Garden & Backyard Suites · Edmonton
A standalone home at the back of your lot.
A garden suite — also called a backyard suite, laneway house or carriage house — is a detached, self-contained home built at the rear of your property, separate from the main house.
What It Is
Backyard housing, built as its own complete home.
Unlike a garage suite, a garden suite doesn’t sit above parking — it stands on its own at the rear of the lot, with its own entrance, kitchen, bathroom and living space. Edmonton’s bylaw language calls this backyard housing; you may also hear laneway house or carriage house.
Depending on the municipality, lot, zoning, setbacks, allowable size and servicing, a garden suite may be ground-oriented or use a multi-storey form where permitted — giving flexibility in layout, including single-level living, privacy and yard integration.
Who it fits
- Deeper lots with usable rear-yard space
- Multigenerational households wanting single-level, step-free living
- Homeowners who want a private, self-contained space for family
- Investors adding an income-ready rental unit on land they already hold
What we look at on your property
- Rear-yard space. Available yard depth and width shape the suite’s footprint and orientation.
- Zoning and setbacks. Verified against your municipality’s requirements during your property assessment.
- Trees and site features. Mature trees, grades and existing structures factor into placement.
- Utility servicing. Gas, water, sanitary and power may connect through the main property — we review capacity and plan the servicing route early.
One Team, Beginning to End
Feasibility, permits, demolition, servicing, construction — one contract.
You don't coordinate an architect, a permit expediter, a demolition crew, a utility contractor and a builder. We run the entire path in-house, with design capability coordinated around your project.
Typical 4–8 month timeline
From assessment to move-in for a typical garden suite project — confirmed for your property and scope.
Financing available
A lending partner is in place — we'll walk you through options during your review.
Housing Forms
What can you build?
The right option depends on your property, municipality, zoning, setbacks, servicing and how you intend to use the space. These are the two suites EGS builds — and two housing forms worth understanding.
Also worth knowing
Laned Home
A home on a property with rear-lane access, allowing vehicles to reach a rear garage or dwelling from the lane rather than the main street. This describes a property and access configuration — not necessarily a standalone suite type — and it often pairs well with backyard housing forms.
Also worth knowing
Detached House Suite / Multiplex Suite
Detached backyard housing that may accommodate multiple independent dwellings where the property and municipality permit the proposed form. Eligibility and unit count depend on zoning, lot size, setbacks, servicing, access, allowable building form and municipal requirements.
Not sure what fits your property?
Request Your Property AssessmentPROPERTY ASSESSMENT