We completed a major renovation on our Mississauga freehold townhouse — kitchen, two bathrooms, and basement. Sharing what was different vs our previous detached home experience.
Shared wall reality:
Our party wall is shared with the adjacent unit. When we opened the kitchen wall, we discovered the previous owner had improperly installed an electrical circuit that ran through the shared wall — technically into the party wall assembly. We had to reroute it through the ceiling before our inspector would sign off.
HVAC limitations:
We wanted to add central air on the second floor (currently only one unit serves the whole house). The HVAC contractor confirmed our air handler was undersized for the added duct run — we would need to replace the air handler, not just add ducts. Quoted $6,400. We deferred this.
Condo vs freehold — confirmed our status:
We called the city and confirmed our address is a freehold (not condominium) townhouse. This meant we dealt only with the City of Mississauga for permits — no condo board approval required.
Permit experience:
Kitchen (electrical and plumbing changes) + two bathrooms + basement finishing: one combined permit application.
- Mississauga permit: $2,240
- Issued: 3 weeks
What surprised us:
The inspector was particularly strict about the shared wall. Any penetration through the party wall assembly required a specific fire-rated assembly detail. Our contractor was familiar with this and did it correctly — but it required additional attention.
Net renovation cost:
- Kitchen: $38,400
- Two bathrooms: $28,800
- Basement finish: $44,200
- Total: $111,400
The townhouse format was not significantly more complicated than detached, except for the party wall electrical issue. If you’re renovating a townhouse, have your contractor inspect the party wall before quoting — it can hide surprises.