Plan on about two years from breaking ground to move-in for a new house in the Toronto area, and longer once you count design and approvals. CMHC data shows homes built for owner occupancy in Toronto take about 22 months on average from construction start to completion. Before that, single-detached homes in the Toronto region wait about three to four months between permit and start. Here is where the time goes, and how to shorten it.
How long does it take to build a house in Toronto?
CMHC tracks the average length of construction, from start to completion, by intended market. For Toronto in September 2026:
- Homes built for owners: 22.3 months
- Rental: 24.9 months
- Condominium: 42.1 months
- All markets: 38.3 months
The homeowner figure covers all homes built for owner occupancy, not only custom houses, so treat it as a benchmark rather than a promise. It is still a useful reality check. For comparison, the U.S. National Association of Home Builders reports that single-family homes in the United States took an average of 8.8 months to build in 2025. Toronto builds are slower, and owners should plan for that.
View the data
| Intended market | Months |
|---|---|
| Homeowner | 22.3 mo |
| Rental | 24.9 mo |
| All markets | 38.3 mo |
| Condominium | 42.1 mo |
The time before construction starts
The clock starts long before the first shovel. Typical stages, in order:
- Design and drawings. This depends on you and your designer. The more decisions you make here, the fewer changes later.
- Zoning and variances. If your design needs a minor variance, the Committee of Adjustment process comes before the permit.
- Building permit review. Toronto reviews complete house applications within 10 business days. Incomplete applications don’t start the clock.
- Permit to start. CMHC found that single-detached homes in the Toronto region started on average 92 days after the permit was issued, and 122 days in the central city. Nationally, the gap is roughly 2 to 10 months.
View the data
| Area | Days |
|---|---|
| Toronto CMA | 92 days |
| City of Toronto (central) | 122 days |
Some of the permit-to-start gap is legitimate: financing, builder scheduling, locates (Ontario One Call needs 5 business days’ notice for a single property), demolition and site set-up. Some of it is avoidable, and that is where owners can save time.
What makes construction take longer
- Design changes after the permit. Every change can mean revised drawings, a permit revision and re-sequenced trades.
- Late selections. Windows, cabinetry and specialty fixtures have lead times. If they are ordered late, the schedule waits.
- Inspections that fail. Toronto inspectors attend within 2 business days of a request, but a failed inspection means rework and a second visit.
- Winter. Excavation, foundations and exterior work slow down in cold weather. A start date that puts the foundation in January will cost time.
- Trade availability. Statistics Canada’s latest construction price survey noted capacity pressure and wage increases for skilled trades in some regions.
- Cash flow. Construction mortgages pay out in stages after inspections. A slow draw can stall a site.
Here is the contrarian point
Owners tend to focus on the construction period and push the builder to go faster. In practice, the cheapest time savings come before construction: a finished design, a complete permit application, early orders for long-lead items and financing that is ready to go. A week saved in design is worth more than a week squeezed out of the framers.
How to shorten your timeline
- Finish the design before you apply. Make the major selections, including windows, finishes and mechanical systems, before the permit.
- Check zoning first. Know whether you need a variance before you spend on detailed drawings.
- Submit a complete permit application. Include the Zoning Applicable Law Certificate so the review clock starts.
- Order long-lead items early. Ask your builder for a list of items with lead times longer than the time until they are needed.
- Ask for a real schedule. Get a schedule that shows the inspections, the draws and the long-lead items, and update it monthly. Our guide to reviewing a construction schedule shows what to look for.
FAQ
How long does it take to build a house in Toronto?
CMHC data for September 2026 shows homes built for owner occupancy in Toronto take an average of 22.3 months from construction start to completion. Single-detached homes in the Toronto region also wait about 92 days on average between permit and start, and design and approvals come before that.
How long does a building permit for a house take in Toronto?
The City of Toronto reviews complete house permit applications within 10 business days. An application needs a Zoning Applicable Law Certificate to be considered complete.
The bottom line
In Toronto, a new house typically takes close to two years to build, plus a few months between permit and start, plus the design and approval time before that. The owners who finish on time win the early stages. For costs and the full process, see what it costs to build a house in Toronto and the steps to build a house in Ontario. Want an independent check on your builder’s schedule? Book a 30-minute call.
Sources: CMHC Housing Market Information Portal, Toronto length of construction; CMHC Housing Observer, Canada’s construction pulse (April 17, 2026); NAHB Eye on Housing, single-family construction time (September 2026); City of Toronto, building permit review streams; City of Toronto, inspections; Ontario Dig Authority; Statistics Canada, Q3 2026 building construction price indexes. Cover photo: Troy Mortier on Unsplash (Unsplash Licence); a house under construction, not in Ontario.