Available now
Nightingale
Compact two-bedroom layout, ideal for first-time owner-builders or as a sweat-equity garden suite.
Reserve Nightingale Lock-UpLock-Up program
ORCA delivers a factory-built, weathertight shell to your site. You finish the interior — drywall, flooring, fixtures, the parts where labour adds up. Same engineering, same performance, around 30% less than a fully turn-key home.
What you get
Lock-Up means we deliver the parts that need a factory: precision-cut steel framing, fully sealed envelope, windows and doors fitted. You handle the parts that benefit from your own time and trades: drywall, paint, flooring, plumbing fixtures, electrical finishes, cabinetry.
Available now
Nightingale and Swallow are our most popular garden suites — both proven, both designed for owner-finish workflow, both with simple rectangular floorplans that DIY-friendly.
Compact two-bedroom layout, ideal for first-time owner-builders or as a sweat-equity garden suite.
Reserve Nightingale Lock-UpSlightly larger with a second bathroom — popular for families or owners who plan to rent out the finished home.
Reserve Swallow Lock-UpAvailable on request
Most of our garden suites work well as Lock-Up builds — these are popular candidates. Reach out to discuss a specific model.
702 sqft · 2 bed · 1 bath
741 sqft · 2 bed · 1 bath
630 sqft · 1 bed · 1 bath
Is Lock-Up right for you?
How it works
Pick a model, sign a Lock-Up agreement, place a deposit.
We build your shell in our Vancouver Island facility. Roughly 4 months.
Shell craned onto your prepared site. Site work runs in parallel.
You take over. Drywall, fixtures, flooring, paint — on your own schedule.
Final inspection, occupancy, and you're home — in a place you helped build.
Common questions
Lock-Up homes run around 30% less than the equivalent fully turn-key model. Exact pricing depends on the model and any customizations. Reach out for a specific quote.
Yes, but with some caveats. Most lenders require homes to be fully finished before releasing the mortgage funds. Construction loans or progress-draw mortgages typically work better for Lock-Up. We can recommend lenders familiar with the program.
Same as a turn-key build: building permit from your municipality, plus any local zoning approvals. We provide the CSA A277 certification and engineering documents your permit application needs.
Most owner-builders take 4–8 months to finish the interior after delivery. Depends on how much you do yourself vs. hire out, and whether you can work on it full-time.
No. Most Lock-Up owners do drywall, paint, flooring, and finishes themselves, then hire trades for plumbing, electrical, and HVAC connections. The savings come from labour you contribute, but you can subcontract any part of the finish work.
Exactly the same. Same steel frame, same envelope, same insulation pack, same engineering, same CSA A277 certification. The difference is only what's installed inside the shell when it arrives — not the quality of the structure.
A 15-minute call covers your site, your timeline, and how much of the finish work you want to take on. We'll be honest about whether Lock-Up is the right fit.
Reserve a Lock-Up build