Garden Suite Builder Partners one builder per region, checked first
GardenSuiteOntario.com sends homeowners who have already checked their town’s rules and know their budget. Outside Simcoe County and Georgian Bay, we do not build, so we pass those owners to one licence-checked partner builder per region. Founding partners pay $199.99/month + HST (first 6 only), or $175 + HST per exclusive qualified lead.
At a glance
Simcoe County and Georgian Bay leads go to ICFhome.ca, which builds there. Every other Ontario region is open.
The Builder Partner program gives one garden suite builder or prefab maker per Ontario region the homeowner enquiries we cannot build ourselves. You either own a region for $199.99/month + HST (founding price, first 6 partners, then $299.99/month + HST) or pay $175 + HST per exclusive qualified lead. We check your HCRA licence and Tarion record before you are listed.
We Build in One Corner of Ontario. The Questions Come From Everywhere.
GardenSuiteOntario.com is run by a working builder in Tiny Township. We have been building custom homes since 1979 and we build garden suites in Simcoe County and Georgian Bay through ICFhome.ca.
The site covers all of Ontario, so we hear from owners in Ottawa, Durham, Hamilton, London and points north who are ready to move. We are not going to drive four hours to pour their footings. We would rather hand them to one good builder in their area than to a lead broker who sells the same name five times.
That is the whole idea. One builder per region, leads that have done their homework, and no bidding war with four strangers over the same phone number.
Own a Region or Pay as You Go
Both options are exclusive. A lead you receive is not sent to any other builder.
Exclusive Region Partner
Founding price for the first 6 partners. After that, new region partners pay $299.99/month + HST.
- Every qualified lead in your region goes to you, no per-lead charge
- Listed as the partner builder, clearly labelled, on the region’s city pages
- Your company profile, licence status and service area shown on the site
- One builder per region; nobody else can buy leads there while you hold it
Pay Per Qualified Lead
For builders who want to test the program, or for regions that already have a partner’s overflow.
- Exclusive: each lead goes to one builder only
- You pay only for leads that meet the definition below
- No monthly fee and no minimum
- Regions with an active region partner are not available per lead
Honest expectations. We do not promise a number of leads. Volume depends on your region’s search traffic and how many owners pass the qualifying steps, and some regions will be quiet while the site grows. That is why founding partners get the lower price, and why pay-per-lead exists for builders who would rather wait and see.
What a “Qualified Lead” Actually Means
Most lead programs call anyone who filled in a form a lead. Ours has to pass five tests before we send it.
| Test | What we check | Why it matters to you |
|---|---|---|
| Owner on title | The person enquiring says they own the property (or is buying it with a firm deal) | Tenants and dreamers do not sign contracts |
| Lot passed the Rules Checker | Their municipality allows a garden suite and nothing obvious blocks the lot | You do not spend an evening on a lot that needs a rezoning |
| Budget band | They pick a realistic budget range for their region | You know before calling if they expect a $60,000 suite |
| Timeline under 18 months | They plan to start within 18 months | Real projects, not someday projects |
| Consent to share | They agree in writing to have their details sent to one named builder | Keeps you and us on the right side of privacy and anti-spam law |
Last checked October 2026 · Source: GardenSuiteOntario.com partner lead definition; privacy basis: PIPEDA (Office of the Privacy Commissioner)
Each lead arrives with the owner’s name, contact details, address, town, the Rules Checker result, budget band, timeline and any notes they gave us. If they bought a $399 + HST Feasibility Report, you also get a summary of what it found, with their permission.
Garden Suite Builder Partners: Apply, Get Checked, Get Listed
Apply for a region
Use the builder partner form. Tell us your company name, the region you want, what you build (stick-built, ICF, modular, panelized, kit), your price range and how many suites you can take on in a year.
We check you out
We look up your company in the HCRA Ontario Builder Directory, which shows licence status, licence conditions and the Tarion warranty and claims information where it exists. We confirm you are insured, and we look at your work and reviews. Prefab makers tell us which certification applies to their units.
Sign the partner agreement
A plain agreement: price, region boundaries, how leads are delivered, how fast you will contact them, and how a lead that fails the definition is credited. You see it before you pay.
Leads start arriving
Qualified leads come to you by email as they pass the checks. Region partners pay monthly; pay-per-lead builders are billed for leads delivered.
Want to see what your future customers see?
Run your own address through the free Rules Checker. It is the first test every lead passes before it reaches you.
Who We Turn Away, and What We Expect
We put our name beside yours. If an owner has a bad experience with a partner, it lands on us too, so we are picky.
- No licence where one is required, no listing. If the HCRA directory shows a problem, we do not list you until it is fixed.
- Call leads back fast. The partner agreement sets a response time. An owner who waits a week calls someone else, and so would you.
- Written quotes that include site work. The quote that leaves out servicing and grading is the one that ruins a builder’s reputation later. Owners on this site can have quotes reviewed through Talk to a Builder, so a missing line gets noticed.
- No reselling. Leads are for your company only. They are not passed on, sold or added to a mailing list without the owner’s separate consent.
- Simcoe and Georgian Bay are not available. We build there. Every other Ontario region is open, from Windsor to Ottawa to Thunder Bay.
What Is Included and What Is Not
| Item | Region partner | Pay per lead |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $199.99/month + HST founding (first 6), then $299.99/month + HST | $175 + HST per qualified lead |
| Exclusive leads | Yes, every qualified lead in your region | Yes, each lead to one builder |
| Region exclusivity | Yes | No |
| Listing on city and region pages | Yes, as the labelled partner builder | No |
| Credit for leads that fail the definition | Yes, per partner agreement | Yes, per partner agreement |
| Guaranteed lead volume | No | No |
| We sell, design or manage your project | No | No |
| We endorse your contract or warranty | No, the contract is between you and the owner | No |
Claim your region before the founding spots go.
Six founding partners at $199.99/month + HST. After that, $299.99/month + HST, or $175 + HST per exclusive lead.
Builder Partner Questions
How much does the garden suite builder partner program cost?
An exclusive region costs $199.99/month + HST for the first 6 founding partners, then $299.99/month + HST for partners who join after that. If you would rather not commit monthly, you can pay $175 + HST per exclusive qualified lead in any region that does not already have a region partner.
How many leads will I get?
We do not promise a number, and you should be wary of anyone who does. Volume depends on search traffic in your region and how many owners pass the five qualifying tests. Some regions will be busier than others. If you want to see real volume before committing, start on pay per lead.
What counts as a qualified lead?
The owner is on title, their lot passed our Rules Checker, they chose a budget band, they plan to start within 18 months, and they agreed in writing to have their details shared with one named builder. If a lead turns out not to meet those tests, the partner agreement sets out how it is credited.
Are the leads shared with other builders?
No. Every lead is exclusive to one builder. Region partners receive every qualified lead in their region. Pay-per-lead builders receive leads only in regions without a region partner, and each one goes to a single builder. We never resell a lead.
What do you check before listing a builder?
We look up the company in the HCRA Ontario Builder Directory, which shows licence status, any licence conditions and Tarion warranty and claims information where it exists. We confirm the company is insured and look at completed work and reviews. Prefab and kit makers tell us which factory certification applies to their units.
Can prefab and modular companies join?
Yes. Many owners are weighing a factory-built suite against a site-built one. Prefab makers can hold a region if they have an installing builder or dealer there who handles the foundation, servicing and permit, because that is what the owner actually needs to get to occupancy.
Why is Simcoe County not available?
Because we build there. The site is run by the team behind ICFhome.ca, which builds garden suites and custom homes in Simcoe County and the Georgian Bay area. Every other Ontario region is open to partners.
Can I cancel?
The notice period and cancellation terms are set out in the partner agreement, which you see before you pay anything. When a region partner leaves, the region opens to the next builder on the list.