Is Building A Carriage House A Good Investment?

Often referred to as a carriage house, coach house, or laneway house, the main idea remains the same: create affordable housing during economically challenging times. In Kelowna BC, a carriage house is defined as a dwelling unit located within a building that is subordinate to the principal dwelling on the lot and is not an accessory building or structure.  In the city, there are urban and rural zones, and only certain zoning jurisdictions on which a carriage house may be built.  If your lot is not zoned to allow for the addition of a carriage house, you may be able to apply for re-zoning if your lot complies with certain requirements.

In Kelowna, a carriage house may have two stories and is limited to a maximum living area of 90 square meters or 968 square feet.  Due to this limitation, a garage or other non-living spaces often utilize the remaining area.  However, if you limit the carriage house to a single storey, the maximum living area increases to 100 square meters or 1076 square feet as an incentive.