What Is a Bunkie?

A bunkie is a small cabin for extra space on a cottage or home property. A bunkie is multi-purpose and can be used for guests to stay in overnight, an office, an Airbnb, a kids playhouse, an art studio, a retreat on your property, or anything you need extra space for.

In Canada, a bunkie is usually under 108 sq ft. In Ontario, BC, and many other parts of North America, a building less than 108 sq. ft. does not require a building permit. However, we always recommend that you check with your municipality, as this varies by region.

Usually, a bunkie does not have running water because this would require plumbing. If you have plumbing, you would need to get a permit. However, people often add a nearby small bathroom bunkie with a composting toilet. 

The term bunkie originated from the word “bunkhouses”, small cabins built by farmers for seasonal employees in Ontario, Canada. In the 1960’s, the word bunkie soon became a popular term used by owners of cottages in the region of Muskoka, Ontario to describe small cabins they built for extra guests to stay in overnight. As a result, cottagers have been using the affectionate term “bunkie” for many years, to describe a small cabin for extra guests to sleep in. Don’t call a bunkie a shed.

Bunkies have now evolved to have so many more uses, as you can see here with our happy clients.

David Fraser, owner of Bunkie Life descibes “What is a Bunkie?”

The use of the word bunkie to describe a small cabin is becoming known across Canada. Bunkies are being built from the east coast of Canada all the way to the west coast, and even parts of United States.

The bunkie’s small size means that homeowners can usually avoid dealing with the building regulations that a proper guest house would require. “As long as you keep it to a minimum size—generally under 100 square feet, depending on where you live—and don’t install plumbing, you don’t need a permit to build a bunkie” (but as a disclaimer, we recommend to check your municipality).

If you are thinking of building a bunkie call us at 1-866-428-6541 or contact us by email.