Who we are and are not.
Is CitiBuild an investment firm?
No. We are an architecture, development and construction company. You own the land and the building. We plan it, get it approved and build it. For investment, tax and legal questions, we work alongside your own advisors.
Where do you build?
Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area are our core market, with projects also in London and Welland, Ontario. Our office is in Woodbridge. If your site is elsewhere in southern Ontario, ask; the answer depends on the municipality.
Are you a licensed builder?
Yes. CitiBuild is registered with the Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA) and enrolled with Tarion, Ontario's new home warranty program.
What is included in one agreement?
Feasibility, architecture, planning and permits, engineering coordination, construction and help identifying funding and incentive programs. The scope is set in writing before anything starts.
What you can build, and where.
Do I need to own land already?
No. We can build on a property you own, or help you evaluate lots in your target area before you buy. On our roadmap, the lot is under contract in month 1.
How many units can I put on my lot?
In Toronto, up to four homes are permitted on most residential lots as of right, a garden suite is permitted in most rear yards, and some wards and lot sizes allow more. Our multiplex program delivers up to six units including the garden suite. The feasibility study confirms the number for your specific lot.
What if the city pushes back on zoning?
Navigating zoning is our job, not yours. City comments and plan adjustments are built into months 2 to 4 of the schedule, and our in-house planners and architects handle them directly.
Can I keep my house and just add a garden suite?
Yes. A detached garden suite behind the house you keep is often the fastest way to add rental income to a property you already own, and it is one of the four shapes the program takes.
How long, and how much.
How long does a project take?
For a 4 to 6 unit multiplex with a garden suite, about 18 months from lot to a fully leased building: permits in 3 to 4 months, then 12 months of construction. The traditional route usually takes 8 to 9 months to permit and 14 to 18 months to build.
What happens if approvals or costs change?
Because planning, design and construction sit in one office, changes are caught early and priced before they become problems. Component costs are fixed in advance wherever possible.
How is the project financed?
Usually through a combination of your own capital or equity and construction financing. Where your project qualifies, we also identify government-supported rental financing programs and municipal incentives that can lower your costs.
What rent should a finished multiplex produce?
For a completed, fully leased 4 to 6 unit multiplex with a garden suite, our projections are $20,000 or more in gross monthly rent, based on current market rents in the project area. Rents vary by property and market and are not guaranteed; the feasibility study gives you the figure for your site.
How is a project with CitiBuild structured?
There is no single template. It depends on whether you bring land, capital, building capacity or a combination. That is the purpose of the first meeting.
Stalled projects, conversions and repeats.
Can you take over a project that has stalled?
Yes. A good share of our partners arrive after a difficult first attempt. We assess what exists, re-plan what is needed, and finish it.
Do you convert existing buildings?
Yes. Older office buildings and retirement or care homes often have the structure, services and location to become rental apartments. We assess the building, redesign the floor plates for suites and deliver the conversion under one roof.
Can I do this more than once?
Yes. Once the first project is underway, many owners use the same team and playbook for the next one.
What does the first meeting involve?
About thirty minutes, at our Woodbridge office, by video or on your site. Bring the address and your goals. We will tell you honestly whether the property fits and what the next step is.
Ask it directly.
A principal answers, not a call centre.