Laneway Housing: What's all the Hype About?

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   We worked with Kyle Springer, Project Manager at 2x2 Construction to help our readers learn more about laneway suites. After graduating with an Advanced Diploma in Building Renovation Technology at George Brown College in 2013, Kyle began his first business focusing on carpentry. This progressed to what is now known as 2x2 Construction in 2019, and continues to grow every year. We at Bin There Dump That are very thankful to have partnered with 2x2 Construction since 2019, as their first and only bin rental company. With our small trucks and bins designed to fit in tight spaces such as laneway construction sites, it has become a natural partnership between our bin rentals and the construction of Laneway Suites.




  
2x2 Construction is a family run business that was founded in 2019. What started out as
small bathroom renovation projects, quickly graduated to larger scale projects all over the GTA. Their first laneway home was built in 2020 and things have continued to pick up from there!

With over 50 years of building experience, their team of building consultants, general contractors, project managers, and skilled workers have completed more than 100 renovations and custom homes. They are estimated to build 10-12 Laneway Homes in 2022 alone.





Laneway homes (or Laneway Suites) are accessory/secondary dwelling units that are quickly gaining popularity all over the GTA. With the price of housing continuing to climb, laneway homes present a more affordable way to live in the city core. They are a form of detached secondary suite built into pre-existing lots, that can be used for family or as a rental. It is estimated that about 70% of laneway suites are used as a rental unit, and 30% for extended/ multi-generational family use.





















Laneway home specs:

  • Property must back onto a public laneway.

  • Must be 0.9m of space at the side of the house for emergency services access.

  • Set back from the main house 5.0m for 1 storey, 7.5m for 2 storey.

  • 1.5m setback from the laneway.

  • Maximum building height of 6m.

  • Utilities tie into the utilities of the primary house on the lot.

  • Cannot sever the existing lot (at least not quickly, easily, or economically).


Have more questions about Laneway Homes? Check out 2x2 Construction’s FAQ Page.






  • Source of additional income for long-term or short-term rental. As a completely separate building, this can be more enticing to offer as a rental unit for homeowners who do not want to sacrifice space in their own home for a rental unit. 

  • Excellent option for multi-generational families. This gives families the opportunity to live very close to each other while still maintaining some privacy.

  • Increased property value. Houses with separate rental units are always more valuable when selling a home, imagine what a difference a completely separate rental building will make in the resale value!

  • Affordable access to established neighbourhoods. At a lesser cost per square foot than condos, laneway suites are making living in established neighbourhoods much more accessible for potential renters. On the flipside, it also presents an opportunity for making home ownership more affordable! The promise of rental income makes home ownership much more reasonable for potential homeowners.







To really display how beautiful and convenient a laneway home can be, we take a deeper look at one of 2x2 Construction's most recent finished projects; the Queen West Laneway Home. Found in Toronto's Queen West neighbourhood, this unit was designed as a long-term, family-oriented rental unit. This home features:
  • 1,050 square feet of living space
  • 3 bedrooms
  • 2.5 bathrooms
  • Single car parking pad
  • Full open concept kitchen
Scroll down to see more pictures of this gorgeous laneway home!
















Since the City of Toronto passed “as-of-right” zoning bylaws in 2018 to approve Laneway Suites without the need to go to the Committee of Adjustment, Laneway Suites have exploded in popularity. The city of Toronto is currently working to permit ‘garden suites’ within the next year. Similar to a Laneway Suite, a Garden Suite functions as a separate rental housing unit, located in the rear yard and detached from the main house. Unlike a Laneway Suite however, a Garden Suite is not next to a laneway and could instead be next to a yard, private lane, park, or other open space. Garden Suites are estimated to open up the market size about 10x, with a few hundred thousand properties qualifying for a Laneway or Garden Suite.


With our compact trucks and bins, we hope to continue to be a part of new and upcoming housing developments such as Laneway Homes in the future. Narrow laneways often do not allow for a bin to stay on site overnight, but our office is always flexible to accommodate a jobsite’s restrictions. With same-day delivery and pick-up available, and quick turnaround time for last minute changes, Bin There Dump That bin rentals and Laneway home construction are a great match.



 


To learn more about 2x2 Construction and their work, visit their website. You can also find them on Instagram and Facebook to see more of their work and stay up-to-date on their current projects!




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