Garden suites & ADUs · Waterloo
Garden Suites in Waterloo
Waterloo calls a garden suite a coach house: a detached building, usually in the rear yard, that can hold one or two additional residential units. It can be a garage conversion, a modular unit or a custom design.
The rules, in plain language
What Waterloo allows
The City of Waterloo's Additional Residential Units Guide summarizes the coach house rules from Zoning By-law 2018-050. A property can have one coach house building.
Height and size
- A coach house can't be taller than 6 m.
- It can contain one or two dwelling units.
- It must be permanently fixed to a slab or foundation.
- Source: City of Waterloo ARU Guide, as of November 1, 2026
Setbacks and location
- Rear yard setback at least 0.67 m, or 1.2 m if the coach house is taller than 4.5 m.
- Side yard setback at least 1.2 m.
- Not in the front yard.
- A 1.1 m walkway is shown in the guide's diagram.
- Source: City of Waterloo ARU Guide, as of November 1, 2026
Servicing and parking
- Must connect to municipal sanitary and water services.
- Parking: 1 space for 1 unit, 2 spaces for 2 or 3 units, 3 spaces for 4 units.
- Maximum driveway width 7 m.
- Source: City of Waterloo ARU Guide, as of November 1, 2026
Check with the city: these rules come from the city's guide, which says it isn't a complete list. Confirm floor area, lot coverage, fees and development charges against Zoning By-law 2018-050 for your lot.
How we build it
Five ways to build in Waterloo
01
Geohaus factory-built
Perimeter Homes is a Geohaus partner. Studio, one- and two-bedroom layouts built in a factory and set on your lot.
See the Geohaus layouts02
Modular / prefab
Factory-built modular garden suites and backyard homes, with sizes adjustable to your lot and local rules.
Browse the model gallery03
Custom stick-built
Framed on site for tight, sloped or oddly shaped lots, or a layout no catalogue covers.
How custom worksEvery design still has to fit Waterloo's zoning for your lot. We check that before you commit.
Common questions
Waterloo garden suite FAQ
How tall can a coach house be in Waterloo?
6 m.
How close to the lot lines?
1.2 m on the side, and 0.67 m at the rear (1.2 m if taller than 4.5 m).
How many units can it hold?
One or two.
Sources
Official city sources
- City of Waterloo: Additional Residential Units Guide (as of November 1, 2026)
- City of Waterloo: Zoning bylaw and map (as of November 1, 2026)
This guide summarizes public city information and isn't planning or legal advice. Rules change. Confirm your lot with the city before you apply.
Start here
Talk to a garden suite builder.
Tell us about your lot and which option you're considering. We reply within one business day.