Three floors renovated
When a house needs more than one room fixed, the work has to be planned as a whole: layout, structure, wiring, plumbing, insulation and finishes, in the right order. Route Homes plans, permits and builds full home renovations across Toronto and the GTA.
Renovating room by room over several years usually means opening the same walls twice, rerouting the same pipes and paying for demolition more than once. A full home renovation does the hidden work once: new electrical and plumbing, better insulation, a layout that suits how you live now, then finishes throughout.
It is also the point where you decide whether the house is worth renovating at all. If the foundation and structure are sound, a full renovation usually costs less than building new. If they are not, we will tell you, and we can price a custom home for comparison.
A full renovation usually combines several of these. Each one has its own page with the details.
New layouts, custom cabinetry, counters, lighting and ventilation, with plumbing and electrical moved and permitted properly.
Bathrooms, ensuites and powder rooms built from the subfloor up, with waterproofing and venting done right.
Finished basements and legal second suites, planned around moisture, headroom, drains and exits.
Kitchens, bathrooms and full units, planned around your building’s rules and approvals.
Rear and second-storey additions, from the zoning check to the tie-in with the existing house.
Turning a house into two, three or four units under Toronto’s multiplex rules.
You just bought an older house. The best time to renovate is before you move in: the house is empty, the work goes faster and there is nothing to protect. Start the design as soon as the purchase is firm, so the permit application can go in right after closing. The permit review, not construction, is often what sets the start date.
You are staying for the long run. Plan the house for the next twenty years, not the next two: a main-floor powder room or a room that could become a bedroom, wider doorways, blocking in the bathroom walls for grab bars, and heating and electrical sized for how the house will really be used.
You are renovating to rent or to sell. Spend first where inspectors, buyers and tenants look: the electrical service, plumbing, roof and envelope, then kitchens and bathrooms in durable mid-range finishes. Adding a legal basement suite during a full renovation usually costs less than adding it later, because the walls, drains and wiring are already open.
Several generations will share the house. Separate living areas, a second kitchen or a self-contained suite are decided at the design stage. A self-contained unit has to meet the Building Code and Fire Code as a second unit (fire separation, its own exit, interconnected alarms), which is far easier to build in than to add afterwards.
Many Toronto homes were built before the 1960s. Once the plaster comes off, the same things come up again and again:
None of this has to be a surprise. We look for it at the walkthrough and carry allowances for it in the budget.
Then the work is sequenced so the electrician, plumber and HVAC trades finish their rough-in and pass inspection before insulation and drywall go up. That is what keeps a full renovation from turning into a string of change orders.
Houses built before the 1980s can contain asbestos in places you would not guess: vermiculite attic insulation, pipe and duct wrap, some plaster and textured ceilings, old floor tiles and their adhesive. Before construction starts, Ontario’s workplace safety rules require the owner to identify designated substances like asbestos, so suspect materials are tested before demolition.
Where asbestos is found, it is removed by a licensed abatement contractor under the required procedures before our crews open walls. Paint in older homes can contain lead, which calls for dust control and careful removal, especially with children in the family.
Testing early keeps the schedule honest: a positive result found halfway through demolition stops the job, while one found at the planning stage is just a line in the budget.
Three floors renovated top to bottom at 84 Don Head Village Blvd, a full interior renovation at 103 Peckham Ave, and a second-floor unit at 406 Roncesvalles Ave rebuilt as a rental with engineering, permits and new electrical and HVAC, which passed every City inspection.
The age of the house, how many floors, and what is not working: the layout, the wiring, the plumbing, a basement you cannot use. We will tell you what a full renovation is likely to involve before we book a walkthrough.
A gut renovation is the cheapest moment a house will ever have to fix its shell. With the plaster off, exterior walls can be insulated and air sealed properly, the attic brought up to a modern insulation depth, and leaky windows replaced in the same sequence, instead of patching around finished rooms later.
Heating and cooling follow from that. A tighter, better-insulated house often needs a smaller system than the one it has, and ductwork sized for the new layout.
Many families switch to a heat pump or a high-efficiency furnace at this point, and a tighter house usually needs mechanical ventilation, an HRV or ERV, to keep the air fresh. Rebates for this work change often, so check the current programs before counting on them.
Make the big decisions before construction: layout, cabinets, tile, fixtures and appliances. Most budget overruns come from choices made late, when work has to be redone or waits for materials.
Then:
We walk every floor with you, note what you want to change and look for the conditions that drive cost: structure, wiring, plumbing and moisture.
A written scope, room by room, with allowances for finishes and a clear list of what is excluded.
Layouts, structural details where walls move, and the drawings needed for the building permit.
We apply to the City for the building permit, arrange the ESA permit for electrical work and answer plan-review comments.
Demolition, rough-in, inspections, insulation, drywall and finishes, in that order, with one project manager keeping the schedule.
A final walkthrough, every deficiency closed, and your 2-year workmanship warranty in writing.
Plan for months, not weeks. The permit, the size of the house, how much of the structure changes and material lead times set the pace. As one example, the 4,300 sq ft interior renovation of the Andrew residence, with new floors, a redesigned kitchen, upgraded washrooms, paint and wall panels, took two and a half months.
Cost depends on square footage, how much is opened up, what is found behind the walls and the finish level. The biggest swings come from structural changes, moving kitchens and bathrooms, and upgrading the electrical service. Our home renovation cost guide breaks down current ranges.
Most families move out for a full renovation. Water and power are shut off at times, dust travels, and demolition areas are not safe. If you need to stay, we will tell you honestly whether the work can be phased.
Usually new layouts where needed, updated electrical and plumbing, insulation, new drywall, flooring, kitchen, bathrooms, trim, doors and paint throughout. Structural changes, a basement finish or an addition can be part of it. The written scope lists every item, so you know exactly what you are paying for.
Almost always. Structural changes, new or moved plumbing, heating changes and basement work need a building permit from the City, and electrical work needs an ESA permit. Painting and flooring on their own do not. We prepare and submit the applications for you.
Months rather than weeks. The permit, the size of the house, structural work and material lead times decide it. You get a written schedule before work starts.
If the foundation and structure are sound, renovating usually costs less. If the house needs a new foundation, structure and systems all at once, rebuilding can make more sense. We do both, so we can price both. More in Is it cheaper to renovate or rebuild?
Yes, phasing is possible, especially if the family stays in the house. It usually costs more overall, because some work, like the electrical service and plumbing stacks, runs through every floor. We will show you both options.
Yes, tell your insurer before a major renovation. Policies often change while a house is vacant or under construction, and some insurers ask for older wiring to be replaced. See knob and tube wiring and insurance in Toronto.
Yes, if the budget goes to the right places first: structure, electrical, plumbing and insulation, then finishes. Keeping the layout and choosing mid-range finishes where they matter less stretches the budget further. We will tell you honestly what the number can cover.
In older Toronto houses, plan for a contingency on top of the quoted price for conditions found behind the walls. How much depends on the age and condition of the house, which we assess at the walkthrough.
Yes, it is the best time to do it: insulation and air sealing while the walls are open, better windows, and a heat pump or high-efficiency furnace. Ontario has offered rebates for this kind of work; check the current programs before you plan around them.
Toronto and the GTA, from our office in Vaughan.
Recognized credentials and professional affiliations supporting Route Homes projects across Toronto and the GTA.
We walk every floor with you, look at the wiring, plumbing, structure and moisture, and follow up with a written scope and budget, room by room, with allowances for finishes.
