Following a clean home inspection, mortgage approval, and a thumbs up from our home insurance company, my husband and I waived all conditions on our purchase and sale agreement for a detached home in Canada’s capital, Ottawa, Ontario. We are thrilled to add another property to our burgeoning income property portfolio. We are also understandably nervous as our strategy in buying this property is to add a secondary dwelling unit, which we have never done before.

One way to learn is by doing. I am not an expert, and this blog is intended solely for your entertainment and reading pleasure as I share our journey. Real estate has always been my passion, and I want to share my enthusiasm.

Here are the ground rules that we will need to follow:

First, the guidance on the City of Ottawa webpage: Adding an apartment (Secondary Dwelling Units). Few details are provided other than the need for a permit, that no more than 40% of the principal dwelling can be developed into a secondary dwelling (with some exceptions), and that we cannot add a front door or new driveway to the front of the house or change the streetscape. What allows for such concise guidance is that the city relies on the province for its building code. And we can only get a permit if we follow the building code.

Second, the guidance on the Province of Ontario webpage: Add a second unit in your house. Here we get into the details: minimum room sizes, ceiling heights and window sizes, and rulesets for plumbing, heating, electrical and lighting, fire separation, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and exits.

Although we will not get the keys to the property until late spring 2023, it is clear we have our work cut out to obtain a permit to add a secondary dwelling unit. Our business model for this property depends on the cash flow from that second unit, so we better get started. Next week I will have updates on our first steps.