# \#renovation-costs **URL:** https://home.renovation.reviews/tag/renovation-costs/2131.md [Latest](https://home.renovation.reviews/latest.md) · [Categories](https://home.renovation.reviews/categories.md) · [Tags](https://home.renovation.reviews/tags.md) --- ## [Kitchen reno this summer? Here's how to live without one while you can cook outside](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/kitchen-reno-this-summer-heres-how-to-live-without-one-while-you-can-cook-outside/48152)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [July 27, 2026, 12:38am UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/kitchen-reno-this-summer-heres-how-to-live-without-one-while-you-can-cook-outside/48152 "2026-07-27T00:38:19Z")
Every spring we get the same call: “we want a new kitchen, but how do we eat while it’s torn up?” June through August answers itself. The grill, the picnic table, a fridge moved to the basement. Summer takes the worst o… --- ## [GTA condo renovation in 2026: what needs board approval, what permits apply, and what it costs](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-condo-renovation-in-2026-what-needs-board-approval-what-permits-apply-and-what-it-costs/47413)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 6\ **Last updated:** [May 15, 2026, 7:40pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-condo-renovation-in-2026-what-needs-board-approval-what-permits-apply-and-what-it-costs/47413 "2026-05-15T19:40:50Z")
More GTA condo owners renovated in 2026 than in the three previous years. With resale values flat and carrying costs up, staying put and upgrading made more sense than waiting on a recovery that keeps not arriving. The H… --- ## [GTA basement waterproofing in 2026: interior vs. exterior, the new Toronto rebate, and why the method matters more than the price](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-basement-waterproofing-in-2026-interior-vs-exterior-the-new-toronto-rebate-and-why-the-method-matters-more-than-the-price/47639)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [May 15, 2026, 6:03pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-basement-waterproofing-in-2026-interior-vs-exterior-the-new-toronto-rebate-and-why-the-method-matters-more-than-the-price/47639 "2026-05-15T18:03:42Z")
Spring is the worst time to ignore a wet basement. The water table rises after snowmelt and April rains, and any crack or gap in your foundation wall starts showing you what was already there. We’ve been fixing this acro… --- ## [GTA interlock driveway cost in 2026: what drives the price, what a good quote covers, and why base preparation decides everything](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-interlock-driveway-cost-in-2026-what-drives-the-price-what-a-good-quote-covers-and-why-base-preparation-decides-everything/47603)
**Author:** [@system](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/system)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [May 14, 2026, 8:21pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-interlock-driveway-cost-in-2026-what-drives-the-price-what-a-good-quote-covers-and-why-base-preparation-decides-everything/47603 "2026-05-14T20:21:28Z")
Getting a quote for an interlock driveway in the GTA is often a lesson in frustration. Two contractors give you numbers that are $10,000 apart for what sounds like the same job, and neither explains why. What you’re act… --- ## [GTA building permit fees went up in 2026 — here's what to budget before you apply](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-building-permit-fees-went-up-in-2026-heres-what-to-budget-before-you-apply/47369)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [May 11, 2026, 7:31am UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-building-permit-fees-went-up-in-2026-heres-what-to-budget-before-you-apply/47369 "2026-05-11T07:31:48Z")
If you’re planning a renovation or addition in Toronto or anywhere in the GTA this year, the permit cost math has changed. Toronto increased its building permit fees by 4% effective January 1, 2026, plus a 4.82% adjustme… --- ## [GTA Contractor Payment Schedules Explained: What to Expect Before You Sign](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-contractor-payment-schedules-explained-what-to-expect-before-you-sign/47209)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [May 10, 2026, 1:55pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-contractor-payment-schedules-explained-what-to-expect-before-you-sign/47209 "2026-05-10T13:55:43Z")
Most homeowners in the Greater Toronto Area get one or two renovation quotes before picking a contractor. But very few know what a normal payment schedule looks like — and that gap costs people money, causes disputes, an… --- ## [Ontario Home Renovation Grants and Rebates in 2026: What GTA Homeowners Can Actually Claim](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/ontario-home-renovation-grants-and-rebates-in-2026-what-gta-homeowners-can-actually-claim/46402)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [April 28, 2026, 7:59pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/ontario-home-renovation-grants-and-rebates-in-2026-what-gta-homeowners-can-actually-claim/46402 "2026-04-28T19:59:43Z")
Most homeowners doing renovation work in Ontario in 2026 are leaving money on the table. Between federal programs, provincial incentives, and municipal subsidies, there is meaningful money available - but it is spread ac… --- ## [Adding an In-Law Suite in Toronto: What It Costs in 2026](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/adding-an-in-law-suite-in-toronto-what-it-costs-in-2026/46497)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [April 28, 2026, 2:02pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/adding-an-in-law-suite-in-toronto-what-it-costs-in-2026/46497 "2026-04-28T14:02:47Z")
Spring tends to be when I hear a version of the same conversation from clients: an elderly parent had a health scare, or a family is tired of the cost of assisted living, and someone in the household has started asking w… --- ## [Spring Reno in Toronto: When to Book and What It Costs](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/spring-reno-in-toronto-when-to-book-and-what-it-costs/46406)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [April 26, 2026, 11:00am UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/spring-reno-in-toronto-when-to-book-and-what-it-costs/46406 "2026-04-26T11:00:13Z")
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 b… --- ## [GTA Condo Owners Are Renovating Instead of Selling — Does the Math Work?](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-condo-owners-are-renovating-instead-of-selling-does-the-math-work/46404)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [April 26, 2026, 10:00am UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-condo-owners-are-renovating-instead-of-selling-does-the-math-work/46404 "2026-04-26T10:00:07Z")
Something shifted in the GTA condo market over the last year and a half that we are seeing reflected directly in our project inquiries. Homeowners who would have listed and moved are staying put. Instead of selling, they… --- ## [Toronto Garden Suites: Is the Build Worth It in 2026?](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/toronto-garden-suites-is-the-build-worth-it-in-2026/46403)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [April 26, 2026, 9:57am UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/toronto-garden-suites-is-the-build-worth-it-in-2026/46403 "2026-04-26T09:57:35Z")
Something I have been getting asked about more consistently over the last year is garden suites. Homeowners who have backyard space in Toronto are increasingly curious about whether putting a separate structure back ther… --- ## [Toronto Secondary Suites 2026: Is Adding a Basement Apartment Worth It?](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/toronto-secondary-suites-2026-is-adding-a-basement-apartment-worth-it/46399)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [April 26, 2026, 5:59am UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/toronto-secondary-suites-2026-is-adding-a-basement-apartment-worth-it/46399 "2026-04-26T05:59:00Z")
Across the GTA, I keep getting the same question from homeowners right now: Should I convert my basement into a rental suite? It makes sense that people are asking. Toronto housing costs are still steep, mortgage carryi… --- ## [GTA Lumber Prices Are Climbing This Spring — What to Lock In Before Summer 2026](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-lumber-prices-are-climbing-this-spring-what-to-lock-in-before-summer-2026/46395)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [April 26, 2026, 2:58am UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/gta-lumber-prices-are-climbing-this-spring-what-to-lock-in-before-summer-2026/46395 "2026-04-26T02:58:04Z")
Every spring, homeowners ask me the same thing: “Is now a good time to start the project, or should we wait and see?” I’ve been in renovation work in the Toronto area for over 50 years. My honest answer this spring: don… --- ## [Bathroom Renovation in Toronto: What 2026 Actually Costs](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/bathroom-renovation-in-toronto-what-2026-actually-costs/46393)
**Author:** [@BuildersLTD](https://home.renovation.reviews/u/BuildersLTD)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [April 25, 2026, 8:58pm UTC](https://home.renovation.reviews/t/bathroom-renovation-in-toronto-what-2026-actually-costs/46393 "2026-04-25T20:58:28Z")
We get a lot of questions on the forum about bathroom renos - what is reasonable to spend, what is worth skipping, and where the budget usually runs away on you. I put together a full guide on the blog this week that wal…