Every spring it is the same call. A homeowner reaches out in late May or early June wanting work started right away, and we have to tell them we are booked into September. It happens every year – and it keeps happening because people underestimate how fast GTA contractor schedules fill up once the weather turns.
This spring has an added complication: material prices are moving. After a quieter winter, Canadian lumber costs are up 5.11% for Q2 2026, driven by BC mill closures, ongoing Canada-US tariff uncertainty, and the federal carbon tax jumping to $110 per tonne in January – a direct hit to sawmill and treatment facility operating costs. If you have been sitting on a project, the window to start at last-year pricing is narrowing.
Here is the honest breakdown.
How fast do Toronto contractor calendars actually fill up?
From our own scheduling data and what we hear from the trades we work alongside, roughly 70% of GTA renovation contractors book their peak season (May through August) by the end of March. By April, you are no longer choosing from a full menu – you are choosing from whoever still has availability, which is a very different thing.
What the current calendar looks like for new inquiries:
- Mid-May start: still achievable for smaller projects if you get quotes moving this week
- Late May start: reasonable for a full kitchen or bathroom reno if decisions are made within the next two weeks
- June start: realistic for larger exterior work (decks, interlock, framing additions) if you reach out now
- July or August start: the likely outcome for anyone who begins the process in May
Factor in permit timelines if your project needs one. A deck above 24 inches above grade, a finished basement, or any structural wall removal will require a City of Toronto building permit – typically four to six weeks for processing. FASTRACK review is available for smaller qualifying projects and can compress that, but it comes with its own pre-screening criteria and is not a guaranteed fast-pass.
What are Toronto projects actually costing right now?
A few benchmarks based on what we are quoting in the GTA at current pricing:
Deck (200 sq ft, pressure-treated): $8,600 - $12,500 installed. A composite-board equivalent runs $12,500 - $19,200 for the same footprint. Budget another $300 - $600 for permit fees if required.
Interlock patio or pathway (200 sq ft): $12,000 - $22,000 depending on stone grade, drainage prep, and base condition of the existing ground.
Kitchen renovation (mid-range, keeping layout): $35,000 - $60,000 for a typical Toronto semi or detached home.
Bathroom renovation (4-piece, full gut): $19,000 - $32,000 mid-range. Custom glass, heated floors, and large-format tile push the upper end to $38,000 - $55,000.
Basement finishing (800 sq ft, standard): $65,000 - $110,000 depending on washroom addition, egress window requirements, and partition walls.
These are not quotes – they are field benchmarks based on current GTA pricing. Actual numbers vary by neighbourhood, site conditions, scope, and material selections.
The one thing most homeowners skip that costs them the most time
Getting multiple quotes in sequence eats three to four weeks. Most people contact one contractor, wait for the quote, then call a second, wait again. By the time you have two numbers to compare, your preferred contractor’s slot is gone.
The better approach: run quotes in parallel. Contact two or three established contractors at the same time, give each the same written brief, and set yourself a firm two-week decision window. It is respectful of everyone’s time and keeps your project on schedule.
If you are not sure what to look for when vetting contractors, there is a solid homeowner checklist on the forum worth reading before you start: How to Vet a Contractor Before Signing Anything.
And if permits are part of your project, this thread on what is quietly delaying Ontario projects right now is worth a read: Why Renovation Permits Are Quietly Delaying Projects Across Ontario.
What is on your list this spring?
Curious what others in the community are working through – deck, kitchen, basement, exterior? Drop it below. Happy to give a rough read on timeline and budget expectations based on what we are seeing in the field right now.