Every backyard suite in Calgary will be a little different, and not just because the specifics of your property dictate what is possible. There are many reasons why homeowners are considering adding backyard suites, from the possibility of bringing in additional rental income to wanting young-adult kids to have a space of their own.
Those scenarios will have very different requirements, and working with a custom home designer can help you create a backyard suite in Calgary that considers exactly what you need.
Let’s take a look at five different design scenarios and what you should consider for your backyard suite.
Different Reasons for Adding a Backyard Suite
1. For Renting Out Right Now
One of the most common reasons why Calgary homeowners look to build backyard suites is to bring in extra income by renting them out to tenants. Building a backyard suite is a great way to make some extra money to help pay the bills, but when designing one, you’ll want to think about how you’ll maintain privacy for both you and your tenants.
The goal should be to make the suite feel like a home of its own, where the people who rent it from you can live independently and not feel like you’re watching over their every move.
There are a few key design elements you can add to your backyard suite that will help accomplish this:
- Separate Entrances: For obvious reasons, separate entrances are helpful. If your tenants can enter from the back of your property, it can create a sense of separation between the two areas.
- Laundry: Every backyard suite in Calgary requires separate bathrooms and cooking facilities, but including a space for separate laundry can be helpful, too.
- Soundproofing: Consider the materials that will be used for construction, as providing as much soundproofing as possible will help it feel like whoever is living in the backyard suite and your main home are living separate lives.
2. For Young-Adult Kids Who Need a Space of Their Own
Whether your kids are university age or entering the workforce, they may not be quite ready to move out on their own. A backyard suite can be a great solution as they navigate the challenges of young adulthood, providing them with an independent living space without forcing them to pay expensive rent to a landlord.
A backyard suite provides a little more space for them to study, socialize, cook, and clean on their own, helping them adjust to what life will be like when they do get their own place. You can even charge rent, too, helping your kids learn better budgeting.
Here are a few key design elements you can include in your backyard suite in Calgary if your kids will be living in it:
- Accommodate Day-to-Day Needs: Whether it’s an open concept layout with room for them to work-from-home and study or you add spaces that are specifically designed with those goals in mind, consider how you can accommodate their day-to-day needs in your backyard suite.
- Entertaining Areas: Large, open areas where your kids can host friends can be a huge benefit for backyard suites in Calgary when you’re designing for young adults
- Adaptability: Chances are, your kids won’t stay in your backyard suite in Calgary forever, so consider how you’ll use the space later.
3. For Future Rental
As you look into your future and consider retirement, maybe there is going to come a time when you’ll want to rent out your backyard suite in Calgary and generate some additional income. That just might not be right now.
You don’t need to wait to design and build your backyard suite, though, and you can use the extra space for any number of things in the years before you’re ready to start taking in tenants. That could be a:
- Home office space for you or your partner
- Guest house for out-of-town family and friends when they visit
- Additional area for entertaining
If you’re planning on using your backyard suite for future rentals, consider how you can convert spaces for future use and make sure to meet municipal requirements that could be costly to fix down the line.
4. For Older Family Members
As our parents age, we often face tough decisions about their living situations. Multi-generational living is increasingly popular among Calgarians and can allow aging family members to maintain a sense of independence that they might not have if they moved into a retirement community or assisted living home.
A backyard suite in Calgary can be a perfect solution for families in these situations, as it provides you and your family space while keeping your parents or in-laws close. Here are a few considerations to consider when designing a backyard suite in Calgary with older family members in mind:
- Accessibility: Accessibility is important, especially as mobility becomes more of a challenge. Limit stairs, have wide doors, and design washrooms and kitchens with the challenges of aging in mind.
- Privacy: Privacy and independence are still important. Your parents and in-laws won’t want to feel like their every move is being monitored, so separate entrances where they can come and go are important.
- Shared Spaces: Shared outdoor spaces between your main home and backyard suite provide areas for your family to hang out and enjoy one another’s company.
5. To Live While You Rent Out Your Main House
When their kids move out, many couples find that they no longer need nearly as much space as they once did. Moving into a backyard suite and renting out your main house can bring in more money and allow you to continue living on your property and not sell your family’s home.
In these cases, it’s important to consider exactly what you’ll need to live in your backyard suite.
- Prioritize the Essentials: Whether that’s separate spaces so that you and your partner can work and enjoy downtime without feeling like you have no privacy, or outdoor areas like a patio or small garden.
- Consider Privacy: Both you and the tenants who rent out your main home will want privacy, so consider where the entrance to your backyard suite will be located to ensure you can enter and exit without issue.
Municipal Requirements for Backyard Suites in Calgary
The City of Calgary has requirements for backyard suites, and it’s important to remember that you’ll need to go through the permit process and get your backyard suite approved. There’s a long list of required permits, including:
- Development permit
- Building permit
- Electrical permit for hook-up service
- Plumbing permit
- Mechanical permit for an HVAC contractor
- Gas permit if there are gas appliances.
Design a Backyard Suite for Any Scenario with Ellergodt Design
There are many reasons why you might consider a backyard suite for your home, and a professional home designer can help. Whether it’s to rent now or later, or to provide a living space for family young or old, Ellergodt Design’s professional team can help you design and build a backyard suite in Calgary that meets your evolving needs.
For more information or to get started, contact us online at info@beginwithdesign.com or call us at (587) 874-5748.