When Luisa first reached out to us, she had a clear goal: renovate her mother’s condo so it would feel clean, functional, and safe to live in again. She found us on Google, and later told us she chose us because she liked us as a team. That trust meant a lot — and we made sure to earn it.

The condo is in Lawrence Manor, in the west end of Toronto. Two spaces needed attention: the bathroom and the kitchen. Both were functional on paper, but neither was working well in practice.

The Bathroom: Years of Accumulated Problems

The bathroom had gone through a previous renovation at some point — but that work hadn’t been done well. The signs were visible: mould in the grout, deteriorated finishes, and a shower space that had never quite recovered from the conversion from a tub.

This is something we see often in condo bathrooms across Toronto. A renovation that skips proper waterproofing, or uses the wrong grout, or doesn’t address the substrate, will fail within a few years. You end up with a space that looks okay from a distance but is actually getting worse underneath.

Our scope in the bathroom focused on addressing those underlying problems — not just covering them up. Johanna made sure the work was done meticulously, going the extra mile to upgrade and remedy what the previous renovation had left behind.

The Kitchen: Practical Upgrades That Change How You Use the Space

The kitchen changes were driven by a very specific goal: make it easier for an older woman to use day to day.

Luisa thought carefully about what her mother actually needed, and came to the project with clear ideas. That kind of client input makes our job better — we can design around real life instead of guessing.

Here’s what we did:

Countertop: The existing laminate countertop was replaced with quartz. Laminate can look fine when new, but it doesn’t hold up to daily use the way quartz does — it chips, it stains, it deteriorates at the edges. Quartz is one of those investments that pays off every single day.

Sink: We replaced the double sink with a single basin. For someone living alone, a double sink takes up counter space without adding much. The single sink opened up the workspace considerably.

Plumbing: The drain connection was updated from copper to PVC — a practical upgrade that removes a future maintenance concern.

Faucet: New faucet to match the new sink and finish.

Over-the-range microwave: This was Luisa’s idea, and it was a good one. Replacing the hood with an over-the-range microwave freed up counter space that her mother genuinely needed. It functions as both a ventilation unit and a microwave — without taking up any surface area.

Completed Ahead of Schedule

The project was completed ahead of time. The space was cleaned and restored before we left. That’s not something we mention as a bonus — it’s part of how we work.

What Luisa Had to Say

“I am so pleased with the quality work in my mother’s condo. Sandra guided a clear, consultative process in the planning and design stage. I knew after they made their first visit that I was in good hands. Johanna ensured that the work was meticulously finished and went the extra mile to upgrade and remedy previous mistakes. Not only was the work completed ahead of time, but the space was also cleaned and restored. Johanna and Sandra are obviously proud of their craft and expertise and approach their work with integrity, which is such a find! Highly recommend.”

— Luisa Quarta, Toronto ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thinking About Renovating a Condo in Toronto?

Whether it’s a bathroom that needs to be done right this time, or a kitchen that needs to work better for the person living in it — we’d love to hear about your project.

We’re Habitual Homes, an architect-led design-build firm based in Scarborough. We design and build — the same team, from first visit to final cleanup.