We recently finished a full main-floor renovation on our 1990s semi-detached in Brampton’s Bramalea neighbourhood and wanted to share what we learned.
The project scope:
- Opened the kitchen to the dining area (removed a non-load-bearing wall — confirmed with structural engineer)
- New kitchen with quartz counters and LG appliances
- New LVP flooring throughout main floor
- Updated powder room
- Fresh trim and paint throughout
Total cost: $67,000 CAD
Permit from the City of Brampton took 3 weeks. The inspector was thorough on the HVAC ducting changes — had to add a cold air return in the new open-plan space.
What surprised us:
- Semi-detached walls are party walls — you need to be careful about any work near the shared wall
- Brampton’s permit fees were reasonable (~$380 for our scope)
- Finding a reliable contractor took longer than expected — we got 5 quotes, two were way off
We used a contractor from home.renovation.reviews — found their profile in the contractor directory and the reviews checked out. Very happy with the results.
Anyone else done a semi-detached main-floor reno in Peel Region? Would love to compare notes on what you found with the shared wall situation.