Build a Backyard Suite in Halifax
Keep family close and independent, or add rental income to your property. We design and build backyard suites across HRM five ways: a detached garden suite in the backyard, or a suite converted from your basement, garage, or attic, or added as an attached addition. We confirm what your lot allows before you spend a dollar on design.
- CHBA member
- BBB Accredited, A+
- RenoMark certified
- 100+ awards, 16+ years
Our 3-Step Backyard Suite Building Process From Start To Finish
Your project is in good hands. From early design to final build, HGC is with you every step of the way. Most backyard suites reach occupancy in 6 to 8 months.
We assess your lot, confirm zoning eligibility, and design a suite that maximizes your space. See your backyard suite in 3D before anything is approved.
- Site visit and feasibility assessment
- Architectural drawings and 3D renderings
- Material and finish selection at our design centre
- Permit-ready drawing package prepared
- Zoning and bylaw compliance confirmed
You will receive a fixed-price contract after you approve the design, select finishes, and we develop construction drawings. We handle all permit applications and back-and-forth with the municipality.
- Detailed fixed-price scope of work
- Project timeline with milestones
- Permit application and approval management
- Financing setup if needed
- Subtrade scheduling and procurement
Construction begins with your dedicated PM overseeing every trade on site. Weekly updates and a direct line to your PM throughout.
- Site prep, foundation, and framing
- Mechanical, electrical, and plumbing rough-ins
- Insulation, drywall, and interior finishes
- All municipal inspections managed for you
- Final walkthrough and occupancy permit
Five Ways to Add a Backyard Suite in Halifax
A backyard suite is a self-contained living space on your property with its own sleeping area, bathroom, and kitchen or kitchenette. It goes by a few names: a detached one is a garden suite or backyard suite, and one inside or attached to your home is a secondary suite or in-law suite. In Halifax there are five ways to get one, and the right choice depends on your lot, your budget, and how much separation your family wants.
A complete small home in the backyard with its own foundation and utilities. This is the true backyard suite, offering the most privacy, and the largest investment.
Uses the structure you already have, which makes it the most affordable route to a suite. Needs proper egress, fire separation, and often a separate entrance.
Reuses an existing structure, but usually needs insulation, foundation upgrades, and full services brought in before it can be lived in year round.
Turns unused space above into a private suite. Feasibility comes down to headroom, floor structure, and whether a compliant stair can be worked in.
Adds new footprint onto the house, with a private entrance and a shared wall. The best fit when you want family close but independent.
Halifax Backyard Suite Projects
Detached garden suites, basement conversions, garage conversions, attic conversions, and attached additions built across Halifax Regional Municipality. Whatever you call it, a backyard suite, a garden suite, or an in-law suite, the build has to be done right.
Why Halifax Homeowners Choose HGC Design + Build
16+ years building in Halifax, formerly as Case Design/Remodeling Halifax, with the credentials to back it up.
16+ Years of Design-Build
We have been renovating Halifax homes for over sixteen years, formerly as Case Design/Remodeling Halifax. Design, permitting, construction, and walkthrough all happen under one roof.
CHBA Member
We meet the Canadian Home Builders' Association national standard for professional renovators, including compliance with Nova Scotia WCB regulations.
RenoMark Certified
RenoMark contractors are vetted members of both the Canadian Home Builders' Association and the Nova Scotia Home Builders' Association, held to a renovator code of conduct.
BBB Accredited, A+ Rated
The Better Business Bureau's highest tier, reflecting transparent pricing and no unresolved complaints. You see where your budget goes before work starts.
100+ Awards and Counting
Eight-time Best of Houzz winner, multiple Peak Award recipient (Nova Scotia's top residential design and renovation honour), and CHBA Nova Scotia Renovator of the Year.
Licensed, Insured, WCB-Covered
Fully licensed, carrying liability insurance and WCB coverage, and local. You can visit us at 2569 Windsor St in Halifax.
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What Halifax Homeowners Say About Us
Nova Scotia Secondary and Backyard Suite Incentive Program
Did you know the Nova Scotia Government is providing funding for Secondary and Backyard Suites?
The Secondary and Backyard Suite Incentive Program helps homeowners create affordable housing on their property. Homeowners can apply for a loan to build a secondary or backyard suite on the property of their primary residence. The suite is for family members or to provide affordable housing for non-family members. You can apply anytime.
Get a Free QuoteGet Government Funding
Apply for a government loan to build your backyard or secondary suite
Available for primary residence properties in Nova Scotia
For family members or providing affordable housing for non-family members
No deadline, you can apply anytime
The Hard Parts of a Backyard Suite, Handled
The problems that stall backyard suite projects in Halifax are predictable. Here is how we deal with each one.
This is where most backyard suite projects die, and it is the first thing we check. HRM allows either one secondary suite or one backyard suite per property, not both, and backyard suites are permitted only as accessory to low-density residential uses (single-unit, two-unit, or three-unit). Detached suites are also capped at 90 square metres, about 970 square feet. We confirm zoning, setbacks, and lot eligibility before you pay for design.
A backyard suite only works if both households feel like they have their own home. That comes down to design decisions: a separate entrance that does not run through your living space, sound separation in shared walls and floors, and a layout that keeps sightlines apart. A basement, attic, or attached suite needs this handled deliberately. A detached garden suite gets it by default, which is part of what you are paying for.
Halifax weather is hard on buildings. Nor'easters drive rain sideways, salt air accelerates corrosion, and a below-grade suite has to stay dry through months of wet ground. We detail the building envelope for it: proper drainage and vapour control on basement conversions, wind-rated assemblies and flashing on detached suites, and insulation that makes a converted garage or attic comfortable in February. An under-built suite that develops moisture problems erases the return.
Most backyard suites are built for parents who are independent now and may not be in ten years. Designing for that from the start costs far less than retrofitting later. Step-free entry, wider doorways, blocking in the walls for future grab bars, a curbless shower, and lever handles are small decisions at framing stage and expensive ones afterward. It is also the honest reason an attic suite does not suit every family, and we will say so.
What a Backyard Suite Costs in Halifax
Real ranges by suite type. Where your project lands inside a range depends on your site, not on a formula.
Attic and loft conversions swing too widely on headroom, floor structure, and stair access to publish an honest range, so we price those after a site assessment rather than guess in advance.
Structure and Site
The costs below ground are the ones that move a budget. Site preparation and excavation commonly run $10,000 to $25,000, utility connections $5,000 to $15,000, and a foundation $15,000 to $40,000 or more. Difficult access, a high water table, ledge rock, or a long run to existing services push all of these up.
Size and Design
Cost scales with square footage, and detached backyard suites in Halifax are capped at 90 square metres (about 970 square feet). Simple rectangles are cheaper to build than complex rooflines and layouts. Design and engineering typically add $5,000 to $20,000.
Services and Finishes
A rental-grade interior costs far less than a suite with custom cabinetry and premium fixtures. Permits are calculated on estimated construction value, so a larger suite carries higher permit costs. The Nova Scotia Secondary and Backyard Suite Incentive Program can offset part of the build, and we will walk you through it.
Backyard Suite Questions, Answered
A backyard suite is a self-contained living space on your property with its own sleeping area, bathroom, and kitchen or kitchenette. In HRM the term usually means a detached suite in the backyard, also called a garden suite, but the same living space can also be built five ways: a detached garden suite, a converted basement, a converted garage, a converted attic or loft, or an attached addition onto your home. HRM zoning refers to detached ones as backyard suites and to the ones inside or attached to the home as secondary suites.
A detached garden suite, a basement conversion, a garage conversion, an attic or loft conversion, and an attached addition. A detached garden suite is a complete small home with its own foundation and utilities, offering the most privacy. A basement conversion uses space you already have and is usually the most affordable. A garage conversion reuses an existing structure but often needs insulation, foundation upgrades, and full services. An attic conversion turns unused space above into a private suite where headroom and stair access allow. An attached addition adds new footprint onto the house with a private entrance.
A detached garden suite usually starts around $200,000 and can exceed $350,000 once site work, utilities, and permits are included. If you build the suite another way, a basement conversion generally runs $60,000 to $150,000, a garage conversion $100,000 to $200,000, and an attached addition $150,000 to $350,000 or more. Attic conversions vary too widely with headroom and structure to quote in advance. Site conditions and finish level move all of these numbers, which is why we quote from a site assessment rather than a per-square-foot guess.
Yes. Every backyard suite in Halifax needs a building permit, and detached garden suites also require a water permit even where a connection already exists. Depending on the site, you may also need lot grading or right-of-way permits. HRM calculates building-permit fees on the estimated construction value, so a larger, more expensive suite carries higher permit costs. We prepare and manage the submissions for you.
No. In HRM you can have either one secondary suite or one backyard suite per property, not both. Backyard suites are permitted only as accessory to low-density residential uses (single-unit, two-unit, or three-unit), and detached suites are capped at 90 square metres, about 970 square feet. We confirm exactly what your lot allows before any design work begins.
Yes. The Nova Scotia Secondary and Backyard Suite Incentive Program lets homeowners apply for a loan to build a secondary or backyard suite on the property of their primary residence, whether the suite is for a family member or provides affordable housing for someone else. There is no deadline, so you can apply anytime. We will walk you through the program and how it fits your budget at consultation.
Building Backyard Suites Across HRM
We design and build backyard suites throughout Halifax Regional Municipality.
Find out what your lot allows before you spend anything on design. Get a free, no-obligation quote and we will assess your property, confirm zoning, and give you a detailed, itemized price for your backyard suite.
Get a Free Quote