The 340 sq ft house that pays for itself

When Jamie and Pat bought their lot on Vancouver Island, the plan wasn't to become landlords. It was to build something small enough that the mortgage wouldn't own them. Two years later, the laneway home in their backyard covers most of that mortgage — and they've got the invoices to prove it.

The build, by the numbers

Total build cost came in at $164,000 including the foundation, services, and a modest contingency. At $2,300/month in rent, the unit pays back its own cost in well under a decade — and that's before any appreciation.

What they'd do differently

“We'd have spent more on the envelope and less on finishes,” Pat says. “The tenants don't care about the fancy tile. They care that it's warm and quiet.” It's the most common note we hear from owners who've been through it.

The takeaway

A small home built well, in the right place, is one of the few things that can genuinely pay for itself. The catch is doing it right — which is exactly what this whole community exists to help with.