Custom Home Builders Alliston, Beeton and Tottenham
Custom home builders Alliston buyers compare fall into three kinds: a subdivision builder selling homes on its own land, a custom builder who builds on the lot you own, and a general contractor.
My Own Cottage is a custom builder. We build year-round homes on owned lots across the Town of New Tecumseth, from published model prices.
Own a lot in Alliston, Beeton, Tottenham or rural New Tecumseth? Start with a free, no-obligation consultation.
- HCRA-licensed
- Tarion-enrolled
- Look us up by company name in the Ontario Builder Directory
My Own Cottage Inc. is an HCRA-licensed, Tarion-enrolled prefab home and cottage builder based in Orillia, Ontario. We deliver anywhere in Ontario, and this page covers Alliston, Beeton, Tottenham and the rural Town of New Tecumseth as part of how we build on owner-supplied lots across Ontario. A New Tecumseth lot carries three layers of development charges, and whether it has Town water and wastewater decides which total applies.
| Model | Floor area | Bedrooms / bathrooms | Preconfigured model starting at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hudson | 1,550 sq ft | 3 / 2 | $524,500 |
| Fern Gully | 2,054 sq ft | 3 / 3 | $519,500 |
| Montebello | 2,307 sq ft | 3 / 2 | $619,500 |
| Victoria | 3,373 sq ft | 4 / 5 | $919,500 |
Each price covers the structure and delivery only. Foundation, site preparation, servicing, permits, municipal charges and turnkey finishing are extra. Compare every model in our full catalogue of prefab homes, cottages and cabins.
Not sure which model suits your lot? Bring your New Tecumseth address, and your survey if you have one, to a free, no-obligation consultation.
Key takeaways
- My Own Cottage builds on a lot you own or are buying. We don’t sell homes in a subdivision, and we don’t renovate.
- Preconfigured models start at $229,500 for the structure and delivery. Foundation, site preparation, servicing, permits, municipal charges and turnkey finishing are extra.
- The Town of New Tecumseth states total development charges of $112,102 for a home on full Town services and $72,031 for a home not on Town water and wastewater. Both totals include the County of Simcoe and school board charges.
- The Town charges $1.26 per square foot of gross floor area for a new house permit, and issues the permit for a septic system too.
- Two conservation authorities, the NVCA and the LSRCA, both count New Tecumseth as a member. Which one applies depends on where your lot sits.
Custom home builders Alliston: which kind do you need?
The right builder depends on one question: who owns the land. New home builders in a subdivision sell you a house and lot together. A custom builder builds on land you already own or are buying. A general contractor or renovator works on a house that already stands.
Should you buy in an Alliston subdivision or build on your own lot?
| Builder type | Whose land | What you buy | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subdivision builder | The builder’s | A new home and lot from the builder’s plans | Buyers who want a new home without owning land first |
| Custom builder (My Own Cottage) | Yours | A home designed for and built on your lot | Owners of a rural, village or in-town lot who want a year-round home |
| General contractor or renovator | Yours, with a house on it | Work on an existing house | Owners planning a renovation or an addition |
A custom builder fits if you own a lot in New Tecumseth, or have an accepted offer on one, and want a year-round primary home, including one that replaces an older house.
If you are shopping new homes for sale in a subdivision, the builder of that development is the right call, not us. If you already have an architect’s drawings and want them tendered to a builder who works entirely on site, that builder is the usual fit, and so is a builder with an office in Alliston, because we serve New Tecumseth from Orillia.
How does a custom home builder in Orillia serve an Alliston lot?
Custom home design starts from one of our models, each with a published price, and most of our clients customize it. Prefab homes and modular homes are two names buyers use for the same route, and the New Tecumseth charges and building permits below apply the same way to either. Every build runs through four stages: Design, Build, Deliver and Install, with home installation as the final stage on your lot. Licensed-trade installation affiliates, contracted professionals rather than employees, carry out the foundation, site preparation and servicing. They quote that work against your New Tecumseth lot, and the scope is set in the agreement before the build. My Own Cottage helps with municipal permits.
- 01Design
- 02Build
- 03Deliver
- 04Installfinal stage on your lot
For what to settle at each stage, from buying land to moving in, see each stage from lot purchase to occupancy.
Most of our clients customize. Start from the design closest to what you want on your New Tecumseth lot.
How much does it cost to build a custom home in Alliston?
The model is the first number, and we publish it. Our preconfigured prefab homes start at $229,500 and run to $949,500, covering the structure and home delivery to your lot. For a home of about 2,000 sq ft, the Fern Gully, at 2,054 sq ft, starts at $519,500. If you are looking for a prefab home under $100,000, no model in our catalogue fits: the lowest-priced models start at $229,500.
What does a prefab home price leave out on an Alliston lot?
Six costs sit outside the model price on every lot. Each is quoted against your New Tecumseth lot before you sign.
| Cost outside the model price | Who sets it on a New Tecumseth lot |
|---|---|
| Foundation | Licensed-trade installation affiliate, quoted against your lot |
| Site preparation | Licensed-trade installation affiliate, quoted against your lot |
| Servicing (a septic system, or Town water and sewer connections) | Affiliate quote, plus the Town’s service connection fee on a serviced lot |
| Permits | Town of New Tecumseth building permit, and any conservation authority permit your lot needs |
| Municipal charges | Town of New Tecumseth, County of Simcoe and school board development charges |
| Turnkey finishing | Quoted separately |
How much do custom home builders in Alliston charge per square foot?
My Own Cottage doesn’t quote a price per square foot, because pricing tracks specification rather than floor area. Two of our models of near-identical size sit 1.7 times apart per square foot. Compare model prices instead, then add the site work and charges for your lot.
A price per square foot can’t tell you what your lot will cost. Get the model price, the site work and the New Tecumseth charges for your address in one scoped quote.
What are development charges on a new home in Alliston?
A development charge is a one-time fee a municipality charges on a new home. A new single detached home in Alliston, or anywhere in the Town of New Tecumseth, pays three layers: the Town of New Tecumseth, the County of Simcoe, and the two school boards. The Town collects the County and school board charges along with its own.
How much are Alliston development charges on a serviced or rural lot in 2026?
The Town charges less on a lot that isn’t on Town water and wastewater. Its development charges by-law defines urban areas as those that “do require municipal water and sanitary sewer services and are generally the areas within the community boundaries of Alliston, Beeton and Tottenham.”
| Development charge, single or semi-detached | On full Town services | Not on Town water and wastewater | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Town of New Tecumseth | $91,044 | $50,973 | Rate schedule effective July 1, 2026, By-law 2021-166 |
| County of Simcoe | $14,975 | $14,975 | County bulletin, effective January 1, 2026; By-law 6930, as amended by By-law 7165-26 |
| Simcoe County District School Board | $3,711 | $3,711 | Notice of passage of education development charge by-laws, October 30, 2025 to October 29, 2026 |
| Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board | $2,372 | $2,372 | Same notice and period |
| Total, as stated by the Town | $112,102 | $72,031 | Town of New Tecumseth, Development Charges |
The totals exclude the building permit, septic, servicing and connection costs. The $40,071 gap between the two Town lines is our arithmetic on the Town’s figures.
Do New Tecumseth school board charges change on October 30, 2026?
They do. The school boards’ 2023 by-laws step each rate up every October 30. From October 30, 2026 to October 29, 2027, the Simcoe County District School Board charge is $4,011 per dwelling unit and the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board charge is $2,672. A permit issued after October 29, 2026 pays the higher rates, and the Town’s stated totals above use the current ones.
When are New Tecumseth development charges paid?
The Town states that most charges “would be payable at building permit issuance, however some cases would be at the earliest of date of first occupancy or occupancy permit.” The County states that its charge “is payable in full upon issuance of a building permit.” Ask the Town whether your home can pay at occupancy. Until it confirms, budget the full amount for the date your building permit is issued.
Do you pay lower development charges when you replace an Alliston house?
You can. The Town states that a credit applies “if the structure being demolished is occupiable at the time of demolition.” The rebuild “must be done within two years from the date of the demolition permit issuance in order to receive a development charge credit.” Keep your demolition permit date, because it starts that two-year window.
Not sure which total applies to your lot, or whether a demolition credit does? Bring the address to a free consultation, and we’ll set the charges for your lot beside the model price.
What are the building permit requirements for a new home in Alliston?
A custom home in Alliston, Beeton, Tottenham or the rural area needs a Town of New Tecumseth building permit. The Town’s Building Standards page states: “You must obtain a building permit if you’re planning to build new, demolish, renovate, repair or add onto a building or structure.” Depending on the lot, a conservation authority permit may come first.
The Town passes its building permit by-law under the Building Code Act, 1992. That by-law quotes the Ontario Building Code as “essentially a set of minimum provisions respecting the safety of buildings with reference to public health, fire protection, structural sufficiency, conservation and environmental integrity, and barrier-free accessibility.”
What does the Town of New Tecumseth charge for a building permit?
The Town sets its permit fees in Building Permit By-law 2026-018, in force January 1, 2026. The final fee payment is due when the permit is issued.
| Fee on a new New Tecumseth home | Rate | Unit | Minimum | Set in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New house permit | $1.26 | Per square foot of gross floor area | $124.00 | By-law 2026-018, Schedule A |
| Finished basement | $0.74 | Per square foot | $124.00 | By-law 2026-018, Schedule A |
| New sewage system (septic) | $994.00 | Per system | — | By-law 2026-018, Schedule A |
| Demolition permit | $431.00 | Per permit | — | By-law 2026-018, Schedule A |
| Water / sewer service connection installation | $1,163.35 | Per connection | — | By-law 2024-077, Schedule C, 2026 rates |
| Utility account activation | $44.20 | Per activation | — | By-law 2024-077, Schedule C, 2026 rates |
The by-law measures gross floor area between the outside surfaces of the exterior walls, excluding floors in unfinished cellars and basements. On a serviced lot, the Town states that property owners are responsible “from property line all the way into their home,” so that run belongs in your site-work quote.
Who approves a septic system in Alliston and New Tecumseth?
The Town of New Tecumseth does, through a building permit. Its Building Standards page lists “Constructing, renovating or repairing a sewage system, septic tank or septic field” as work that needs one. Schedule A of By-law 2026-018 sets the fee for a new sewage system at $994.00, separate from the house permit fee.
Septic lot or serviced lot, the fees differ. Get the permit, septic or connection, and charge lines for your New Tecumseth lot in one scoped quote.
Which conservation authority regulates an Alliston or New Tecumseth lot?
Two conservation authorities cover New Tecumseth. The Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) and the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) both list New Tecumseth as a member municipality. The Town states: “Depending on your project and its location, a permit may be required from a conservation authority. We will help you determine which conservation authority you need to contact.”
How do you check whether your Alliston lot is regulated?
Check both maps before you choose a house position. The NVCA’s Find Your Property page states: “Check to see if you are in a regulated area by using NVCA’s Interactive Map.” The Town’s maps page links the LSRCA’s regulation mapping and the Town’s own interactive map.
When does a new custom home need an NVCA permit?
In an NVCA-regulated area, it does. The NVCA’s permit list includes “Construction of a dwelling or addition” and “septic tanks (new or replacement).” Since September 1, 2026, the NVCA no longer accepts permit applications by email and directs applicants to its online portal. It aims to finish a risk-based review within 21 days, then to decide a minor permit within 30 days and a major one within 90.
Will the conservation authority change in 2027?
It may. Bill 97 received Royal Assent on April 24, 2026. It sets a transition date of February 1, 2027, or a later date set by regulation, and lists both the NVCA and the LSRCA among the authorities that become the Lake Huron Regional Conservation Authority. Ontario states the change consolidates its 36 conservation authorities into 9. Check which authority handles your lot when you apply.
Not sure whether the NVCA or the LSRCA covers your lot, or whether it needs a permit at all? Bring the address to a free consultation, and we’ll look at both maps with you before you choose a house position.
Where do we build custom homes in Alliston and New Tecumseth?
We build across the Town of New Tecumseth, on lots you own or are buying. The Town of New Tecumseth states that it “was formed in 1991 and includes the former municipalities of the Town of Alliston, Villages of Beeton and Tottenham, and Tecumseth Township.” For a lot in Collingwood, one of the County of Simcoe’s 16 member municipalities, see our Collingwood page for owned lots.
Do we build custom homes in Alliston, Beeton and Tottenham?
We do. The Town’s Official Plan names Alliston, Tottenham and Beeton as its three Settlement Areas, “where full wastewater and water services are available.” The same Town charge schedule and building permit fees apply in all three and in the rural area.
What changes the number is servicing, not the community name.
Do we build on rural lots outside Alliston, Beeton and Tottenham?
We do. A lot outside Town water and wastewater needs its own water supply and a septic system, both quoted as servicing against your lot. For well testing, the Town directs private well owners to the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.
Settlement Areas
Full wastewater and water services
- Alliston
- Beeton
- Tottenham
Rural area
Outside Town water and wastewater
- Own water supply
- Septic system
Same Town charge schedule and building permit fees
How do you find a reputable custom home builder in Alliston?
Check the licence first. The Ontario Builder Directory is the official directory of licensed Ontario builders and vendors, and you can search it by company name. The Home Construction Regulatory Authority (HCRA), Ontario’s home builder regulator, runs it, so HCRA licensing is checked there.
How do you verify a builder’s HCRA licensing and Tarion enrolment?
Look the builder up in the Ontario Builder Directory. Tarion no longer registers builders: licensing moved from Tarion to the HCRA on February 1, 2021, and the HCRA manages the Directory, so that is where to check. Search “My Own Cottage” there to see our HCRA licence and Tarion enrolment. Run the same search on every builder on your Alliston shortlist.
Who is the best custom home builder in Alliston?
No page can tell you which builder is best for your lot. Reviews show how past clients describe the work, and the Ontario Builder Directory shows the licence. Then compare what each builder puts in writing: a starting price, what it leaves out, and who handles the permits, charges and site work in New Tecumseth.
- A starting price
- What it leaves out
- Who handles the permits, charges and site work in New Tecumseth
Compare builders on what they put in writing. Get the model price, the site work and the New Tecumseth charges for your lot in one scoped quote.
How We Verified
| What we checked | Primary source | Date checked |
|---|---|---|
| Town development charge totals, collection, payment timing, deferral and demolition credit | Town of New Tecumseth, Development Charges | September 30, 2026 |
| Town development charge lines, single or semi-detached | Town of New Tecumseth, rate schedule effective July 1, 2026 | September 30, 2026 |
| Urban and rural area definitions, by-law term and demolition credit | Town of New Tecumseth, Development Charges By-law 2021-166 | September 30, 2026 |
| County development charge and payment timing | County of Simcoe, Development Charge Bulletin, January 2026 and By-law 7165-26 | September 30, 2026 |
| School board charges by period | Simcoe County school boards, Notice of Passage of EDC By-laws, 2023 | September 30, 2026 |
| Development Charge Reduction Program | Ontario, Development Charge Reduction Program | September 30, 2026 |
| Building permit, sewage system and demolition fees, floor area, Building Code Act authority and Ontario Building Code wording | Town of New Tecumseth, Building Permit By-law 2026-018 | September 30, 2026 |
| When a permit is needed, septic, applications, conservation authority and Building Department contacts | Town of New Tecumseth, Building Standards | September 30, 2026 |
| Service connection and utility activation fees | Town of New Tecumseth, Fees and Charges By-law 2024-077, Amendment 6 | September 30, 2026 |
| Private wells | Town of New Tecumseth, Water | September 30, 2026 |
| Water and sewer service ownership from the property line, and the Town’s curb stop | Town of New Tecumseth, Sanitary Lateral Services and Sewer Back-Up | September 30, 2026 |
| Settlement Areas and servicing | Town of New Tecumseth, Official Plan, August 2019 | September 30, 2026 |
| Communities that formed the Town | Town of New Tecumseth, Heritage | September 30, 2026 |
| Town and LSRCA maps | Town of New Tecumseth, Maps | September 30, 2026 |
| LSRCA membership | LSRCA, Our Partners | September 30, 2026 |
| NVCA membership, regulated-area check, permit activities, portal and review times | NVCA, About, Find Your Property, Do I Need a Permit? and Planning and Permits | September 30, 2026 |
| Bill 97 Royal Assent, transition date and successor authority | Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Bill 97 as assented to | September 30, 2026 |
| Consolidation of 36 conservation authorities into 9 | Ontario, Ontario Provincial Conservation Agency | September 30, 2026 |
| Zoning by-law and appeal note | Town of New Tecumseth, Zoning By-law 2021-128 | September 30, 2026 |
| County member municipalities | County of Simcoe, Municipal Partners | September 30, 2026 |
| Builder licence lookup | Ontario Builder Directory and HCRA, Ontario Builder Directory | September 30, 2026 |
| Builder licensing moved from Tarion to the HCRA on February 1, 2021 | HCRA, launch news release, February 1, 2021 | September 30, 2026 |
Alliston custom home builder FAQ
Who do you contact at the Town of New Tecumseth about a building permit?
Contact the Town of New Tecumseth Building Department at [email protected], or call 705-435-3900 or 905-729-0057. The Town takes permit applications by email, and states that “drawings shall be submitted digitally and be in a PDF format.” The Town Administration Centre is at 24 Tupper St. W., Alliston, ON L9R 1H2, according to the Town’s Building Standards page.
Does building in Beeton or Tottenham cost the same as in Alliston?
It does if the servicing matches. The Town of New Tecumseth applies one development charge schedule and one permit fee schedule across Alliston, Beeton, Tottenham and the rural area. The charge changes with Town water and wastewater, not with the community name.
Does a custom home builder in Alliston handle the building permits?
The Town of New Tecumseth issues every building permit, including the permit for a septic system. My Own Cottage helps with municipal permits for your build. Ask each builder on your shortlist to state in writing who prepares and submits each application.
How do you find the zoning of a lot in Alliston or New Tecumseth?
Use the Town of New Tecumseth’s interactive map, linked from the Town’s maps page, which carries zoning among its layers. Then read the zone’s rules in Zoning By-law 2021-128, parts of which are under appeal at the Ontario Land Tribunal, before you choose a model.
How long do New Tecumseth’s 2026 development charge rates apply?
The Town adjusts its rates “semi-annually in January and July,” and By-law 2021-166 came into force on January 1, 2022 for a term not to exceed five years, so by our arithmetic its term ends by January 2027 and a replacement by-law could change the rates. Ontario’s Development Charge Reduction Program requires participating municipalities to reduce charges “by 30% to 50% or more for 3 years.” Neither the Town’s nor the County’s development charge page showed a reduced rate on September 30, 2026, so confirm the rate for the date your permit will be issued.
What should you ask a custom home builder in Alliston at the first consultation?
Ask five questions that tie a builder’s price to your New Tecumseth lot:
- Is the builder listed in the Ontario Builder Directory?
- What does the quoted price include, and what is priced separately?
- Who prepares the septic design and the building permit application?
- Who checks whether the NVCA or the LSRCA regulates your lot?
- Are the Town, County and school board development charges shown in the quote?
What should you bring to a free consultation about your Alliston lot?
Bring your lot’s address, whether it has Town water and wastewater, and your survey if you have one. At a free consultation, we set the model price beside the Town, County and school board charges, the permits and the site work for that lot. Then compare our written scope with any of the custom home builders Alliston lot owners have on their shortlist.
Our facility: 12 Lankin Blvd #3, Orillia, ON L3V 7B6 · 1 (705) 345-9337 · [email protected]
Sean Stevenson is Chief Marketing Officer and Buyer Experience Lead at My Own Cottage Inc., an HCRA-licensed, Tarion-enrolled prefab home and cottage builder based in Orillia, Ontario.
For five years, Sean has worked alongside the company's build team, guiding Ontario buyers from lot assessment and budgeting beyond the model price through zoning, permits, development charges and final occupancy. Sean focuses on the part most buyers underestimate: what a prefab home costs to complete once the foundation, servicing and approvals are added to the model price.