A family bought this house just before the pandemic. They wanted room for four people plus a rental unit to help carry the mortgage. The lot was tight and the zoning did not allow what they had in mind.
The Challenge
Working within a narrow lot and restrictive zoning bylaws, we needed to:
- Maximise livable space across both units
- Keep each unit genuinely functional rather than carving one awkwardly out of the other
- Get approval from the city
Our Approach
We proposed a full top-to-bottom renovation combined with a rear addition extending the basement, main floor, and second floor.
That gave us:
- Over 500 sq. ft. of additional space on every level
- A three-bedroom main dwelling of roughly 1,200 sq. ft.
- A self-contained one-bedroom basement apartment with its own entrance
Both units are properly independent. Separate entrances, separate services, no shared awkwardness.
The Result
We submitted the proposal to the Committee of Adjustment in Toronto and it was approved in full. It fit what the city has been asking for: gentle density in established neighbourhoods without changing the character of the street.
The family got the house they wanted, a rental unit that pays for part of it, and a property worth considerably more than what they bought.
Project Highlights
- Committee of Adjustment approval secured
- Duplex conversion with rear addition across all levels
- Self-contained basement apartment with separate entrance
- Over 500 sq. ft. added per level
- Full home renovation
