Structural surprises are among the most common renovation budget overruns in older GTA homes. This thread covers what to expect and how to manage it.
Most Common Structural Surprises
- Load-bearing wall where open concept planned: $5,000-$25,000 for beam, posts, footing
- Undersized floor joists needing sistering: $3,000-$10,000
- Foundation cracks or previous repairs: $5,000-$30,000
- Rotted sill plate or framing from moisture: $2,000-$15,000
- Settling or out-of-level floors: $5,000-$20,000+
How to Respond
Stop work. Assess before proceeding. Engineer stamp required for beams over 4m span in most GTA municipalities. Document with photos. Issue written change order before authorizing additional work.
Pre-Renovation Structural Assessment
For homes pre-1970 or with visible settling/moisture: a structural engineer assessment ($300-$800) before demo can identify issues. Especially valuable before open-concept conversions and additions.
LF Builders has 50+ years managing structural surprises: https://lfbuilders.ca
Share structural discovery experiences at https://home.renovation.reviews