Great news, visitor! As of August 2024, the City of Calgary’s rezoning initiative means that R-CG lots (previously R-C1 and R-C2) can now accommodate both a backyard suite AND a basement suite on the same property! For investors, that means a significant income-earning opportunity for any of your existing properties!
However, this scenario above might not apply to all properties. Depending on your zoning and other bylaws, you may still be held to the rule of “one or the other.” Also, be wary that if you’re exempt from the new R-CG zoning rules and already in the permitting stage for a garage suite, the city will ask for confirmation that the secondary suite has been decommissioned to proceed with your development permit (DP) application.
Not to worry, though, as if you prefer a backyard suite over a secondary suite in the basement, all you have to do is shut down the latter. So then, the question remains: how do you go about shutting down a secondary suite to make way for a backyard suite build in Calgary?
- Why Choose Garage Suites for Your Laneway Home Build?
- How Much Does a Backyard Suite Cost in Calgary?
How to Shut Down a Secondary Suite
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First off, it is essential to communicate with your architectural designer and backyard suite builder that a secondary suite exists on the premises. This will help everyone plan accordingly to shut down the secondary suite to help push the development permit through at a faster pace.
Initial steps for shutting down the basement suite include:
- Uninstalling kitchen cabinetry altogether or rearranging the cabinets to function as a wet bar instead of a kitchen
- Removing the stove, microwave and other cooking appliances that constitute your everyday kitchen
- Get a new drawing of the decommissioned secondary suite to be submitted on your permit file; measurements and design services for this can cost $3,500+
After the cooking facilities are decommissioned, a drawing of the secondary suite is required to submit to the city to advance your development permit. You’ll need to hire a company to come into the suite and take room measurements so that these can be used in the drawing (don’t worry, we can help you with all of this).
In most cases, the city should be satisfied with the removal of the cooking facilities as a means of shutting down the suite. However, keep in mind that every secondary suite is different. Your particular case may require more or less tasks to be completed before a city inspector confirms it has been decommissioned and you are allowed to proceed with building a backyard suite.
What is a Secondary Suite?
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A secondary suite is defined by the City of Calgary as:
- A self-contained residence with two or more rooms that includes a kitchen, living, sleeping and sanitary facilities.
A legal secondary suite has the following:
- Bedrooms with proper egress windows
- A separate bathroom
- Separate cooking facilities (stove, cabinets, drawers)
- An entrance that is accessible from the outside without passing through the main dwelling unit.
What is a Garage Suite?
A backyard suite is a self-contained residence separate from the main home or residence. These types of accessory residential dwellings (ADUs) come in many forms:
- Garage suite – a suite with a garage on ground level and a residence above grade
- Carriage house/garden suite – a suite built on ground level without a garage
- Laneway house – could be either a carriage house or a garage suite
Questions about Building a Backyard Suite in Calgary?
If you’re considering building a backyard suite in Calgary and want to shut down your existing secondary suite, we can help. Give us a call anytime at 403-797-4918 to discuss your options!
We are looking forward to discussing your backyard suite building goals with you!
