Basement renovationsin King City.

Legal secondary suites, rec rooms, home offices, fitness rooms, kids’ playrooms, in-law suites, home theatres and guest bedrooms, with full bathrooms and laundry where you need them. We lay out each one so it feels like part of the house above.

We plan for both at the design stage. Every Nuance Design Build basement gets moisture control and waterproofing, proper insulation and vapour barriers, and soundproofing between floors, worked out alongside the lighting layout and ceiling design.

We check feasibility, design the suite to the Code and prepare the permit drawings. During construction we book every required inspection and each stage passes before the next starts. After the last inspection the unit is approved, with documentation and a 3 to 10 year warranty depending on scope.

For a legal suite or structural work, yes: you need a building permit. Other jobs depend on the scope and your municipality. We prepare the structural and engineering drawings for the application, plus design concepts, mood boards and material selection.

Construction on a basement renovation in Richmond Hill, Markham, Vaughan or Toronto typically takes 6 to 10 weeks. The whole process, design and permits included, usually runs 2 to 4 months. Small cosmetic updates can finish sooner. Legal basements, secondary suites and jobs with plumbing or structural work can push construction closer to 10 to 12 weeks. Careful planning and a properly prepared permit application are what keep the schedule predictable once work begins.

It depends on the scope and the municipality. Structural changes, additions and legal basement suites need a building permit, and the application itself can depend on where the home is. Nuance Design Build prepares the drawings and paperwork, works through the by-laws and zoning rules with the city and stays on it until the permit is approved. During construction we schedule and manage every required inspection.

A basement suite is legal in Ontario if it is a self-contained unit (a secondary dwelling unit) that meets the Ontario Building Code and local zoning by-laws and has passed municipal permit inspections. It usually needs a separate entrance, a full kitchen with proper ventilation, a 3- or 4-piece bathroom, bedrooms with egress windows, fire-rated separation between units, an independent or properly balanced HVAC system, soundproofing, ESA-certified electrical, and interconnected smoke and CO alarms. Without permits, it cannot legally be rented.

Not every basement qualifies as it stands. Before anything is designed, Nuance Design Build runs a feasibility assessment of the ceiling height, the foundation and structure, existing plumbing and electrical capacity, the HVAC system, zoning eligibility and where a separate entrance could go. Some basements need larger windows or mechanical upgrades to comply. You get an honest answer at this stage, before you commit to design or permit drawings.

A straightforward kitchen update with Nuance Design Build starts around $35,000. A fully customized kitchen, with premium cabinetry, quartz, quartzite or marble counters, upgraded lighting and a new layout, often runs $45,000 to $60,000 or more. Where yours lands depends on the cabinet material (Thermofoil, painted MDF, Egger or hardwood), the countertop, any plumbing changes, flooring that runs into the next rooms, built-in appliances and the lighting design. Settling the design early keeps the budget and the build in line, so the cost stays predictable.

At a standard finish, a 3-piece bathroom with a tub starts from $11,900, a 3-piece with a walk-in shower from $13,500, and a 4-piece master bathroom of 60 to 100 sq ft from $17,500. Bathrooms over 100 sq ft start from $20,000. Premium and luxury finishes raise each figure. Beyond size, the price follows layout changes, plumbing relocation, tile size and material, vanity customization, waterproofing and fixture quality. In older homes, problems hidden behind the existing finishes may need fixing first.

In Toronto, a one-storey addition can start at about $300,000. Costs average around $200 per square foot and can pass $350 per square foot for more involved work. Labour, quality materials and professional design fees are the largest costs, and the addition’s size and complexity decide where it lands in that range. Nuance Design Build offers a free consultation and cost estimate, and builds the addition on a single contract, from the first idea to the occupancy permit.

Design comes first. Nuance Design Build settles the design before construction starts and keeps design, budgeting and construction with one team, so the project can be priced accurately early on. We show you which elements add the most value (cabinetry, countertops, lighting, flooring transitions) and where extra spending won’t show. After the first consultation you get a detailed, transparent quote built around your priorities, with no hidden costs, and your project manager tracks the budget through construction.

Nuance Design Build visits your home. We talk about how you use the space today and what needs to change, and take the measurements needed to start the design accurately. We also look at layout options, structural limits and where the utilities run, so the project starts from a realistic direction rather than a wish list. From there we prepare a detailed, transparent quote for the full scope, worked out around your budget and priorities.

Every Nuance Design Build project has a dedicated project manager who is your single point of contact. They coordinate the trades, run the schedule, oversee quality and keep you informed through demolition, rough-in, installation, finishing and the final walkthrough. You get a detailed construction schedule, updates before you have to ask, budget tracking and quality-control inspections, so you never have to chase different people for answers.

Yes. Nuance Design Build is fully licensed and insured. We carry WSIB coverage and $5 million in commercial liability insurance, which protects your home and investment for the whole renovation. Every project is professionally managed, with clear scheduling, daily coordination and supervision from demolition to final detailing, so workmanship, safety and cleanliness stay consistent at every stage.

Nuance Design Build’s warranties run from 3 to 10 years, depending on the scope and category of work, so the coverage lasts well past the end of the project. Every renovation finishes with detailing, a post-construction quality inspection and a final walkthrough before handover. Legal basement conversions also come with clear documentation of the approved work and ongoing support once the unit is complete.

Nuance Design Build works in 18 cities across the GTA: Richmond Hill, where we are based, plus Vaughan, Markham, Thornhill, King City, North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, Mississauga, Oakville, Burlington, Brampton, Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Aurora, Newmarket and Stouffville. We take on kitchens, bathrooms, basements (legal basement conversions included), home additions and full home renovations. Condo and commercial renovations are not offered yet.