Welcome to Earthwright's FAQ section, where we provide clear and concise answers to your most commonly asked questions about our modular homes and services.

  • We make Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU). Our Shelters are modular, standalone structures designed for efficiency, sustainability, and quality. These ADUs are prefabricated off-site and delivered to the property, where they are installed on a foundation and connected to utilities. Earthwright's ADUs are characterized by their eco-friendly construction, energy-efficient features, and modern, minimalist design. They are ideal for property owners looking to add a separate living space for family members, create rental income, or expand their living area with a focus on environmental sustainability and cost-effectiveness.

    Our ADU’s serve al kinds of applications:

    Residential

    Home Office or Studio
    Spare Bedroom
    Workshops
    Recreational Property Cabin
    Off-grid rec space
    Solutions for Age-in-place care
    Investment oppurtunities for multi-dwelling property conversions

    Commercial

    Guest Accommodations / Glamping Cabins / unique Airbnb
    Retail Space
    Workshop / Gallery
    Ticket Kiosk
    Administration Office
    Food Services

    Industrial

    Scale Office
    Security / Entry Kiosk
    Worker Housing
    Site Administration Office
    First Aid Station
    Technical Equipment Storage

    or anythig else you may think of!

  • Yes we do! For inquiries, please contact us.

  • Starting at $185,000 plus installation. Custom builds start at $270 + taxes per square foot.

  • Yes. All of our products are CSA certified and undergo detailed design review, strict quality control procedures and frequent inspections. Intertek Testing Services performs the necessary reviews and inspections to maintain our status as CSA Certified Manufacturer of Modular Buildings (CSA A-277).

  • In almost all cases a Building Permit is required to place an Earthwright Shelter on private, commercial or industrial properties, so we’ve made it EASY.

    Here’s How:

    We provide detailed structural drawings, design load calculations, and the CSA Certification documents that are required to apply for a building permit with your Municipality.

    You will be required to obtain a Site Plan of your property indicating where the building will be located as well as complete the Application documents provided by your Municipality.

    Include the documents we provide when you submit your permit application and pay the administration fee.

    Permits of this nature (simple) typically take 2-3 weeks for approval.

    Once your Earthwright Shelter is positioned in the location indicated on your Building Permit, the local Building Inspector will perform a site visit to confirm and then complete the permit documents.

    NOTE: In most cases, the limiting factors regarding the location of an Earthwright Shelter are: setbacks from property boundaries, total lot coverage, and separation from existing structures. These factors are specific to local zoning bylaws and can be easily determined by reviewing local bylaws or contacting your local Building Department.

  • Earthwright Shelters are specifically designed to not require concrete foundations. The structural steel foundation rails provide continuous bearing to the substrate for consistent load transfer even on marginal substrates. The basic site preparation requirements are:

    A level surface, with adequate slope on the perimeter to provide drainage.

    Removal of organic soils and vegetation, replaced with compacted crush if necessary to maintain perimeter slope.

    Provide access for delivery with trailer or crane.

  • We’ve made electrical service requirements simple, here’s how:

    All of our products come equipped with a 4 meter long, 10 awg. cabtire electrical cord and a 120V 20A plug.

    This allows for a plug and play connection to a grounded 120V 20A GFI outlet

    With the appropriate adapter, Earthwright Shelters can also be connected to either a 15A or 30A GFI outlet.

    In all cases, the electrical outlet being used must be connected to a grounded electrical panel.

    For locations within 50ft of the outlet, a 10Awg heavy duty extension cord can be used.

    For locations over 50ft from the outlet, a buried cable and post mounted outlet installed by a licensed electrician is required.

  • Yes, we provide a 10 year warranty on all of our products. Any deficiencies that arise within 10 years of the date of purchase will be corrected at no cost to the owner. Some limitations apply, non-transferable.

  • Earthwright Shelters have been specifically designed to make transportation and delivery easy, here’s how:

    We offer in-house delivery with our tilt deck trailer and F-350.

    Local delivery to site is free, other locations are charged by distance.

    Free placement where the Earthwright Shelter can be tilted off the trailer (access, 70 ft of straight approach and 16ft clearance is required)

    For locations where lifting with a crane is required, Earthwright Shelters come equipped with integrated heavy lifting rings on 4 corners to safely speed up the process and minimize crane time.

    Property owners are responsible for all additional cost other than local delivery to site and tilt-off installation.

  • Can I move my shelter in the future?

    Yes, our unique design allows you to hire almost any hauling company to pick up your Earthwright Shelter and transport it to a new location. This means you can sell the unit if you no longer need it or you can take it with you when you relocate to a new home.

  • For in-stock units, delivery can be completed ASAP, pending Building Permit approval.

    For stock units awaiting manufacture, delivery can range from 4-8 weeks.

    For Custom units delivery can range from 3-5 months.

ES Series FAQs

    • ES stands for Easy Shelter, and that's what they are: Easy.

    • An Accessory Building is one that is occupied for reasons other than dwelling purposes (defined as cooking, cleaning and sleeping).

    • ES Series Buildings are CSA A-277 Certified, designed to your local building code requirements, modular built in a factory and shipped to site completed.

    • ES Series Buildings are easily transportable as they are under height on a delivery trailer and lightweight, making delivery logistics cost effective.

    • ES Series Buildings come equipped with our Plug and Play Electrical System, simply plug in your modular to an exterior GFI outlet on our house, no need for electrical permits or service installations.

    • ES Series Buildings can be installed on residential, commercial and industrial properties anywhere in Canada.

  • Wide variety of residential, commercial and industrial applications including:

    • Business Offices

    • Studio Space

    • Sales Kiosks

    • Bunkhouses

    • Workshops

    • Health Practitioner Treatment Clinics

    • Food Services

    • Recreational Cabins

    • Scale / Entry Checkpoints

    • First Aid Stations

    • Mechanical / Utility Rooms

    • Site Offices

    • Residential Development Showrooms

    • Information Booths

  • Yes we do, quite often.   Our goal is to deliver the best possible design for your application and it nearly always involves some customized aspect.

  • Yes. All of our products are CSA Certified and undergo detailed design review, extensive quality control measures and inspections with the work performed by qualified / licenced trades.

    Intertek Testing Services Int. performs the reviews and inspections to maintain our status of CSA Certified Manufacturer of Modular Buildings (CSA A-277)

    CSA A-277 is a procedural standard for Quality Control Operations that manufacturers are required to adhere to, not a structural building code.

    As such, all A-277 buildings must be designed and engineered to suit the specific requirements of the end user location including: Canadian Building Code, BC Building Code, Canadian Electrical and Plumbing Code, BC Energy Code, as well as local Municipal Bylaws.

  • Most importantly, it means that the process of building your Modular is subjected to thorough design review and quality control measures as well as detailed documentation.  This ensures that your modular accessory building will be safe, perform flawlessly and last for decades.

    CSA Certification saves time and money during the Building Permitting Process.  Most Municipalities have a low set rate for installation of Modular Buildings and move the CSA supported building permit applications through the process faster.

    CSA Certification protects your investment for the long run.  For starters, it allows you to better appraise the building once installed, providing easier financing, appropriate insurance coverage, and increasing the value of your property.  In addition, CSA Certification allows you the option to resell your Modular in the future, as the purchasers can then use the documentation to acquire building permits through their local authority.

  • In almost all cases, a Building Permit is required from your local authority having jurisdiction, so we’ve made it easy!

    For projects within BC, our experienced team of professionals will compile the documents, submit the application and manage the inspections for you.  For other provinces, we will supply all of the documentation relating to the building you will need to obtain a permit.

  • The ES Series Accessory Buildings are designed and engineered to not require foundations, this saves time and money.  A level, compacted granular fill pad with appropriate drainage is all that is required.

    Access for delivery and crane must also be considered.

  • We’ve made the electrical connection simple, here’s how:

    The ES Series comes with a plug and play electrical system that can connect to an exterior GFI outlet on your home, simply requiring a grounded 20A 120V connection.

    In most cases, homeowners decide to bury the supply in conduit for a tidier hassle free installation that is easily and permanently connected to the wiring through the pvc exterior connection box on the building.

    For applications where a greater electrical demand is required (100A, 240V) allocations can be made in the design for a grounded main panel, meter feed connection.

  • Yes we provide a 2 year comprehensive in-house warranty on all of our products.

    Third party extended warranties are also available.

  • Yes we can deliver anywhere in BC and Alberta.

    For other provinces and territories we can arrange transport to suit your requirements.

  • For in-stock units, delivery can be completed once the building permit has been issued.

    For custom built units, manufacturing takes 4 weeks and will be scheduled as per the dates provided in the purchase contract.

  • We include installation in the price, our experienced team typically installs in less than 2 hrs.

    For installations outside of our service area, we provide detailed lifting and placement requirements and procedures making it safe and easy to manage.

  • MSRP is provided for each model on our Products Page. Typically around $270/sqft.

    Price adjustments from the MSRP (+/-) are typical and relative to the features and finishes selected.

    We take great pride in our  Fixed-Price Guarantee, where the price quoted is the price at completion. This removes the stress of uncertainty and makes it unnecessary to account for contingencies in your budget.