What is consistent is the qualification side: financing an addition through a mortgage refinance or renovation loan still runs through CMHC's lending guidelines, including a minimum credit score of 600 on an insured mortgage. Joel Dyck can point to what comparable suites have actually cost to build on similar lots nearby. A basement conversion is usually the least expensive path because the foundation and roof already exist, while a new detached garden suite means a full foundation, its own servicing connection and its own permit process under City of Saskatoon Zoning Bylaw 8770, which raises the cost before a single wall goes up.
Finish level moves the number as much as size does: a suite built to a rental standard with basic finishes costs less than one built to match the main house, and City of Saskatoon inspection requirements, egress windows and fire separation among them, apply regardless of finish level.
Once a legal suite is built, it becomes exactly the kind of improvement an online estimate cannot see and a hand-reviewed valuation can. Get your hand-reviewed valuation from Joel Dyck.