Home Renovations in Leaside
renoWOW! has been a home renovation contractor in Toronto's east end since 1993, and Leaside's well-built 1930s and 40s brick houses are a good part of that work. You get a fixed price before we start and a two-year workmanship warranty after we leave.
Grow Into Your Leaside Home Instead of Leaving It
Leaside is one of Toronto's great family neighbourhoods, and its 1930s and 40s brick homes were built properly. The catch is size. Many went up as 1.5-storey houses or bungalows, and a growing family runs out of room fast. Moving off the street costs a fortune and rarely happens, so most owners build up and out instead. That is most of what renoWOW! does here, and it is the same work we have done as a home renovation contractor in Toronto since 1993.
A Leaside kitchen renovation opens up the main floor. A second-storey addition adds the bedrooms and bathrooms a family actually needs, without giving up the brick character the street is known for. Design, permits and construction all sit with one design-build team, so you are not chasing a designer, a general contractor and three separate trades to get a straight answer.
We Know Leaside's Streets and Its Houses
Leaside sits between Bayview and Laird, tucked against the Don Valley, on tight tree-lined streets laid out long before today's construction traffic. We stage deliveries and trades to keep the disruption to your neighbours down, work carefully around mature trees and narrow driveways, and know how these brick homes are put together before we open a wall. That is the difference between a renovation company that works in Leaside and one that is only passing through.
Second-storey additions
The classic Leaside move. Adding a full second floor to a 1.5-storey or bungalow home gives you the bedrooms and bathrooms a family needs without leaving the street.
Main-floor open-ups
Older Leaside layouts close the kitchen off from the living space. Removing walls and reworking the flow turns the main floor into the open, connected space families want.
Brick-matched exteriors
An addition only works if it reads as part of the original house. We take brick, trim and rooflines seriously so the finished home looks like it was always this size.
Finished lower levels
Leaside basements make great family rooms, offices and guest suites. We handle underpinning where the ceiling is low, plus insulation, permits and finishes.
A Full Range of Renovation Services
Our renovation services run from a single Leaside bathroom renovation through to a full second-storey addition. Same crew, same project manager, same phone number the whole way.
Kitchen Renovations
Custom cabinetry, open layouts and finishes built for a busy family. Most Leaside kitchen remodels start with taking down the wall to the dining room.
Bathroom Renovations
Family baths and new ensuites, from full gut jobs to focused updates. Waterproofed and tiled properly, because that is the part you cannot go back and fix.
Basement Renovations
Family rooms, home offices and guest suites, with underpinning where the ceiling needs the height.
Whole House Renovations
Full home renovations of Leaside brick houses, with wiring, plumbing, insulation and windows all brought up to date in one go.
Condo Renovations
Condo renovations along Bayview and Laird, including board approvals, elevator bookings and each building's own rules.
Additions & Top-Ups
Second-storey additions and rear extensions, with structural engineering, drawings and permits included in the price.
Meet Sam Beninato, founder of renoWOW!
Sam has spent more than 32 years in the contracting and remodeling trade and still works closely with every client. He has been featured on HGTV and quoted in the Toronto editions of Metro, The Globe & Mail and The Huffington Post. Read more on our About Us page.
"A renovation is more than fixtures and cabinets. It is a new feeling for your home. It is the WOW! factor."
renoWOW! takes one job at a time, is licensed in Toronto, carries $5 million liability insurance with WSIB coverage, and backs every project with a two-year workmanship warranty.
Recent Leaside and GTA projects
See the finish and detail we hold every job to.
Charlottetown Project
A full home reworked top to bottom for a growing family.
View project →Millard Dr Contemporary Spa
A contemporary kitchen and spa retreat with clean lines and warm finishes.
View project →Wessex Dr Full Home Refurbishment
Every room updated with one cohesive, modern design.
View project →What a Leaside Renovation Costs
What a home renovation costs in Leaside comes down to four things: the size of the house, the finishes you pick, the age of the property and how much structural work is involved. The ranges below are planning figures for this market. They are here to help you set a budget, not to stand in for a fixed-price quote.
| Project type | Typical Leaside range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cosmetic refresh (paint, trim, lighting) | $3,000 – $12,000 | No structural or permit work |
| Bathroom renovation | $15,000 – $40,000+ | Higher for ensuites and layout changes |
| Kitchen renovation | $30,000 – $90,000+ | Cabinetry and appliances drive the range |
| Basement finishing | $35 – $75 / sq ft | Underpinning adds cost where ceilings are low |
| Full main-floor / open-plan reno | $40,000 – $120,000+ | Load-bearing wall removal adds cost |
| Second-storey addition | Quoted per project | Structural, roofing and permits included |
| Building permit fees | $300 – $2,000+ | Set by the City of Toronto by scope |
Leaside's brick homes are solid, but houses of this age often still carry a 60-amp panel, original galvanized plumbing or undersized ceiling joists that need reinforcing before a second storey goes on. Additions also carry structural cost up front. We suggest holding back 10 to 15 percent, and we build permit and zoning review into the schedule early. For a closer look at pricing across the GTA, check our home renovation cost guide, or book a consultation for a fixed price built around your home.
32 years, one project at a time
Licensed and insured, with a single dedicated team from the first meeting to the final walkthrough, and every job backed by a two-year workmanship warranty.
Book a Free ConsultationPermits for a Leaside Renovation or Addition
Leaside is part of the City of Toronto, so permits go through Toronto Building under the Ontario Building Code and Zoning By-law 569-2013. A second-storey or rear addition always needs a building permit, and on Leaside's compact lots it usually needs a zoning review for height, setbacks and lot coverage as well. If the plans miss the by-law by a little, that means a minor variance application to the Committee of Adjustment, which adds a few months to the schedule. We check for that while the drawings are still on the table rather than after you have paid for them, so the job does not stall.
- Second-storey and rear additions
- Load-bearing walls removed for main-floor open-ups
- Zoning review for height, setbacks and lot coverage
Our 4-Step Renovation Process
Free Consultation
We come to your Leaside home, or meet online if that is easier, to talk through what you want and look at the space. You get a written scope with a fixed price before anything is signed.
Design, Permits & Planning
We draft the drawings and handle every permit application your project needs. Trades are booked and materials chosen before the first day of work, so nothing stalls once we start.
Construction & QA
Your project manager is on site through the whole build, backed by a steady crew of licensed trades. You get regular updates and a direct line whenever something comes up.
Walkthrough & Warranty
We go through every detail together before we call the job done, and back it with a two-year workmanship warranty.
This is the second major renovation that Sam and his team have completed for us and we couldn't be happier. The work was done so quickly and with the minimum possible disruption to our lives. They use many measures to keep your home clean and protected throughout the job and our neighbours even commented on the care being taken. Our kitchen is still in fantastic condition 6 years on.
Once again, the amazing crew from renoWOW has excelled! Following a beautiful kitchen reno, we invited them back to remodel a master bathroom and install beautiful new flooring on the second floor. We cannot say enough about the quality of the work and the thoughtfulness of their staff (Paul & J.J.)
Great experience and high quality work end to end. During the estimating process they provided a high quality timely detailed estimate and consultation. The project started during the promised window and was proactively communicated. The project was done on time and on budget with a very high degree of attention to detail.
We had a bathroom totally renovated by renoWOW! and the results are awesome. We started with some ideas and a lot of anxiety. Sam helped us develop a plan that was perfect for us. He is very easy to talk to, listens, is very detailed oriented and made many helpful suggestions that we had never considered. The project was completed on time with minimum disruption.
This was the second time I have used RenoWow, and once again they were excellent. They completed our basement, including bathroom, kitchen, a bar and ceiling work. I really appreciate the open and transparent visibility of all costs and potential extras. The quality is always exemplary and the workers polite, clean and timely.
Very happy with the job Sam and his team did in my bathrooms. I came in with an idea and Sam was able to pick out tile, vanity and other bathroom stuff that fit my vision perfectly, making the process super easy for me. Paul and JJ were great working in my house, super nice guys that look to be held accountable and make sure the jobs done right.
Renovation Services Across the GTA
Not in Leaside? We work right across Toronto and the surrounding areas.
Ready to start on your Leaside home?
Book a free in-home consultation. Sam walks the house with you, talks through what is realistic on your lot and your budget, then follows up with a written, fixed-price scope. No charge for the visit and no pressure after it.