Harnois commercial greenhouses are designed with commercial greenhouse expansion in mind. They can be extended after the initial installation without disrupting production—an important advantage for growers. Discover how phasing your greenhouse construction supports business growth while keeping your project on budget.
Harnois commercial greenhouses are built for long-term growth.
Our structures are designed to accommodate commercial greenhouse expansion at every stage of your operation. Whether you’re starting with a single freestanding unit or managing a full-scale complex, Harnois systems can be extended over time—without halting production or disrupting workflow.
This flexibility is ideal for growers who want to phase their investments and scale at their own pace. With Harnois, you’re not locked into a fixed layout; you’re investing in a greenhouse system that evolves with your needs.
Commercial greenhouse expansion - Why?
You can choose to expand your greenhouse complex for several reasons:
- To start a new crop;
- To produce a crop with a different system (e.g. hydroponic);
- To shelter a new crop with specific needs (e.g. an organic crop).
The key elements of a successful expansion
Here are some important points you will need to consider before embarking on a commercial greenhouse expansion:
- Perform a market analysis;
- Check the availability and cost of land (if you don’t already own it):
- Make sure that the land sale price is competitive;
- Think about the technologies you want to implement in the greenhouse based on the climate;
- Check the availability of your workforce.
With these points in mind, you can prepare your expansion plan to ensure profitability. You can then call on our team of experts to help you finalize your plan and begin construction.
Phased Construction: Grow in Stages, Stay on Budget
Planning your greenhouse project in phases allows you to stay financially strategic while keeping your commercial greenhouse expansion options open. Our engineering team helps you plan ahead, ensuring that future additions will integrate seamlessly into your original structure—whether you choose to add more bays, connect new freestanding tunnels, or expand toward a gutter-connected complex.
With the right commercial greenhouse expansion strategy, you can:
Begin production with minimal overhead
Add growing zones as demand increases
Integrate new technology over time
Maintain workflow continuity between phases
Reduce upfront infrastructure costs
Choose the right commercial greenhouse expansion size
The expansion area is dictated by the size of the lot and available labour. Harnois Greenhouses’ specialist team always proposes a structure that will cover as many square metres as possible. To do this, our engineers design a custom commercial greenhouse expansion that covers the entire lot using a match of different bay widths.
Carrying out the construction
We understand that halting production can have a major impact on your performance and revenue. That’s why we’ve developed a work process that allows you to continue all of your operations during the construction.
The stages of construction
Before starting construction, you need to prepare. You have to obtain a building permit and draw up a plan in collaboration with the Harnois team. Our experts will help you choose the right model for your crop, your climate and your needs.
The new structure is built independently so as not to interfere with your daily crop production. You can take advantage of the construction time to train your team that will be working in the new section of the greenhouse complex.
The best time to build
In Mexico, the best time to build is in late May, mid June or the end of September (outside of the rainy season). For Canada and the north & east United States, the ideal period is between April and November. It is possible to build between December and March, but it requires more logistics in addition to being more complex and the commercial greenhouse cost is higher. For the south & west United States, construction can be carried out year-round.
Talk with Harnois’ experts today to develop an commercial greenhouse expansion plan for your greenhouse complex. They will help you build custom greenhouse blocks to ensure the continued growth of your business.
Case Study: Maison Fleurs Vivaces
One of our standout examples of successful commercial greenhouse expansion is Maison Fleurs Vivaces. This grower began with just a few freestanding Ovaltech greenhouses to meet seasonal production needs. As their business grew, they opted to invest in a Luminosa gutter-connected greenhouse to centralize operations.
Strategic Integration
Rather than dismantling or relocating their original freestanding units, the grower chose to attach them directly to the new gutter-connected structure. This allowed them to preserve their earlier investment while improving operational flow. One bay of the Luminosa now serves as a dedicated manutention area, streamlining plant handling and preparation.
Expanding Again to Start Earlier
Today, Maison Fleurs Vivaces is expanding their gutter-connected complex again, adding more bays to extend the season and start production even earlier in the year. This commercial greenhouse expansion reflects a smart, modular approach: grow in phases, preserve prior investments, and continually improve efficiency with each step.
A Flexible Greenhouse System Designed for the Long Term
Whether you grow ornamentals, vegetables, perennials, or specialty crops, Harnois greenhouse structures provide unmatched adaptability for long-term commercial greenhouse expansion.
Our solutions include:
Freestanding Greenhouses (Ovaltech): Ideal for low- to mid-tech production with easy add-on capabilities
Gutter-Connected Greenhouses (Luminosa): High-performance, modular systems for large-scale or year-round growing
High Tunnels (TunnelPro Plus): Extend your season with lightweight, movable structures
With Harnois, every project is engineered with the future in mind. Let’s build a greenhouse complex that grows with you.