ADU & Garden Suite Builder — London, Ontario
Garden suites and secondary units across the London region: feasibility, permits, and construction handled from one office.
A second home, in the backyard.
Starlit Homes designs and builds ADUs — garden suites, granny flats, and secondary suites — across London, Ontario and the surrounding towns. In London you can now have up to four units on most residential lots, including up to two detached units in the backyard, and we handle everything from feasibility and permits to the final inspection and air-leak test. Whether it's a backyard garden suite for rental income or an in-law suite for family, every unit is built to the same performance standard as our custom homes.
The Rent Math, First
A self-contained suite earns rent and adds value at appraisal. Before you commit, we model your build cost against current London-area rents — for your lot, not a generic spreadsheet.
Matched to the House
Same materials, same rooflines, same windows as the main residence, so the suite reads as part of the property rather than a shed with plumbing.
Full Performance Standard
Every ADU is built like our full-size homes: heavily insulated, triple-pane windows, and tested for air leaks before handover.
ADU zoning in London: what's allowed
The short version: if you own a serviced residential lot in London, you can very likely add a unit — often two. The longer version depends on your specific property, which is where we come in.
| London rule | What it means |
|---|---|
| Units per lot | Up to 4 in total: the main house plus up to 3 additional residential units (ARUs). |
| Detached units | Up to 2 of those ARUs can be in a detached building, such as a backyard garden suite. |
| Where it can go | Rear or interior side yard only. Not in the front yard, and not between the house and the street on a corner lot. |
| Size cap (for now) | An ARU can be no larger than 80% of the main home's floor area under London's interim control by-law. A permanent rule is under appeal. |
| Minimum size | 17.5 m² (about 188 sq ft) for a bachelor unit, matching the Ontario Building Code. |
| Parking | No extra parking space is required for an ARU, and a second driveway is not allowed. |
| Renting it out | A City of London rental unit licence is required, with inspections. |
| Development charges | Qualifying ARUs are exempt under provincial rules (Bill 23). |
Source: City of London, Additional Residential Units (updated July 2026). Rules change; we confirm them for your address before design.
Outside the city, Middlesex Centre (Komoka, Kilworth, Ilderton, Delaware, Arva) allows up to 4 units on lots with municipal water and sewer and 3 on septic or well. It requires one extra parking space per ARU, caps an ARU on septic at 75% of the house and 120 m², and charges no development charges on ARUs.
Every Ontario municipality must allow at least 3 units on a fully serviced residential lot under Bill 23 (the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022), so St. Thomas, Strathroy-Caradoc and North Middlesex all permit garden suites, each with its own setback and servicing rules.
What decides your lot is usually servicing, not zoning: whether the water and sewer lines have capacity, how far they have to run, and where a detached unit can sit within lot coverage limits.
You don't need to become a zoning expert — we handle the permit process end-to-end, from the feasibility check on your lot through municipal submission and inspections. Budgeting first? Our breakdown of ADU costs in Ontario covers what drives the price of a garden suite before you commit to drawings.
London will help pay for your garden suite
The City of London offers forgivable loans to homeowners who add a unit and rent it for at least 10 years. Few people have claimed them so far, and we build the application into the project plan.
Up to $20,000
City of London forgivable loan per new ARU, with a 10-year rental commitment
Up to $45,000
Per ARU rented at or below average market rent
$0
Development charges on a qualifying ARU (London's single-detached charge is $50,564 in 2026)
Sources: City of London, 2026 development charges. Program terms and funding change, so we confirm eligibility for your project.
The Tozer
A duplex ADU currently in development: brick and board-and-batten cladding, a contemporary roofline, built to the same standard as our full-size homes, on an urban infill lot.
Duplex ADU
Brick + Board & Batten
In Development
CHBA Net Zero qualified builder
Garden suite floor plan options
The Studio
Bachelor
Compact, efficient living with full kitchen and bath. Ideal for rental income.
The Suite
1 Bedroom
Generous one-bedroom with open-concept living and dedicated laundry.
The Garden Home
2 Bedroom
Full two-bedroom with separate living and dining. Multi-generational living.
ADU questions, answered
How much does an ADU or garden suite cost in London, Ontario?
What's the difference between an ADU, a garden suite, and a granny flat?
Do I need a zoning variance to build an ADU in London?
Are there grants for building a garden suite in London, Ontario?
Do I need extra parking for a garden suite in London?
ADU resources
The 1.5 ACH standard: what it means for your family
Indoor Air QualityERV mechanics: achieving perfect indoor air
Learn about Ontario's updated ADU zoning regulations from the Province of Ontario and explore NetZero building standards.
Find out what your lot allows
We'll check zoning, servicing, and siting for your specific property, and model build cost against current rents, before you pay for drawings.
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