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Modular Homes & Garden Suites in Woodstock, Ontario
Factory-direct modular homes and backyard suites for the City of Woodstock. Woodstock permits up to two additional residential units per lot — and one of them can be a detached suite in your backyard, provided the lot is at least 540 m². The size rule is the one that catches people out: it's 10% of your lot area, not a flat number. Here's what the by-law allows and how to work out your own figure.
What you can build in Woodstock
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 Woodstock'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 Woodstock 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? (Woodstock lots typically allow up to ~580 sq ft)
Woodstock caps a detached suite at 10% of your lot area, to a ceiling of 75 m² (≈807 sq ft). Because a detached unit needs a lot of at least 540 m² (≈5,810 sq ft), the realistic range is about 580 sq ft on a minimum-size lot up to 807 sq ft once the lot reaches 750 m² (≈8,070 sq ft). Enter your address for the number that applies to your lot. Your exact lot may allow more or less — get the real number for your address in seconds.
Check your exact Woodstock address →Can you put a garden suite (ADU) in your Woodstock backyard?
Often, yes — Woodstock permits a detached Additional Residential Unit on most serviced residential lots. The specifics, from City of Woodstock Zoning By-law Number 8626-10, §5.2.8 / Table 3A — Additional Residential Units (as replaced by By-law 9698-24, July 11, 2024) and §5.1.1 / Table 1 — Accessory Buildings:
| ⚠️ Max size — do the 10% math | A detached suite is an accessory building, so §5.1.1 Table 1 governs: 10% of YOUR lot area, to a maximum of 75 m² (≈807 sq ft). On the 540 m² (≈5,810 sq ft) minimum lot that is 54 m² (≈581 sq ft); a 700 m² lot gives 70 m² (≈753 sq ft); you reach the full 75 m² only at 750 m² (≈8,070 sq ft) and above. We quote the 54 m² figure because it is the one every eligible lot can rely on — yours is likely larger. Separately, all your ARUs together can’t exceed 60% of the house’s gross floor area or 100 m² (≈1,075 sq ft) — but a unit in the basement or cellar doesn’t count toward that total. |
|---|---|
| Minimum lot size | 540 m² (≈5,810 sq ft) — a hard floor for an ARU in a detached accessory structure. Below that, the second unit has to go inside the house. |
| How many units | Up to 2 ARUs per lot on top of the principal dwelling — either both inside the house, or 1 inside and 1 in a detached accessory structure. Permitted in the R1, R2, R3, HD, PUD and C3 zones, where the principal dwelling is a single-detached, semi-detached or street row house. |
| Height & setbacks | 6.0 m (≈20 ft) maximum height, and at least 1.2 m (≈4 ft) from the side and rear lot lines. It can go in any yard except the front yard. Its setback from the street follows your zone’s front-yard or exterior-side-yard requirement — in R1 that is 6.0 m (≈20 ft) front and 4.5 m (≈15 ft) exterior side. |
| Parking | 1 additional space per ARU, on top of the parking for the main house — but it may be a TANDEM space (behind another car in the driveway), and up to 65% of a front or exterior side yard may be used as the ARU parking area. That flexibility often means no new curb cut. |
| Servicing | Municipal water and sewer. §5.1.2.1.1 bars erecting any building in the City unless the land is on municipal water, sanitary sewers, drainage and a street meeting municipal standards, with adequate capacity — a backyard suite on private septic is not an as-of-right option in Woodstock. |
| Disqualifying uses | An ARU is not permitted on a lot that already contains a boarding or lodging house, a group home Type 1 or 2, a garden suite, a converted dwelling house, a duplex, a mobile home, or a bed and breakfast. Running a B&B is enough to block it. |
| Conservation | Upper Thames River Conservation Authority (UTRCA). Neither the suite nor its parking may sit inside the Conservation Authority Regulation Limit shown on Schedule ‘A’ without UTRCA approval first. |
Getting your building permit in Woodstock
An eligible lot still needs a building permit before anything is delivered. Here's how Woodstock's process actually works — verified against the Woodstock building department's own pages.
How do you apply for an ADU building permit in Woodstock?
Through Cloudpermit (application portal ↗). Applications must be submitted online through Cloudpermit — the City states plainly that it does not accept building permit applications or requests by email. Questions go to the Building Department at 519-539-2382 ext. 3103 or 3106. Woodstock's building-permit page ↗
- Confirm your lot's zone and lot area first — a detached unit needs a lot of at least 540 m² (≈5,810 sq ft) and a zone that permits an ARU (R1, R2, R3, HD, PUD or C3). Oxford County publishes the Woodstock zoning maps
- Work out your size ceiling: 10% of the lot area, to a maximum of 75 m² (≈807 sq ft)
- If any part of the lot falls inside the Conservation Authority Regulation Limit on Schedule 'A', get Upper Thames River Conservation Authority approval before the permit can issue
- Have your drawings prepared — two sets of a scaled site plan plus construction drawings
- Submit the building permit application through Cloudpermit with the drawings and fees
- Respond to plan-review comments from the Building Department
- Book inspections as construction proceeds, through to final inspection
What does a Woodstock ADU permit application need?
- Application for a Permit to Construct or Demolish (the City publishes the 2026 form)
- Two sets of a site plan or property survey showing the location and outside measurements of all structures — if you have no survey you may supply your own drawing, provided it is to scale
- Two sets of construction drawings showing materials, floor plans, foundation plans, elevations, sections and details
- Site servicing, grading, architectural, structural, mechanical, plumbing, electrical and sprinkler drawings where applicable
- Owner authorization where the applicant is not the property owner
- Upper Thames River Conservation Authority approval where the lot is inside the Conservation Authority Regulation Limit
How much does an ADU building permit cost in Woodstock?
Figures below are ESTIMATES from the City's published Chapter 252 (Building Permits and Inspections) 2026 fee schedule and the June 13, 2026 development charge schedule — confirm current amounts with the Building Department (519-539-2382 ext. 3103 or 3106) before budgeting. There is no ARU-specific fee line; a detached suite is priced as ordinary residential construction.
| Building permit — residential construction | $0.56 per sq ft of gross floor area, minimum $150 — roughly $325 to $450 for a 580–807 sq ft suite |
|---|---|
| Security deposit | Required "as prescribed by the Chief Building Official" and refunded on issuance — the by-law publishes no figure, so ask what it will be for your project |
| Interior/exterior renovation work (if converting existing space) | $8 per $1,000 of construction value, minimum $80 |
| Plumbing — residential units | $80.00 |
Development charges in Woodstock total $35,311 for a single or semi as of June 13, 2026 ($19,703 municipal under By-law 9538-22, $10,008 County water and sewer, $5,600 County). By-law 9538-22 §4(1) imposes no development charge where the development only creates additional dwelling units as prescribed under O.Reg 82/98 — expressly including prescribed structures ancillary to existing residential buildings and structures ancillary to dwellings in new residential buildings — "subject to the prescribed restrictions". Those provincial restrictions are real (they bound the unit's size relative to the existing dwelling and the number of qualifying units), so confirm your specific unit qualifies rather than assuming $0 on a $35,311 exposure.
How long does an ADU building permit take in Woodstock?
Ontario's Building Code requires a decision on a complete house-class application within 10 business days. 10 days is the Ontario Building Code's legislated clock for a house-class permit and it only starts on a COMPLETE application — plan-review comment cycles add time. The City publishes no separate turnaround figure, so confirm current timing with the Building Department.
Registration: The City's ARU page does not describe a separate post-construction registration step — a building permit and final inspection are what it names. Confirm with the Building Department whether any registration is required for your unit.
Worth knowing before you apply
- The 75 m² maximum is a ceiling, not an entitlement — the binding rule is 10% of your lot area, so a 540 m² lot yields 54 m² (≈581 sq ft)
- A detached unit needs a lot of at least 540 m² (≈5,810 sq ft); below that the second unit must go inside the house
- Whether an existing garage or shed shares the 10% / 75 m² accessory-building allowance is not resolved by the by-law text — ask before you size the suite
- An ARU is barred outright on a lot already containing a boarding or lodging house, a group home Type 1 or 2, a garden suite, a converted dwelling house, a duplex, a mobile home, or a bed and breakfast
- Municipal water and sewer are required — §5.1.2.1.1 does not permit a new building on private services in the general case
- Construction drawings are not required for an accessory structure of 108 sq ft or less, but any habitable suite is far above that threshold
- Oxford County's My Second Unit forgivable loan (up to $30,000) requires that construction has NOT started before you apply — and the 2026 window is closed, reopening in 2027
Fees and timelines are estimates from Woodstock's published schedules, verified August 16, 2026. Rates and processes change — always confirm current requirements with the building department before you apply.
Grants & financing in Woodstock
Oxford County “My Second Unit” — up to $30,000 forgivable — An interest-free loan of up to $30,000, fully forgiven after 10 years with no default, toward creating a second unit. In exchange you rent it at Average Market Rent — $1,350 for a one-bedroom in 2026 — to a household under the County income cap for 10 years, using the Standard Lease. ⚠️ The 2026 application window is closed; applications open again in 2027 as program funding becomes available. Construction must not have started before you apply, so time the build around the window. Housing Programs Coordinator: 519-539-9800.
Development charges — the $35,311 question — A single or semi in Woodstock carries $35,311 in combined municipal, County water/sewer and County development charges as of June 13, 2026. DC By-law 9538-22 §4(1) exempts additional dwelling units created under O.Reg 82/98, expressly including structures ancillary to a dwelling — subject to the provincial restrictions on size and unit count. Confirm your specific unit qualifies with the City before assuming $0.
Building permit — $0.56 per sq ft — Woodstock prices residential construction at $0.56 per sq ft of gross floor area with a $150 minimum (Chapter 252, 2026 schedule), so a 580–807 sq ft suite lands roughly in the $325–$450 range. A security deposit set by the Chief Building Official may also apply — no figure is published, so confirm it. Applications go through Cloudpermit; the City does not accept them by email.
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 →
Woodstock modular homes — FAQ
Can you build a garden suite or ADU in Woodstock, Ontario?
Yes. Zoning By-law 8626-10 §5.2.8 permits up to two additional residential units per lot on top of the principal dwelling, and one of them may be in a detached accessory structure in the backyard. The lot must be at least 540 m² (≈5,810 sq ft) for the detached option, the principal dwelling must be a single-detached, semi-detached or street row house, and the lot must be in the R1, R2, R3, HD, PUD or C3 zone.
How big can a backyard suite be in Woodstock?
Not a flat number — it is 10% of your lot area, capped at 75 m² (≈807 sq ft). Because a detached unit requires a lot of at least 540 m², the practical range runs from about 54 m² (≈581 sq ft) on a minimum-size lot to the full 75 m² once the lot reaches 750 m² (≈8,070 sq ft). There is a second, separate limit: all your additional units together cannot exceed 60% of the principal dwelling’s gross floor area or 100 m² (≈1,075 sq ft), whichever is smaller. A unit in the basement or cellar of the house is excluded from that cumulative calculation.
Does a basement apartment use up my backyard suite allowance in Woodstock?
No — and this is unusually generous. Table 3A caps all ARUs cumulatively at 60% of the house’s gross floor area to a maximum of 100 m², but then says an ARU within the basement or cellar of the principal dwelling shall not count toward that cumulative limit. So a basement apartment and a detached backyard suite can coexist without the basement eating into the suite’s allowance. The suite is still bound by the 10%-of-lot-area accessory-building cap.
Can you build an ADU on well and septic in Woodstock?
Not as-of-right. §5.1.2.1.1 prohibits erecting or using any building in the City unless the land is serviced by municipal water supply, sanitary sewers, drainage and a street meeting municipal standards with adequate capacity. The exceptions are narrow — certain industrial and commercial uses with a Council resolution, and legally existing uses or lots in the R1-13, FD and AG zones where services cannot reasonably be extended. Woodstock is a fully serviced urban municipality, so in practice a backyard suite here is a municipal-services product.
How much parking do I need for an ARU in Woodstock?
One additional space per unit, on the same lot, in addition to the parking required for the main house. Two provisions make this easier than it sounds: the required ARU space may be a tandem space — one car behind another in the existing driveway — and on a lot containing an ARU up to 65% of a front yard or exterior side yard may be used as a parking area, an express override of the normal Table 7 limits. Most Woodstock lots can absorb the requirement without a new curb cut.
Are additional residential units exempt from development charges in Woodstock?
Generally yes, and it is worth real money — a single or semi carries $35,311 in combined charges as of June 13, 2026. Development Charges By-law 9538-22 §4(1) imposes no charge where the development only creates additional dwelling units as prescribed under O.Reg 82/98, including in structures ancillary to existing or new residential buildings, "subject to the prescribed restrictions." Those provincial restrictions limit the unit’s size relative to the existing dwelling and how many units qualify, so confirm your specific proposal with the City rather than assuming.
Can you put a modular home in Woodstock, 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 Woodstock — as the principal dwelling, or as the detached additional residential unit in a backyard where the lot meets the 540 m² minimum and the zone permits it.
How much does a modular home or backyard suite cost in Woodstock?
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 Woodstock?
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 Woodstock Zoning By-law Number 8626-10, §5.2.8 / Table 3A — Additional Residential Units (as replaced by By-law 9698-24, July 11, 2024) and §5.1.1 / Table 1 — Accessory Buildings; verified by Modular Homes 400 and reviewed by James Clarke, REALTOR®. Always confirm current requirements with the City of Woodstock before you build.