September 27, 2026
Route Homes renovates houses and condos across Toronto and the GTA. Kitchens, bathrooms, basements, additions and full gut renovations, with design, permits and construction handled by one team.
Design, engineering, permits and construction, coordinated by one team from the first site visit to the final walkthrough.
For 20 years we have been opening up walls in Toronto houses and finding out what is really behind them, in family homes across the GTA, condos and rental units. We also build custom homes, so we look at a renovation the way a builder does: structure, services and sequencing first, then finishes.
You deal with one team the whole way through. We walk the house with you, put the scope in writing, get the drawings and permits in place, then run the trades, the inspections and the schedule until the last deficiency is closed.
Some projects start with a kitchen that no longer works. Others start with a house that needs everything. Either way, we plan the work around how you live in the home and what the building needs.
Gut renovations and major remodels where layout, structure, wiring, plumbing and finishes are planned together, not one room at a time.
New layouts, custom cabinetry, stone, lighting and ventilation, with plumbing and electrical moved properly and permitted when needed.
Waterproofing done right under the tile, proper venting, heated floors and storage that fits the room.
Finished basements, rental suites and more headroom, planned around moisture, ceiling height, egress and code.
Kitchens, bathrooms, flooring and full unit refreshes, coordinated with your building’s rules, elevator bookings and work hours.
Rear additions and second-storey additions, from zoning check and drawings to framing, roofing and tie-in.
Good renovations come from good planning and a crew that shows up. Here is what you can expect from us.
Two decades of renovations, additions and custom homes in older houses, newer builds and condos.
Drawings, engineering, permit applications and construction are coordinated by one team, so nothing falls between trades.
A detailed scope with allowances and exclusions spelled out, so you can compare quotes properly and changes are handled in writing.
HCRA-licensed builder, fully insured, with a 2-year workmanship warranty on our renovation work.
Real Route Homes renovations: a whole house over three floors, a condo kitchen redesign, a basement with a full kitchen and a unit rebuilt as a rental that passed City inspections.
Main floor, second floor and basement renovated together, with a custom kitchen and new flooring throughout.
A three-bedroom condo with the kitchen layout redesigned, new counters, flooring and paint.
A finished basement with a full kitchen, a waterfall island and custom cabinetry.
A second-floor unit turned into a two-bedroom rental: engineering, permits, kitchen, laundry, electrical and HVAC, inspections passed.
Real Route Homes clients talking about their renovation, the process and the finished result, in their own words.
Most Toronto houses are decades old. They have good bones, but a real renovation almost always uncovers something: outdated wiring, old water lines and drains, missing insulation, a low basement. Planning for it before demolition, with the permits and trades lined up, is what keeps a project on schedule and on budget.
Removing a load-bearing wall means an engineer’s design and a building permit from the City. Electrical work needs an ESA permit. Lowering a basement means choosing between underpinning and a bench footing. An addition may need a minor variance from the Committee of Adjustment. We sort these out at the planning stage so they do not stall the job halfway through.
Every step ends with something you can see: a written scope, a budget, drawings, a schedule, and at the end a signed-off home.
We see the house, talk through what you want to change and look for the things that will shape the job: structure, wiring, plumbing, moisture.
We confirm what is possible on your property, including zoning and whether the work needs a permit or a minor variance.
A line-by-line budget with allowances for finishes, so you know where the money goes before anything is ordered.
Design, engineering and permit drawings are prepared and submitted, and we deal with the City’s comments.
A set schedule, licensed trades, required inspections booked on time and regular updates from your project manager.
We walk the finished home with you, close out every deficiency and hand over warranty details.
We renovate houses and condos across the whole GTA, from our office on Keele Street in Vaughan, and handle permits with each city’s own building department. The cities below have their own page, with local rules and our projects there.
Don’t see your city? We work there too. Call (416) 834-2444 or book a free site visit, and we will tell you what applies to your address.
Start with the home, your priorities and the scope. Route Homes will help clarify feasibility, budget expectations, permit needs and the next practical step.
Straight answers, based on real Route Homes projects.
For most real renovations, yes. Removing or changing structural walls, adding a bathroom or moving plumbing, changing ductwork or heating, underpinning a basement, creating a basement apartment and building an addition all need a building permit from the City. Electrical work needs an ESA permit. Painting, flooring and replacing cabinets in the same spot usually do not. We confirm this during the walkthrough and handle the applications for you.
About $100 to $450 per square foot in 2026: roughly $200,000 to $900,000 for a 2,000 sq ft house, depending on the finish and how much of the house is opened up, before HST. Our home renovation cost guide breaks it down by size, finish and room; after a site visit you get a written, itemized quote.
Plan for months, not weeks. Permit approval, the size of the house and material lead times set the pace. As one example, a 4,300 sq ft interior renovation (floors, kitchen, washrooms, paint and wall panels) took us two and a half months from start to finish. We give you a written schedule before work starts.
For a single room, usually yes. For a whole-home renovation, most families move out: water and power get shut off, there is dust, and some areas are unsafe during demolition. If you need to stay, we will tell you honestly whether the work can be phased so part of the house stays usable.
If the foundation is sound and the layout mostly works, renovating is usually the better value. If the house needs a new foundation, structure and systems all at once, a rebuild can make more sense. Because we do both, we can price both honestly. More in Is it cheaper to renovate or rebuild?
Yes. We coordinate the design, engineering and permit drawings, submit the application and respond to the City’s comments, so construction can start as soon as the permit is issued.
Line them up on scope, not the total. Check what is included and excluded, the allowances for finishes, who pulls the permits, how changes are priced, the schedule and the warranty. A low quote with vague allowances often ends up costing more.
Toronto and the GTA. The “Where we work” section above links to a page for each city where we have one, with its local rules and our projects there.
Tell us what you want to change. We’ll help clarify the scope, approval needs and practical next steps.
