Thinking about new finishes in an old house? If the wiring, the plumbing and the insulation behind the walls are old, new finishes only cover old problems. And one day you’ll have to open those walls again.
Older Toronto homes hide a lot: old wiring, pipes at the end of their life, water coming through the foundation, a roof that can’t hold. And when design, permits and construction are split between different companies, you end up being the project manager while living through it.
The renovation that was supposed to give you your home back becomes the thing that takes it away.
We plan the whole house on paper first, then we build it ourselves. You work with Sandra and Johanna from the first call to the last detail. That’s what keeps a big renovation calm and predictable.
A full gut renovation usually touches your kitchen, bathrooms and basement at the same time. We run them as one project: same drawings, same schedule, same people. Built-ins like a TV wall are drawn with the rest of the house, sized to the room and finished as part of the architecture.
We trained as architects and have more than 10 years of building experience in three countries. We’re a licensed and fully insured Toronto Building Renovator, with our own licensed electrician and plumber. When the house needs it, we bring in heating and cooling specialists and a structural engineer. Before anything comes down, you see the main decisions in 3D. It’s the same eye we bring to our interior design work across Toronto.
We build to last, and we want your house to belong on its street. If the outside changes, it should fit the homes around it. If the design is modern, we do it with care. And when the house has character worth saving, we keep it.
It’s the first question almost everyone asks, and it deserves a real answer.
A full gut renovation in Toronto usually costs $200 to $400+ per square foot, all-in: construction, materials, labour and HST. For a 1,500 sq ft home, that’s about $300,000 to $600,000+, depending on what we find and the finishes you choose.
We don’t give quotes without a design. The Interior Design Plan ends with an estimated budget built on your real house.
See what’s included and what it costs →
→ Read our full Toronto gut renovation cost guide, including a breakdown by scope, what's typically included vs. excluded in contractor quotes, and how to build a realistic budget before you talk to anyone.
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Drawn for your house, your routines and your budget. Not a template, not what photographs well.
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You decide with Sandra and Johanna. We handle the trades, the schedule, the permits and whatever comes up.
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The big decisions made on paper, a recommended reserve for what the walls hide, and permits planned before they slow things down.
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We visit, measure and design the whole house: floor plans, 3D, lighting, material selections and an estimated budget. If the house needs permits or an engineer, we tell you here.
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While the city reviews the permit, we confirm prices, order materials early and book our trades, so the build doesn’t wait.
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Demolition to final finishes, with our own licensed trades and every inspection. Updates every week, and a final check together before you move back in. If we build it, your design fee is credited to construction.
What you get
Measured site visit
Floor plans and 3D of the whole house
Lighting layout
Help choosing materials, fixtures and colors (samples brought to your home)
Scope of work and an estimated budget
Permit drawings and the permit process, when your project needs them (from $2,000 + HST, engineering extra)
Demolition to final finishes, with our own licensed electrician and plumber
Engineers and heating and cooling specialists, coordinated by us
Inspections, daily site management and weekly updates
If we find something unexpected, we show you options and costs before changing anything
Final check together and a 30-day follow-up after you move back in
Habitual Homes works on residential renovations across Toronto and the inner GTA. If you're in any of these neighbourhoods, we likely know the building stock and the permit office.
Not in this list? Contact us → We cover most of the GTA.
Frequently asked
Yes. Habitual Homes is a licensed and fully insured Toronto Building Renovator. We graduated as architects in Venezuela and have over 10 years of construction experience across three countries. All construction work is completed with licensed and insured trades, and we coordinate permits, inspections, and code compliance for every project.
Typically $200 to $400+ per square foot. For a 1,500 sq ft home, expect $300,000 to $600,000+, including construction, materials, labour and HST. The Interior Design Plan is priced separately. We recommend keeping a reserve of 10 to 20% on top.
12 to 18 months in total: 2 to 4 months of design, 1 to 2 months for permits and 8 to 12 months of construction. Bigger structural changes can take longer.
In most cases, yes. A full gut means no kitchen, no bathroom and no heating for stretches of the work. It’s the hard part, and it’s temporary. We give you the schedule before we start, so you can plan where to stay.
Design, permit drawings when you need them, material selection, our own licensed trades, project management and a final check together. See the full list in “What you get” above.
When we uncover surprises (structural issues, outdated wiring, asbestos), we assess with our licensed trades, present options with costs and timeline impacts, and get your approval before proceeding. That’s why we recommend keeping a reserve of 10 to 20%.
Most gut renovations require building permits (structural, framing, insulation), electrical permits, and plumbing permits. Some projects also need permits for heating and cooling or gas, or a zoning exception from the city. We handle all permits. Fees typically range $2,000 to $10,000+. Permit drawings start at $2,000 + HST, engineering extra.
It depends on your goals and your home’s structure. Many Toronto homes have walls that hold up the house, and removing one needs a beam designed by an engineer. During design, we explore options that maximize your space within your budget. Sometimes that means keeping walls and improving flow with better door placement and better views from room to room.
We don’t give quotes without a design. The Interior Design Plan ends with a scope of work and an estimated budget for your real house. Then we give you a construction price based on that design. See what the Interior Design Plan costs →
We help you answer that question. We offer a feasibility review or the Interior Design Plan to assess whether your existing home can support your goals. We walk you through the trade-offs honestly, even if it means recommending a custom home build instead of a renovation.
Open the walls once, fix what’s behind them, and get a home built to last and to belong on its street. It starts with a free 15-minute call with Sandra. We’ll tell you honestly if our approach fits your project.
Full Gut Renovation Toronto
Full Gut Renovation Toronto
Full Gut Renovation Toronto
Full Gut Renovation Toronto
Full Gut Renovation Toronto
