The Cost of Construction & Sudbury's New Construction Housing Market
Construction expenses in Sudbury have mirrored the upward trend seen across Ontario and Canada due to various factors like supply chain disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, increased national interest rates, and a shortage of skilled tradespeople. By September 2023, the building costs for new homes across Canada surged by 64% compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, as per Statistics Canada's building construction price index.
The steep rise in construction expenses for new housing in Ontario necessitates an affordable approach to meet the Provincial government's ambitious goal of constructing 1.5 million homes by 2030. Local investigations, industry observations, and prevailing trends indicate that building a new residential single-detached home in Sudbury could cost between approximately $320 to $350 per square foot.
Foundation Walls & Basement Slabs
Concrete foundations like reinforced cast-in-place walls and basement slabs are frequently used in new residential construction. Concrete block walls can serve as an alternative, maintaining a similar structural integrity for the foundation. To safeguard against water infiltration below grade, common solutions involve finishing with parging, waterproofing, and installing weeping tiles to divert groundwater away from footings. Insulation, applied externally or internally, is also viable.
Given the harsh northern winter conditions and frost-prone soils, it's advisable to construct footings at least 6' below grade to prevent freezing effects, though insulated shallower footings can suffice. These sub-grade constructions are heavy reliance on concrete, being a significant carbon emitter.
Exterior Wall Assemblies
Sudbury's typical housing is built with wood studs, sheathed in oriented strand board or plywood, covered by a vapor-permeable membrane. Insulation, like fiberglass or spray foam, fills stud cavities with a vapor barrier inside. The Ontario Building Code requires over 2” of continuous rigid outboard insulation, often EPS, XPS, or GPS. This construction method, consistent for years, is affordable but limited to non-winter months.
Roofing Assemblies
Roofing in Sudbury primarily relies on prefabricated engineered wood trusses, a cost-effective solution for sloped residential roofs. Alternatively, roofs may use SPF lumber in a rafterframed design, offering more attic space and customizable forms but often at a higher cost than trusses.
Given Sudbury's challenging winter weather, roofing materials and underlayment must endure. Typically, roofs are equipped with self-adhered or synthetic ice and water shield underlayment. Asphalt shingles are the norm due to their easy application, cost-effectiveness, and replacement cycle of 15 to 20 years.
