Custom homes in Oakville
Custom home builder in Oakville.
From Old Oakville and Bronte to Morrison, Eastlake and Clearview, south Oakville has some of the GTA’s most sought-after lots. We design and build custom homes that fit them, with one point of contact from survey to keys.
Building in Oakville
Know the lot before you design.
- Old Oakville
- Morrison
- Eastlake
- Clearview
- Bronte
- Coronation Park
- Glen Abbey
- River Oaks
- Joshua Creek
South Oakville’s large lots and mature trees make it one of the GTA’s busiest knockdown markets. Many 1950s and 60s homes on 75 to 100 ft lots in Morrison, Eastlake, Clearview and Bronte have been replaced with new custom homes.
Oakville regulates new homes in its established neighbourhoods closely. The Residential Low (RL) zones limit floor area and height, and the town passed new residential zoning for South Oakville neighbourhoods in June 2026 (By-law 2026-088). Getting the massing right early saves months.
Oakville allows three units per lot, the provincial baseline; council declined a town-wide four-unit change in 2024. A basement or garden suite is still possible on most lots.
Example lot
What fits on a typical lot in Eastlake.
A worked example with typical setbacks. Your Lot Check uses the exact rules for your address.
- Lot
- 75 × 150 ft · 1,045 m²
- Setbacks
- Front 7.5 m · rear 7.5 m · sides 2.4 m
- Buildable area
- 18.1 × 30.7 m
- Coverage limit
- 30% of the lot
- Footprint
- Up to about 3,370 sq ft
- Two storeys
- Up to about 6,750 sq ft
Typical setbacks and 30% coverage. In south Oakville the residential floor area limit often sets the size of the house before coverage does.
The rules
What Oakville allows today.
Current to November 2026. Rules change often; your Lot Check uses the rules in force the day we write it.
- Up to 3 units per detached, semi-detached or townhouse lot; one can be in a detached building such as a garden suite
- Residential floor area and height limits in the RL zones, with new rules for South Oakville neighbourhoods (By-law 2026-088, June 2026)
- North Oakville has its own zoning by-law (2009-189)
- Most replacement homes no longer need site plan approval, except near the lakeshore and rail lines
- Setbacks can be up to 10% smaller than the by-law requires without a minor variance on most urban lots (2025 provincial rule).
Approvals and timeline
From first call to keys.
Design and approvals come first, then a build of under 12 months from permit to keys.
Lot Check and survey
Two to four weeks: zoning, a topographic survey and, where trees are protected, an arborist report.
Design and pricing
Two to four months: concept plans, 3D views and a line-by-line proposal.
Approvals
A building permit in one to three months; add three to six months if you need a minor variance.
Build
Under 12 months from building permit to keys, with weekly site walks.
Check first
What can slow a Oakville project.
- Conservation Halton permits near Sixteen Mile, Bronte, Morrison or Joshua’s creeks and the lakeshore
- A town permit to remove larger private trees
- Heritage Conservation Districts: Old Oakville, First and Second Street, Trafalgar Road and Downtown
- Site plan approval for lots within 120 m of the lakeshore or 300 m of a rail line
Questions
Building in Oakville.
Can I add a basement or garden suite in Oakville?
Usually, yes. Oakville allows up to three units on detached, semi-detached and townhouse lots, and one of them can be in a detached building such as a garden suite.
Why do so many Oakville rebuilds go to the Committee of Adjustment?
Because the zoning in south Oakville limits floor area and height closely, many custom designs ask for small variances. With the 2026 rules in place, we design to them from the start and only ask for relief where it’s worth the time.
How long does a custom home take in Oakville?
Usually 3 to 6 months for design and approvals, plus 3 to 6 months if you need a variance, then under 12 months from building permit to keys.
Do you build in North Oakville too?
Yes. North Oakville has its own zoning by-law and newer lots, often with simpler approvals.
Free Lot Check
What fits on your lot?
Send the address. Within two business days you get the zoning, what you can build, the approvals you’d need, a budget range and a timeline.
- Free and no obligation
- Reviewed by Sami personally
- Then, if you like, a site walk
Your request is ready to send
Online submissions aren’t connected yet. Copy your request and email it to sami@oaksmith.ca.
Thank you. Your request is with Sami.
He’ll reply personally, usually within one business day.