Garden Suite Builder in Durham Region, ON

Henley Contracting is a garden suite builder for homeowners across Durham Region who want a second, self-contained home on their lot. We plan and build backyard suites and coach houses for parents, adult children and tenants, starting with what each municipality's zoning allows and finishing with a small home that feels as solid as the main house.

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SERVICE: Garden Suites & ARUs
AREA: Durham Region, ON
TOWNS: 13 towns
CALL: (905) 576-9714

Single-storey garden suite in grey board-and-batten with a flagstone path, behind a red brick family home in Durham Region, Ontario (illustration) – Garden Suite Builder in Durham Region, ON

01 / OVERVIEWGARDEN SUITES & ARUS · DURHAM REGION

GARDEN SUITES & ARUS · DURHAM REGION

Garden suites across Durham Region

More Durham families are making room for another generation without moving. A garden suite keeps a parent close but independent, gives a grown child a first place of their own, or brings in rent that helps carry the mortgage. Each of those uses asks for a slightly different suite, so we start by asking who will live there and for how long.

Durham is not one set of rules. Oshawa, Whitby, Clarington, Pickering, Scugog and Uxbridge each write their own zoning for additional residential units, and rural lots add well and septic questions. We confirm the rules for your address before any drawing is final.

01 / RULES CONFIRMED
Size, height and setbacks checked with your municipality.
02 / SERVICING PLANNED
Water, sewer or septic, and power for a second home.
03 / BUILT TO LAST
The same structure and finish standards as a full house.
04 / ONE TEAM
Planning, permits and construction together.

02 / WHAT WE BUILDGARDEN SUITES & ARUS · DURHAM REGION

Who Durham garden suites are for

Parents nearby

Single-level living a short walk from the family kitchen.

Adult children

A private start without leaving the property.

Rental income

A separate entrance and good sound separation for both households.

03 / IN FOCUSGARDEN SUITES & ARUS · DURHAM REGION

How a Durham garden suite comes together

Every project starts on site. We walk the yard with you, note the trees, the slope and where the services run, and talk through who the suite is for. From there the designer sketches a layout while we price it, so you see the cost of each choice as it is made. Once the plan is settled, the permit goes in, and the same crew that helped plan the suite builds it, from the footings to the final walkthrough with you.

Compact kitchenette and two-seat dining nook with a garden view inside a garden suite, Durham Region, Ontario (illustration) – Garden Suite Builder in Durham Region, ON

04 / IN FOCUSGARDEN SUITES & ARUS · DURHAM REGION

Durham towns we build in

See our garden suite pages for Oshawa, Whitby, Brooklin, Pickering, Clarington, Bowmanville, Courtice, Newcastle, Port Perry and Uxbridge. Want a suite above a garage instead? See garages in Durham Region. More about our garden suites and ARUs.

Thinking about a second home on your lot? Tell us about your project.

CLIENT REVIEWSIN THEIR WORDS

Henley Contracting Ltd.

50 Google reviews

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Marilyn Caccamo

Google review

The quality of work is exceptional, and the owners are friendly, approachable, and have a wealth of knowledge in the industry.
Vsevolod M

Google review

Great company to work with. Attention to details, customer service and friendly communication.
Highly recommend.
Laura Barrett

Google review

After receiving a few quotes from different contractors to do a full renovation of our kitchen and dining room, we chose Henley because of how comfortable Nick and his team made us feel right from the first conversation.

From start to finish it took just over three weeks for the team to demolish our ugly, dated, and dark kitchen, and fully rebuild a stunning bright and light new space, designed with style and functionality in mind.

The Henley team was very responsive (shout out to Tom and Michelle), and kept us fully informed throughout the project with the Buildertrend app. They uploaded photos and notes to the app daily, so we always knew where the project was at and how things were progressing. We loved the transparency of this, especially not being at home through the reno.

Thank you Henley Contracting for completely transforming our space.
We are so happy with the final results!

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QUESTIONSDURHAM REGION, ON

Frequently asked questions

Can't find your answer? Tell us about your project and ask us directly.

Can I build a garden suite anywhere in Durham Region?

Each municipality sets its own rules for additional residential units, so the answer depends on your address, lot size and servicing. We check those first.

Is a garden suite the same as an ARU?

A garden suite is one kind of additional residential unit (ARU): a detached home in the backyard. A suite above a garage or in a basement is also an ARU.

Do you handle the building permit?

Yes. We prepare and submit the permit application with your designer and keep it moving through review.

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