How Much do Cabanas Cost to Build?—A Comprehensive Guide
Like most things, cabanas have a range of costs. It’s all about size and features.
We have all looked online and googled “How Much Does a Cabana Cost?” and usually land at a site in the USA. Still, when you call your contractor to chat about building a cabana here in Ontario, the cabana budget range is much higher. The US has a very different taxation and regulatory system, which means that everything you build is roughly half the price that you will find in Canada.
Cabanas can range from a 100 sq ft refaced garden shed to a proper building with a gourmet kitchen and a roof that opens. With this in mind, most of the cabanas we design are in the $30,000 to $300,000 range. If that sounds expensive, maybe you haven’t built anything in a while in Ontario. Times have changed, and, simply, building is a very complicated thing here in Ontario.
The Biggest Factor Affecting Your Cabana Price.
Negotiation? Finding the Cheapest Builder? Getting Cheaper Materials?
Design matters most.
The right designer can add details to a cabana to help you land on a comfortable budget. If your cabana designer or landscape architect doesn’t ask where your budget comfort zone is, you have the wrong person conjuring details for your cabana.
Will you build it yourself or hire a handyman or professional?
DIY Build – Shed Reface (Cheapest Option)
If you don’t need a washroom or kitchen, just a changing room and maybe a drink fridge, this method can get you a quick cabana for cheap.
Most shed companies buy kits and sell them beside the highway. Often they will deliver right into your yard and put them on blocks or helicals for you. Then, you need to apply finishes and electrical. These sheds can be purchased for 5-15k.
These sheds can be quite large, but stick with a shed that is less than 160 sq’ to avoid building permits. These prefabricated sheds do not meet the Ontario Building Code. They usually have no foundation aside from a patio stone and wood blocks. The walls are made from thinner materials, as are the roof and floor, and the ceiling height is often lower. Insulating these units is a problem.
When you need permits, you will need a designer, which will delay the project a few months, and upgrading to standard residential details will increase your costs by $5k-10k. Every aspect of your cabana build will have to meet the code. From foundations to framing and finishes, your costs will add up. The photo below shows a nice example by SJ Garden Sheds in Southwestern Ontario—they install these units.
Simple cabanas will be cheaper to build! (30-50k)
When you ask for a gourmet kitchen with running water and a wet bar with beer on tap, budgets are heading north! You can get an inclusive kitchen unit in the 5-10k range with a good grill, a big icebox, and a fridge. These are the more budget-friendly units.
Outdoor fireplaces can be sourced for reasonable investments, but they are about double the number for an interior unit. I have to admit, a fireplace makes a cabana.
Lighting is critical, and having electricity run is not a big expense. Inlite makes fixtures that you can use to illuminate your cabana without electricity in the building.
Outdoor fridges are different than indoor ones. If you leave a regular fridge outdoors, it can be damaged by frost. Keep in mind that budget appliances will never last as long as quality ones.
An extended roof over a patio area is a nice touch; however, it can blow the budget. Consider just doing a beam on posts and using a retractable canopy instead.
Traditional Cabanas (50-200k)
The photos above fit within this range; however, the one with the full gourmet kitchen has about 50k in appliances on top. We can add features like integral pergolas, bars, gas fireplaces, and plenty of storage when budgets are a little larger.
These are old-school “slab on grade” structures, so there may be engineering involved if you live near Toronto.
The look of these is certainly traditional and thus makes up the mid-range budget since they are easy to build and design work is minimal.
High-End Cabanas – The Stunners!
Not all budgets are limited. Sometimes it just has to be right for your lifestyle, and the investment in quality is paramount. These projects all start with a design. It takes time and investment, but in the end, the project is stunning.
The first cabana is in Aurora. The customer told us that the developer dropped in for a drink in his new cabana and asked what it would cost to give him the house back. He offered twice what our customer paid for the house… “Go get your own!” was his response.
The second one featured was featured on TV shows a few years ago. We designed the deck and the cabana, which set the entire home off in our humble opinion. It was designed for a contractor for their customer. We’ll show more shots of that project another time.
Whatever your budget, creating a beautiful space is possible with the right design. Get in touch today to start on your dream cabana.
