

Transform your East York property into a high-yield multi-family investment with expert design.
We focus on floor plan layouts that maximize rental income per square foot. By analyzing current East York market trends, we implement features like separate laundry and high-end finishes that attract premium tenants and increase your overall property appraisal.
Navigating Toronto's building department can be daunting for many East York residents. We handle everything from the initial site survey to securing plumbing and electrical permits, ensuring your multi-unit conversion is 100% legal and compliant with the latest municipal standards.
We specialize in upgrading the underlying infrastructure of older East York homes. This includes installing separate electrical meters, upgraded water mains for increased pressure, and high-efficiency heat pumps, ensuring each unit functions independently without overloading existing systems.
Our first step is to visit your East York property to determine if your multi-unit goals are achievable under current city bylaws. We inspect the foundation, ceiling heights, and lot setbacks to identify any potential hurdles early. This prevents wasted time on designs that the city will not approve.
Our designers create detailed floor plans that focus on 'Optimizing Space for Multi-Unit' living, emphasizing privacy and maximizing every inch of available area. We present 3D renderings so you can visualize the final flow, including the placement of separate entrances and shared utilities. This stage ensures the design matches your investment budget.
We handle the entire bureaucracy of the Toronto building department, submitting all structural, HVAC, and plumbing drawings for review. Our team responds to city examiners' comments and secures the necessary approvals so construction can proceed legally. This eliminates the risk of costly work-stop orders or fines.
Our skilled tradesmen execute the build, focusing on high-priority items like fire-stopping and soundproofing that are essential for multi-unit dwellings. We coordinate all mandatory city inspections at every milestone—framing, insulation, and final occupancy. Our project managers ensure the site remains tidy and safe for everyone involved.
To be legal, a secondary suite in East York must meet the Ontario Building Code and City of Toronto zoning bylaws. This includes a minimum ceiling height of 6'5", adequate window sizes for emergency egress, fire-rated separations between units, and independent heating and ventilation systems. We conduct a thorough assessment of your property to ensure all these critical safety and legal standards are met before construction begins.
Costs vary significantly based on the existing condition of the home and the scope of work, but most basement conversions range from $100,000 to $200,000. Factors such as upgrading the water service to a 1-inch pipe, underpinning for higher ceilings, and separate utility metering can impact the budget. We provide a detailed fixed-price contract after the design phase so there are no surprises during the build.
In East York, the permit approval process through the City of Toronto typically takes between 3 to 6 months depending on the complexity and if a Committee of Adjustment application is required. We manage the entire submission, including CAD drawings and engineering reports, to streamline the process as much as possible. Once permits are issued, the actual construction phase usually takes another 3 to 5 months.
Yes, adding a legal second suite or optimizing your space for multi-unit use will likely result in a reassessment of your property value by MPAC, which can increase your property taxes. However, the additional rental income generated usually more than offsets this increase. We can help you estimate these costs during our planning phase to ensure the investment makes sense for your financial goals.
Transform your property into a high-value asset by navigating Toronto's specific legal requirements for basement apartments and garden suites. This comprehensive guide from Built by Pros Inc. breaks down the zoning, permits, and construction standards needed to build a compliant and profitable secondary dwelling.
Complete home or commercial rebuilds to give you a new structure, keeping only what can be re-purposed to save cost and the environment.
Learn MoreUpgrade existing spaces with quality craftsmanship to better meet the needs of your family.
Learn MoreWhether at your home or business, we provide zoning and permitting services as part of our planning process.
Learn MoreFull-service construction for commercial projects. Let our in house design team elevate your brand with custom space design.
Learn MoreCustom solutions to maximize the return on your property investment.
Learn MoreWe have the ADA design training in house to ensure your home is ready for your golden years , even when your are not.
Learn MoreWe hired Built By Pros Inc. to convert our detached garage into a legal garden suite and renovate our basement into a secondary apartment. Ricardo and his crew were amazing, finishing the 4-month project right on schedule despite the tight access on our East York street. The soundproofing between the units is incredible; we can barely hear our tenants. They used high-quality quartz in the kitchens which really elevated the look of both units.
I wanted to optimize the space in my triplex near Pape Station and didn't know where to start with the zoning issues. Suzanne guided us through the design process, and the team managed to squeeze in a third bathroom where I didn't think it was possible. The project was completed in 12 weeks, and I was able to increase my monthly rental revenue by over 40% immediately. Professionalism from start to finish.
Converting our bungalow into a duplex was a big step for us financially, but Built By Pros made it seamless. They handled all the complicated East York permits and structural work, including a new separate entrance at the side of the house. The workmanship on the custom cabinetry and the tiling in the master bath is top-notch. Our house was always kept clean during construction, which we really appreciated.

Ricardo Lora

Suzanne Morgan

Petra Tobias

Stronger Together

Bastian Zuniga

Marco Lopez
Contact us for unmatched expertise in home renovations. With experience since 2008, we deliver top-quality materials and superior workmanship—trusted by clients and built on referrals.