---
title: "Home Additions in Durham Region: Fees by Town"
url: "https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/home-additions/durham-region"
description: "Home additions across Durham Region, Ontario: why they pay no development charges, and how permit fees, lot coverage and variance costs vary by town."
publisher: "Jarvis Contracting"
dateModified: "2026-11-02"
---
# Home additions in Durham Region

**Does a home addition pay development charges anywhere in Durham Region?**

No. An addition that enlarges your house without creating a new home pays no development charges in any Durham Region town, under the Development Charges Act, Durham's By-law 42-2023 and the Durham District School Board's by-law, as of October 2026. A new house pays $76,227 to the Region alone. An addition pays the town's permit fee instead, such as $22.37 per m² in Whitby or $15.56 per m² in Oshawa. (Checked 2026-10-05.)

## Key takeaways

- An addition that only enlarges an existing home is exempt from development charges ([Development Charges Act, s. 2(3)](https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/97d27)), while a new serviced house pays Durham Region $76,227 ([Durham Region, 1 July 2026](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/durham-ca/media/vybhyyp2/durham-region-wide-development-charge-information-jul-1-2026.pdf)).
- Maximum lot coverage in the common detached zones runs from 20% in Whitby's older R1 to R3 zones to 45% in Ajax's R1-C to R1-F zones ([Town of Whitby By-law 1784](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/whitby-ca/media/orfb0rfx/1784_zoning-by-law_2025_consolidation-accessible.pdf), [Town of Ajax Section 6](https://ajax.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/6-Section-6-Zone-Provisions_2026-March-Consolidation-Final.pdf)).
- Since 21 November 2025, minimum setbacks on urban residential land are deemed 90% of the by-law figure, so a 7.5 m rear yard becomes 6.75 m ([O. Reg. 545/06](https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/060545)).
- CLOCA charges $930 to review a minor variance in its regulated area, and TRCA $695 to $1,000 for a residential one, on top of the town's fee ([CLOCA 2026 fees](https://www.cloca.com/_files/ugd/6cdd05_ca1ea5bbdaa34f3ca770f69ab8f830e4.pdf), [TRCA 2026 fees](https://trcaca.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/app/uploads/2026/02/25090717/Development-Planning-Fee-Schedule-February-1-20260225.pdf)).
- Permits for renovations, additions and improvements across Durham were worth $119.6 million in 2025, down from $133.7 million in 2024 ([Durham Region 2025 Annual Building Activity Review](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/durham-ca/media/vc5lqmuu/2026-info-54-2025-annual-building-activity-review.pdf)).

## Permits for this work in Durham Region

| Item | What applies | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ajax: addition permit fee | $14.22 times the floor area; the Ajax schedule doesn't say whether the area is measured in m2 or sq ft | [ajax.ca](https://ajax.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Building-By-law-48-2023-Sch_A-Jan-01-2026.pdf) | 2026-10-05 |
| Brock: addition permit fee | $19.90 per m2 | [media-002-ca.cdn.govstack.com](https://media-002-ca.cdn.govstack.com/townshipofbrock-011-ca/media/3m2jgjpx/schedule-a-2026-fees-web.pdf) | 2026-10-05 |
| Clarington: addition permit fee | $17.73 per m2 | [weblink.clarington.net](https://weblink.clarington.net/WebLink/ElectronicFile.aspx?docid=438584&dbid=0&repo=Clarington) | 2026-10-05 |
| Oshawa: addition permit fee | $15.56 per m2 | [media-002-ca.cdn.govstack.com](https://media-002-ca.cdn.govstack.com/oshawa-016-ca/media/em3h4lr3/bylaw-33-2009-as-amended-by-by-law-118-2025.pdf) | 2026-10-05 |
| Pickering: addition permit fee | No separate addition line in the July 2026 fees; the Chief Building Official sets the building category and floor area (Building By-law 8057/23 s.15(3)). Residential buildings are $20.12 per m2 of gross floor area | [corporate.pickering.ca](https://corporate.pickering.ca/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=253333&dbid=0&repo=PICKERING) | 2026-10-06 |
| Scugog: addition permit fee | $20.43 per m2 | [media-001-ca.cdn.govstack.com](https://media-001-ca.cdn.govstack.com/scugogtourism-001-ca/media/3a2d3mpa/required-building-fees-2026.pdf) | 2026-10-05 |
| Whitby: addition permit fee | $22.37 per m2 | [media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/whitby-ca/media/5aqjt5ww/2026-building-permit-fees-schedule-n.pdf) | 2026-10-05 |
| Ajax: conservation authority (1) | Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) | [ajax.ca](https://ajax.ca/build-invest/for-developers-builders/committee-of-adjustment/) | 2026-10-05 |
| Ajax: conservation authority (2) | Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) | [www.cloca.com](https://www.cloca.com/regulation-area-mapping) | 2026-10-05 |
| Brock: conservation authority (1) | Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) | [www.lsrca.on.ca](https://www.lsrca.on.ca/index.php/about-us/governance/) | 2026-10-05 |
| Brock: conservation authority (2) | Kawartha Conservation | [www.kawarthaconservation.com](https://www.kawarthaconservation.com/about-us/) | 2026-10-05 |
| Clarington: conservation authority (1) | Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) | [www.cloca.com](https://www.cloca.com/about-us) | 2026-10-05 |
| Clarington: conservation authority (2) | Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority (GRCA) | [www.grca.on.ca](https://www.grca.on.ca/) | 2026-10-05 |
| Clarington: conservation authority (3) | Kawartha Conservation | [www.kawarthaconservation.com](https://www.kawarthaconservation.com/about-us/) | 2026-10-05 |
| Oshawa: conservation authority | Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) | [www.oshawa.ca](https://www.oshawa.ca/living-here/building-and-renovating/building-permits/) | 2026-10-05 |
| Pickering: conservation authority (1) | Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) | [www.pickering.ca](https://www.pickering.ca/business-building-development/building-and-renovating/building-permits/) | 2026-10-05 |
| Pickering: conservation authority (2) | Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) | [www.pickering.ca](https://www.pickering.ca/business-building-development/building-and-renovating/building-permits/) | 2026-10-05 |
| Scugog: conservation authority (1) | Kawartha Conservation (most of Scugog) | [www.scugog.ca](https://www.scugog.ca/building-development/additional-dwelling-units/) | 2026-10-05 |
| Scugog: conservation authority (2) | Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) | [www.lsrca.on.ca](https://www.lsrca.on.ca/index.php/about-us/governance/) | 2026-10-05 |
| Scugog: conservation authority (3) | Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) | [www.cloca.com](https://www.cloca.com/about-us) | 2026-10-05 |
| Whitby: conservation authority | Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) | [www.whitby.ca](https://www.whitby.ca/services-and-payments/building-and-renovating/building-permits/) | 2026-10-05 |
| Durham Region development charges, regional (as of 2026-07-01) | $76,227 | [media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/durham-ca/media/vybhyyp2/durham-region-wide-development-charge-information-jul-1-2026.pdf) | 2026-10-05 |
| Durham Region development charges, education (as of 2026-07-01) | $7,535 | [media-002-ca.cdn.govstack.com](https://media-002-ca.cdn.govstack.com/pickeringca-009-ca/media/wl4en3hp/developmentcharges_citywide_2026-2027final.pdf) | 2026-10-05 |

Fees and rules as published by each municipality in Durham Region and the agencies linked, checked 6 October 2026. Confirm with the building department before you apply.

## The nearest finished jobs

- [West Lynde: a Whitby bungalow made two storeys in 4.5 months](https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/projects/west-lynde): Whitby, 0 km away, 2023. New second storey of about 800 sq ft with two bedrooms, a walk-in closet and a bathroom; new kitchen, two new bathrooms, floors, stairs and trim below.
- [Greenwood: a new top storey and rear extension in Toronto](https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/projects/greenwood): Toronto, 27 km away, 2026. Top floor replaced with a new storey, rear extension, basement enlarged, full interior design and build.

## What it costs

| Work | Range (CAD) | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home addition, any type | 350 to 600 per sq ft | GTA, 2026. Before 13% HST. | Our 2026 price |
| Single-storey rear addition, 300 to 700 sq ft | 180000 to 450000 | GTA, 2026. Before 13% HST. | Our 2026 price |
| Bump-out, 100 to 300 sq ft | 60000 to 180000 | GTA, 2026. Before 13% HST. | Our 2026 price |

Our 2026 ranges, not quotes: every job is priced after a site visit.

What moves the number:
- The foundation: full basement, crawlspace or slab
- How much of the existing house opens up to join the new space
- The roof: new rafters meeting the old roof
- Engineering, drawings and the permit
- Finish level inside
- 13% HST, which these ranges leave out

## How do Durham Region's towns compare for an addition?

Three exemptions line up for an addition. The Act's section 2(3), section 2.12(b) of [Durham's By-law 42-2023](https://www.durham.ca/media/ybigui5l/by-law-42-2023-regional-residential-and-non-residential-development-charges.pdf) and section 10(2)(i) of the [public school board's by-law](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/ddsb-ca/media/yxkb0vsk/2024-edc-bylaw-signed.pdf) all leave the enlargement of an existing home alone. So the costs that differ are local. As of October 2026:

| Town | Addition permit fee | Fee on a 40 m2 addition (our arithmetic) | Max lot coverage, common detached zone | Residential minor variance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitby | $22.37 per m2 | $894.80 | 20% (R1 to R3, By-law 1784; newer zones differ) | $1,526 |
| Scugog | $20.43 per m2 | $817.20 | 45% (urban residential) | $2,760 |
| Brock | $19.90 per m2 | $796.00 | 40% (R1 to R3) | $1,530 (year not stated) |
| Clarington | $17.73 per m2 (Group C rate; confirm with the Building Division) | $709.20 | 40% (R1); 25% to 35% in Bowmanville's overlay | $2,280 |
| Oshawa | $15.56 per m2 | $622.40 | 40% (R1-A to R1-E) | $856 (year not stated) |
| Ajax | $14.22 times the floor area (the schedule doesn't print the unit) | Not calculated | 45% (R1-C to R1-F); 30% R1-A, 33% R1-B | $1,638.90 (2025 rate) |
| Pickering | No addition line in the 2026 schedule | Not calculated | 33% (R1C to R1E); 38% (R1F to R1I) | $2,500 (from 1 July 2026) |
| Uxbridge | Not verified (undated schedule) | Not calculated | 30% (R1) | $877 |

Note: fees from each municipality's current schedule and coverage from its zoning by-law's usual detached zone; your lot's zone may carry its own numbers, and minimum permit fees can apply to small jobs.

Coverage is where an addition hits the wall. A 600 m2 lot in one of Whitby's older R1 zones can hold 120 m2 of building, while the same lot in Ajax's R1-C zone could hold 270 m2 (our arithmetic). When you need more, the variance bill swings too: Scugog's $2,760 is more than three times Oshawa's $856, and a Pickering lot in TRCA's regulated area could pay $2,500 plus $695, or $3,195 (our arithmetic).

The 90% setback relief has holes that matter here. The relief stops at the Greenbelt and at prescribed areas near shorelines, wetlands, valleys and railways, and Durham has its share of those, from the Lake Ontario shoreline to creek valleys such as Duffins Creek. Lots near them still need the full by-law setback or a variance.

Our nearest finished addition is [West Lynde](https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/projects/west-lynde) in Whitby, a bungalow taken up to two storeys. The nearest rear extension is [Greenwood](https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/projects/greenwood) in Toronto, with a new top storey, roughly 27 km west of central Pickering. Its foundation got new waterproofing and weeping tile while the walls were open.

## How the job runs in Durham Region

1. **Meet James.** James meets you at the house, hears what you want and gives you a rough estimate on the spot. The first estimate is free.
2. **Proposal and contract.** If the estimate works for you, James prepares a detailed proposal. The whole project is priced, and the contract signed with a 10% deposit, before any design work begins.
3. **Design onboarding.** Our designer sends you an onboarding email with some homework: your style, how your family uses the house, and what you need and want. You share Pinterest boards, then go through them together on a Zoom call: what you like in the pictures, and what you don't.
4. **Measure and floor plans.** The designer measures the house and draws the floor plan: which walls come out, where the stairs land, how new space joins the old. We go through it with you until it's confirmed.
5. **Drawings and 3D rendering.** With the plan confirmed, she draws the elevations and the millwork, then puts it all into a 3D rendering, so you see the rooms before anyone orders a cabinet.
6. **Finishes presentation.** We don't take you round the stores: there are too many options. Using what she learned in onboarding, the designer narrows the tile, flooring, quartz, plumbing fixtures and the rest to a few choices that suit your style, collects the samples and presents them to you in our office. If a selection changes the price, the change goes through a change order you sign.
7. **Permits and engineering.** We prepare the permit drawings, bring in the structural engineer wherever a beam or a load changes, and apply to the municipality. If the plan changes after the permit is issued, we file the amendment. Each municipality in Durham Region takes its own applications; the table above names where.
8. **Construction.** Our crew and trades build it, with one point of contact from demolition to the last coat of paint. Our site supervisors write a job log every day, which you can follow in our online app. When we open a wall and find a problem, you hear about it, and what it costs, before we fix it.
9. **Inspections.** The municipal building inspector checks the work at each stage the permit sets, before it gets covered up. Inspections are booked with the local building department.
10. **Handover.** We walk the finished house with you and put right anything that isn't. On one job a stair stain didn't match the new floor, so we refinished the stairs.

## Credentials

- Written warranty: 1 year workmanship and materials, 2 years plumbing, heating, electrical and building envelope, 7 years structural
- BBB Accredited Business: Accredited by the Better Business Bureau since November 2025 (https://www.bbb.org/ca/on/ajax/profile/general-contractor/jarvis-contracting-inc-0107-1416595)
- Durham Region Home Builders' Association: Member, Renovators (https://www.drhba.com/Sys/PublicProfile/99587295/5125036)
- RenoMark: RenoMark renovator, through the DRHBA (https://renomark.ca/find-a-renovator/)

## Questions

### Which Durham Region town allows the most lot coverage for an addition?

Ajax and Scugog are the most generous of the towns we checked. Ajax allows 45% in its R1-C to R1-F zones, and lets R1-A and R1-B lots rise to 45% when they include an accessory unit. Scugog allows 45% in its urban residential zones. In Whitby, By-law 1784 holds its older residential zones to 20%, though most of Whitby's newer subdivisions sit in other zones with their own limits.

### Does Ontario's 90% setback rule apply in every Durham Region town?

On urban residential land, yes: O. Reg. 545/06 deems every minimum setback to be 90% of the zoning figure, in force since 21 November 2025, and it overrides each town's by-law. It doesn't reach Greenbelt land or areas prescribed under O. Reg. 254/23 near shorelines, wetlands, valleys and railways. The setback in force when the building permit is issued is the one that applies.

### What does a conservation authority add to a minor variance in Durham Region?

It depends on which authority regulates your lot. CLOCA, which covers Whitby, Oshawa and much of Clarington, charges $930 to review a minor variance in 2026. TRCA, which covers most of Ajax and Pickering, charges $695 for a minor residential variance and $1,000 for a standard one. Both are on top of the town's own Committee of Adjustment fee.

### Does an addition with its own kitchen pay development charges in Durham Region?

If the addition creates a separate home rather than enlarging yours, a different exemption applies. Durham's By-law 42-2023 waives the regional charge on up to two added units in an existing house, provided no more than three homes stand on the parcel afterwards. The school board exemption adds conditions on floor area and on the house having been occupied for at least 12 months.

### How much did Durham Region spend on renovations and additions in 2025?

Durham Region's 2025 Annual Building Activity Review values permits for renovations, additions and improvements at $119.6 million in 2025, down 10.6% from $133.7 million in 2024. That was 7.3% of all residential permit value. The review doesn't break the figure down by town or separate additions from renovations.

## Sources

1. [Development Charges Act, 1997](https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/97d27)
2. [Durham Region, By-law 42-2023 (regional development charges)](https://www.durham.ca/media/ybigui5l/by-law-42-2023-regional-residential-and-non-residential-development-charges.pdf)
3. [Durham Region, development charges from 1 July 2026](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/durham-ca/media/vybhyyp2/durham-region-wide-development-charge-information-jul-1-2026.pdf)
4. [Durham District School Board, 2024 education development charge by-law](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/ddsb-ca/media/yxkb0vsk/2024-edc-bylaw-signed.pdf)
5. [Durham Region, 2025 Annual Building Activity Review](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/durham-ca/media/vc5lqmuu/2026-info-54-2025-annual-building-activity-review.pdf)
6. [O. Reg. 545/06 (setbacks deemed 90%)](https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/060545)
7. [CLOCA 2026 fee schedule](https://www.cloca.com/_files/ugd/6cdd05_ca1ea5bbdaa34f3ca770f69ab8f830e4.pdf)
8. [TRCA development planning fees, 1 February 2026](https://trcaca.s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.com/app/uploads/2026/02/25090717/Development-Planning-Fee-Schedule-February-1-20260225.pdf)
9. [Town of Whitby, 2026 building permit fees](https://media-003-ca.cdn.govstack.com/whitby-ca/media/5aqjt5ww/2026-building-permit-fees-schedule-n.pdf)
10. [City of Oshawa, Building By-law 33-2009 fees](https://media-002-ca.cdn.govstack.com/oshawa-016-ca/media/em3h4lr3/bylaw-33-2009-as-amended-by-by-law-118-2025.pdf)
11. [Town of Ajax: Building By law 48 2023 Sch A Jan 01 2026](https://ajax.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Building-By-law-48-2023-Sch_A-Jan-01-2026.pdf)
12. [Township of Brock: Schedule a 2026 fees web](https://media-002-ca.cdn.govstack.com/townshipofbrock-011-ca/media/3m2jgjpx/schedule-a-2026-fees-web.pdf)
13. [Municipality of Clarington: ElectronicFile](https://weblink.clarington.net/WebLink/ElectronicFile.aspx?docid=438584&dbid=0&repo=Clarington)
14. [City of Pickering: DocView](https://corporate.pickering.ca/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=253333&dbid=0&repo=PICKERING)
15. [Township of Scugog: Required building fees 2026](https://media-001-ca.cdn.govstack.com/scugogtourism-001-ca/media/3a2d3mpa/required-building-fees-2026.pdf)
16. [Town of Ajax: Committee of adjustment](https://ajax.ca/build-invest/for-developers-builders/committee-of-adjustment/)
17. [CLOCA: Regulation area mapping](https://www.cloca.com/regulation-area-mapping)
18. [LSRCA: Governance](https://www.lsrca.on.ca/index.php/about-us/governance/)
19. [Kawartha Conservation: About us](https://www.kawarthaconservation.com/about-us/)
20. [CLOCA: About us](https://www.cloca.com/about-us)
21. [grca.on.ca](https://www.grca.on.ca/)
22. [City of Oshawa: Building permits](https://www.oshawa.ca/living-here/building-and-renovating/building-permits/)
23. [City of Pickering: Building permits](https://www.pickering.ca/business-building-development/building-and-renovating/building-permits/)
24. [Township of Scugog: Additional dwelling units](https://www.scugog.ca/building-development/additional-dwelling-units/)
25. [Town of Whitby: Building permits](https://www.whitby.ca/services-and-payments/building-and-renovating/building-permits/)
26. [City of Pickering: Developmentcharges citywide 2026](https://media-002-ca.cdn.govstack.com/pickeringca-009-ca/media/wl4en3hp/developmentcharges_citywide_2026-2027final.pdf)

## How this page was made

Written by Jarvis Contracting. Municipal facts checked 2026-10-06. Fact-checked by Space & Story on 2026-10-05.

## Keep reading

- [Home additions: all areas](https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/home-additions)
- [Building in Ajax](https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/areas/ajax)
- [Building in Brock](https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/areas/brock)
- [Building in Clarington](https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/areas/clarington)
- [Building in Oshawa](https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/areas/oshawa)
- [Building in Pickering](https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/areas/pickering)
- [Building in Scugog](https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/areas/scugog)
- [Building in Whitby](https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/areas/whitby)
- [Home additions in Whitby](https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/home-additions/whitby) (12 km away)
- [Home additions in Oshawa](https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/home-additions/oshawa) (15 km away)
- [Home additions in Ajax](https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/home-additions/ajax) (17 km away)
- [Second-storey additions in Durham Region](https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/second-storey-additions/durham-region)
- [Design-build in Durham Region](https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/design-build/durham-region)
- [Design-build or architect plus contractor in Ontario?](https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/guides/design-build-vs-general-contractor)
- [How much does a home addition cost in Ontario in 2026?](https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/guides/home-addition-cost-ontario)
- [Is it cheaper to build up or out? 2026 Ontario costs](https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/guides/build-up-or-out)
- [Questions to ask a contractor in Ontario before you sign](https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/guides/questions-to-ask-a-contractor)
- [Should we add on or move? Costs compared for 2026](https://www.jarviscontracting.ca/guides/renovate-or-move)