Services Projects Areas Resources Company Get a Quote
Self Storage Construction

Self Storage Construction in
Barrie & Simcoe County

Back to Self Storage Construction

Simcoe County is our home market. Terrahills is headquartered in Ramara and our own 100,000 sq ft multi-unit steel development, the Ramara Industrial Park, is here, so the zoning offices, the servicing questions and the snow loads that shape a storage facility in Barrie, Innisfil, Bradford or Orillia are things we deal with every week.

Storage demand follows households, and the county's growth is concentrated in Barrie and along the Highway 400 corridor through Innisfil and Bradford West Gwillimbury, where new subdivisions, townhomes and apartments bring residents with less space than the houses they left. Orillia and the Highway 11 corridor add a market that also stores boats, trailers and seasonal equipment for the lakes. Both kinds of tenant are served by the same site: climate-controlled units for household goods at the frontage, drive-up and vehicle storage behind.

Simcoe County sits in the Georgian Bay snowbelt. Ground snow loads here are among the higher ones in southern Ontario, and drive-up sites with closely spaced buildings drift snow onto roofs and into aisles. That makes building spacing, aisle width, snow storage areas and frame design one decision rather than three. The approvals track runs through the lower-tier municipality with County, and Lake Simcoe Region or Nottawasaga Valley conservation authority sign-off on the stormwater a large paved site needs.

What is specific to building self storage in Simcoe County

  • Snowbelt loads: ground snow loads are high by southern Ontario standards, so roof loads, drift between buildings and aisle widths for ploughing are designed together
  • Frost depth is designed around 1.2 m across most of the county; unheated drive-up buildings need foundations below it or frost-protected shallow foundations
  • Zoning: whether self storage is permitted, and in which industrial or highway commercial zones, differs between Barrie, Innisfil, Bradford West Gwillimbury, Orillia and the townships. Confirm it for the specific property
  • Servicing: serviced sites along the 400 corridor move quickly; rural and greenfield parcels may need servicing extensions or on-site water for firefighting
  • Stormwater: large paved and roofed areas bring stormwater management under LSRCA or NVCA review across much of the county
  • Lakes and cottage traffic along Highway 11 and Georgian Bay support boat, RV and trailer storage alongside household units

What it costs here

indicative 2026 Ontario ranges, hard costs per gross square foot: single-storey drive-up $70–$120, multi-storey climate-controlled $160–$260, conversion of an existing building $50–$120. Land, servicing, development charges and soft costs sit outside these bands, and a Class C estimate against the unit mix and the site is the number to plan on.

Proof of delivery

Ramara Industrial Park: 100,000 sq ft multi-unit steel development, Ramara, Simcoe County, taken from greenfield through zoning, servicing, structure and envelope to tenant occupancy under one contract. Headquartered at 1632 Ramara Road 51.

Self storage construction in Ontario

FAQ

Questions clients ask about self storage

Yes. We are headquartered in Ramara and build across the county: Barrie, Innisfil, Bradford West Gwillimbury, Orillia, New Tecumseth and the townships and Georgian Bay towns. Drive-up, multi-storey climate-controlled, conversions and boat and RV storage, from zoning feasibility to occupancy.
It is one of the main design drivers. High ground snow loads and drifting between closely spaced drive-up buildings increase frame and roof member sizes, and aisles have to be wide enough to plough without striking doors, with room on the site to store the snow. We lay out the buildings and design the structure together so the spacing works for both.
It depends on the municipality and the zone, and it has to be confirmed for the specific property. Each lower-tier municipality in the county has its own zoning by-law and treats storage differently. We confirm the zoning and the development charge rate during feasibility and carry any variance or rezoning as part of the same contract as the building.