Many Toronto homeowners live in houses built several decades ago. Annex two-story houses often feature small closed-off rooms, for example, and the post World War II boom in the city led to the building of many compact bungalows. Older homes, while structurally sound, may not meet the needs of today’s families. Common problems with older Toronto homes include:

• Cramped kitchen. So many smaller homes have tiny kitchens that are unsuited for today’s appliances and lacking in space, ambience and natural light. Owners of older homes will often opt to knock down walls separating kitchen and dining room to expand the kitchen and create an open space that’s both more practical and more visually appealing.
• Single bathroom. Very few older homes had more than one bathroom. Today’s homeowners often want an en suite bath for the master bedroom, as well as baths or half-baths on every floor.
• Windows. Small windows are a hallmark of older architecture. This means that there is often not enough natural light in the home. Better window technology means that glass walls, skylights and larger windows can easily be installed.
• Wasted space. Older homes don’t always use space wisely. You may be stuck with a long hallway leading nowhere, a staircase that hogs space, bedrooms with awkward nooks and crannies or an entire floor that’s cut into several small rooms where two larger spaces would be far more useful.

Yet older homes often have a charm and an atmosphere that’s worth preserving. Rather than demolishing your older home and starting again from scratch, you should consult a designer to discuss the possibility of doing a whole house renovation. Toronto has several excellent design-build companies that will work with you to create custom blueprints for a renovation that will transform your current living space!

 

 

A professional designer will be able to come to assess your house and talk with you about your ideal living space. Good designers learn as much as they can about family members in order to come up with concepts that are individualized. One family might require more space in every way, on every floor. It’s possible to build an addition that extends a home by several feet – even with a two-storey house. Another family may have sufficient square footage, but know that the space needs to be configured differently in order to be practical. Still another family may want to open up the home completely to change the feeling or style of the home. A designer will help you find ways to work with your older home to accomplish your goals.

 

 

When you’re looking for a designer, the most practical way to start is by looking at design-build firms. With both design and construction in-house, these firms streamline the entire process. Communication and accountability is maximized, and scheduling and budgeting is more likely to be realistic and achievable. Improved efficiency may even mean savings for you. There are several excellent design-build firms in Toronto and the GTA, so look for one that has a great track record and that suits your particular aesthetic.

 

A whole house renovation can transform your Toronto house into your dream home! Contact a designer today and explore the possibilities.