton area can sit under a Minister's Zoning Order that overrides City zoning — check before assuming ADU eligibility there
- The City is consolidating a new comprehensive zoning by-law — verify the by-law in force at the time you apply
- Credit-card payments through the portal carry a 2.65% convenience fee
Fees and timelines are estimates from Pickering'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 Pickering
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 →
Pickering modular homes — FAQ
Can you put a backyard suite in Pickering?
Yes. Pickering permits a detached additional dwelling unit (a garden suite) on most residential lots with a house — subject to size, height, and setback rules and a building permit.
How big can a backyard suite be in Pickering?
Up to 150 m² (≈1,615 sq ft) in principle, but the binding limit is the lesser of that, 50% of your home’s net floor area, or your zone’s remaining lot coverage. Check your address for the exact number.
Can you put a modular home in Pickering?
Yes. On land you own, a modular home on a permanent foundation is legal residential housing under the Ontario Building Code throughout Pickering, subject to standard zoning and permits.
How much does a modular home or backyard suite cost in Pickering?
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 Pickering?
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 Pickering ADU zoning amendments (Bill 23 conformity, adopted Sept 2023); verified by Modular Homes 400 and reviewed by James Clarke, REALTOR®. Always confirm current requirements with the City of Pickering before you build.