Contractors in Toronto

Toronto has the widest range of housing stock of any city we cover, and the practical consequence is that advice which holds in one neighbourhood fails two kilometres away. A 1910 semi in Riverdale, a 1960s bungalow in Scarborough and a 2015 condo townhouse present almost entirely different renovation problems.

The pre-war housing that dominates the older core brings a predictable cluster of issues: knob-and-tube wiring, undersized electrical service, galvanised supply piping, minimal insulation and rubble foundations. Any of these can turn a cosmetic renovation into a much larger project once walls open, so contingency matters more here than almost anywhere.

Demand also runs consistently high, which affects you as a buyer of services. Good contractors in Toronto book out months ahead, and the ones available next week in peak season are worth an extra question or two about why.