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Everything Matt & Ryan need to take a lead from the form to a finished suite.
You'll get an email at info@ridgelineprojects.com with their name, phone, email, and property address. Here's exactly what to do, in order.
Open the Measure Tool, paste their address, and view the lot on satellite. Draw the garage footprint and the building envelope to get square footage. This takes 5 minutes and tells you if it's worth a call.
Speed matters. The faster you call, the more likely they say yes. Call within 2 hours of the form coming in. If they don't pick up, leave a voicemail and send a text. Follow up again the next morning if no reply.
The goal of the call is to book a time to see their property in person. Get a date on the calendar. Don't try to quote over the phone. You need to see the lot, the garage, the lane access, and the overall setup.
Keep it simple. You're having a conversation, not giving a sales pitch. Here's the order.
"Hey [Name], it's Matt from Ridgeline Renovations. You filled out a form about building a suite above your garage. Just wanted to chat about what you're thinking."
Let them talk. Are they looking for rental income? Housing for family? Just exploring? This tells you how to frame the conversation.
"What got you interested in building a suite?"
Do they have an existing garage? Single or double? How old? Do they want to keep it or are they open to building new? This changes the scope completely.
"Tell me about your garage — is it a single or double? Roughly how old?"
Don't dodge the money question. They'll ask. Give them a range.
"Most garage suites land between $180K and $280K depending on the size and finishes. I'll know a lot more after I see your property."
Tell them you'll come look at the property, check the zoning, and put together a proper assessment. Keep it casual.
"I'd love to come take a look at your lot and see what we're working with. When works for you this week?"
Get a date and time. Confirm the address. Send a text right after confirming so they have your number.
This visit is about gathering info and building trust. Bring a tape measure and your phone for photos.
Get the garage footprint dimensions. Note the distance to property lines on all sides. Take photos of the garage, the lane access, the yard, and any utilities you can see.
If they want to build above their existing garage, look at the foundation and framing. Older garages often can't support a second floor. Be honest if a tear-down-and-rebuild is the better option.
Where does water/sewer come in? Where's the electrical panel? Is there gas? These affect cost and routing.
1-bedroom or 2? How big? What finish level? Do they want laundry in the suite? A balcony? Get a feel for what they're picturing so your proposal matches their expectations.
Tell them the whole process is about 10-14 months from start to keys in hand. Design takes 4-8 weeks, permits take 8-16 weeks, construction takes 12-20 weeks.
Use the Measure Tool before every site visit. It takes 5 minutes and changes the conversation.
Calgary caps total building coverage at 45-55% of the lot. If you don't know the exact footprint of the house + existing garage + proposed suite, you can't confirm it fits within the limit.
1.2m from the property line sounds simple until the lot is irregular or the garage is already close to the edge. Measuring on satellite before the site visit lets you show up prepared.
Walking in with measurements already done shows the homeowner you've done your homework. It's the difference between "we'll have to look into that" and "your lot is 6,200 sq ft, your garage footprint is about 480, and you've got room for a 600 sq ft suite above."
If the lot is too small or the garage is jammed against the property line, you know before you drive out there. Saves everyone time.
The Measure Tool is built for exactly this — satellite view, draw the garage footprint, draw the building envelope, get sq ft, and copy the measurements to paste into a quote or email. Open it here.
Here's how to structure your pricing so you're not giving away work for free.
| Phase | What It Covers | What to Charge |
|---|---|---|
| Feasibility Assessment | Site visit, zoning check, verbal go/no-go | Free |
| Design & Drawings | Architectural plans, engineering, permit-ready drawings | $8,000 – $15,000 |
| Permit Applications | Development permit + building permit | Included in design fee |
| Construction | Full build from foundation to finish | $150,000 – $280,000 |
| Project Management | Your margin on the build | 15–20% markup |
The site visit and zoning check are free. That's your hook. But the design and drawings are paid work. Don't start drawing plans without a signed agreement and a deposit. If they proceed with the build, you can credit the design fee toward the project. If they don't proceed, you've been paid for your time.
Every garage suite project follows these steps in this order. Use this as your checklist.
Review their address and do a quick zoning check online.
Introduce yourself, ask what they're thinking, give a ballpark, book the site visit.
Measure the lot and garage. Take photos. Check structure, utilities, lane access. Talk through their vision.
Recap what you discussed. Confirm the property qualifies (or doesn't). Outline the next step: design agreement.
Client signs design contract and pays deposit ($4,000-$7,500). You begin architectural drawings and engineering.
Floor plans, elevations, sections, structural engineering. All stamped by a licensed professional.
Submit DP application to the City of Calgary. Timeline: 4-12 weeks for approval.
Once DP is approved, submit BP with full drawing set. Timeline: 4-12 weeks.
Client signs the build contract. Collect first progress payment. Order materials.
Foundation, framing, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, insulation, drywall, finishes. 12-20 weeks.
Footing, framing, rough-in (plumbing/electrical/mechanical), insulation, drywall, final.
Walk every detail with the client. Fix any punch list items. Complete final inspections.
Occupancy permit issued. Keys to the client. Suite is ready for tenants or family.
Here's everything you can do to drive Calgary homeowners to the garage suites page. Do the top 3 first.
Post on your GBP weekly. "Did you know you can build a rental suite above your garage?" with a link to the page. Free, high-impact.
Post in Calgary renovation groups, your business page, and Marketplace under Services. Include the suite photos.
Post under Services > Renovations. Kijiji is still huge in Calgary. Refresh weekly.
Post the suite photos as a carousel with "Swipe to see what's possible above your garage." Link in bio to the page.
Post in your neighborhood and nearby ones. Nextdoor is trusted and hyper-local. Great for inner-city neighborhoods.
Send a quick email to everyone you've worked with: "Know anyone who'd want a rental suite above their garage? We're now offering this."
These Calgary neighborhoods have back lanes, big lots, and homeowners likely to invest. Start here.
Altadore / Marda Loop
Killarney / Glengarry
Capitol Hill / Mt. Pleasant
Bridgeland / Renfrew
Inglewood / Ramsay
Hillhurst / Kensington
Lakeview
Haysboro / Southwood
Brentwood / Charleswood
Banff Trail / University Heights
Winston Heights / Tuxedo Park
Forest Lawn / Dover