5 Homes with Lovely Laneway or Garden Suites

By Josh Sherman | 2 minute read

Laneway homes (or coach houses, or whatever else you want to call them) can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to build, but they’re often viewed as an unobtrusive way to add density to existing low-rise neighbourhoods.

Laneway homes, garden suites, or coach/carriage houses — call them what you will, but these secondary dwellings are catching on with Canadians big time.

The term(s) apply to secondary dwellings that are typically located behind a primary residence and on the same property. Whereas laneway homes specifically front public laneways, garden suites or coach houses don’t, though they are similarly located, most often in the primary residence’s backyard. Regardless of these distinctions, these types of homes have gained support in recent years for multiple reasons. For one, they’re often promoted as a way to boost housing supply with gentle density. They can fit on lots that may not support larger buildings, creating infill potential where none existed before. Meanwhile, homeowners can use them as mortgage-helpers by renting them out to help cover the cost of mortgage payments.

With municipal rules in major Canadian cities such as Toronto and Vancouver changing in recent years to become more accommodating of laneway homes and the like, we’ve scanned the Wahi listings to see what kinds of options are on the market for homebuyers looking to add a little laneway home to their lives. Keep on scrolling to see the listings.

1. 10 Alexandria Green SW, Calgary, Alberta 

List Price: $2,295,000

The four-car garage of this Currie Barracks home has been converted to legal two-bedroom carriage house with ensuite laundry and separate kitchen and dining room. Not to be outdone, the primary residence has a gourmet kitchen with wine fridge, a living room with 19-foot ceilings and a large fireplace, and a master bedroom that occupies the entire third floor.

2. 303 Wychwood Ave., Toronto, Ontario

List price: $3,629,000

Toronto has been making a push for more laneway housing, and here’s an example of the potential even a relatively narrow 25-foot lot has for this type of home. The secondary dwelling included with this upscale abode comes complete with condo-like finishes and stainless-steel appliances. Imagine it as a rental or perhaps a home office.

3. 1816 Nanaimo St., New West Minster, B.C. 

List price: $2,590,000
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How do you afford a multi-million-dollar home in one of the world’s priciest real estate markets? Three extra rental suites can’t hurt. In addition to two separate basement apartments (one- and two-bedroom units, respectively), this custom build boasts a two-bedroom coach house perched atop the garage.

4. 575 E. 45th Ave., Vancouver, B.C.

List price: $2,999,800

This property might feature the only laneway house that’s separated from a primary residence by a putting green. The main home is an expansive five-bedroom house (2,861 square foot) with some nice perks, such as a built-in bar, media room, gym and steam room, while the laneway house adds an additional one-bedroom suite (627 square feet).   

5. 1626 W. 58th Ave., Vancouver, B.C.

List price: $5,680,000
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Laneway houses aren’t cheap. They can cost hundreds of thousands to construct, though it’s not every day you see one included with a luxury home with a price tag of several million dollars. But that’s what you’ll find at 1626 W. 58th Ave: an opulent six-bedroom home and a two-bedroom laneway suite tucked behind. The laneway house is being rented for $3,100 a month, and to further pad that monthly leasing income, the primary residence’s basement has been converted to a two-bedroom apartment, netting a further $2,500 per month.