Andare Homes Blog
Guides and resources from our team on design-build projects across the GTA. New articles are on the way.
Book a ConsultationAdding a Legal Basement Apartment in the GTA: Permits, Cost, and ROI
How to add a legal basement apartment in the GTA: the code requirements for a second suite, permit process, realistic cost ranges, and the rental income payoff.
Read guide → GuideChoosing Finishes and Materials for Your Renovation: A Decision Guide
How to choose finishes and materials for a renovation across the GTA: the order to decide in, how to judge durability and maintenance, keeping selections cohesive, and how an in-house design team makes the choices easier.
Read guide → GuideCommittee of Adjustment and Minor Variances: A Toronto Homeowner's Guide
How Toronto minor variance applications work, the four legal tests, drawings, public notice, hearings, decisions, appeals, timing, and homeowner preparation.
Read guide → GuideDesign-Build vs Hiring a General Contractor: Which Is Right for You?
Design-build vs the traditional architect-then-contractor route for a GTA renovation: how each works, cost and communication differences, and which fits your project.
Read guide → GuideDo You Need a Permit to Renovate Your Home in the GTA?
When a GTA renovation needs a building permit and when it does not: a clear guide to structural, electrical, plumbing, and cosmetic work, plus how a design-build team handles permits for you.
Read guide → GuideGarden Suites vs Laneway Homes: Which Can You Build?
Garden suites vs laneway homes in the GTA: the difference, which your lot allows, zoning and size rules, cost ranges, and how to decide between them.
Read guide → GuideHow Long Does It Take to Build a Custom Home in the GTA?
A realistic timeline for building a custom home in the GTA: design, permits, and construction phase by phase, what causes delays, and how design-build keeps the schedule on track.
Read guide → GuideHow Long Does a Full Home Renovation Take? A Realistic GTA Timeline
A realistic timeline for a full home renovation in the GTA: design, permits, and construction phase by phase, what causes delays, and how to keep the schedule on track.
Read guide → GuideHow Much Does Basement Underpinning Cost in Toronto? (2026)
Toronto basement underpinning cost ranges for 2026, including excavation, engineering, permits, waterproofing, drainage, access, and structural variables.
Read guide → GuideHow Much Does It Cost to Renovate a Whole House in Toronto? (2026)
Whole-house renovation costs in Toronto for 2026, including realistic per-square-foot ranges, total budgets, design, permits, structural work, systems, and finishes.
Read guide → GuideHow Much Does a Bathroom Renovation Cost in the GTA? (2026)
What a bathroom renovation costs across the GTA in 2026: price ranges for powder rooms to ensuites, what drives cost, timeline, and how design-build keeps the budget honest.
Read guide → GuideHow Much Does a Home Addition Cost in the GTA? (2026 Guide)
What a home addition costs across the GTA in 2026: rear and second-storey addition price ranges, what drives cost, timelines, and how design-build keeps budgets honest.
Read guide → GuideHow Much Does a Kitchen Renovation Cost in the GTA? (2026)
What a kitchen renovation costs across the GTA in 2026: price ranges by scope, what drives the cost, timeline, and how a design-build team keeps the budget honest.
Read guide → GuideHow the In-House Design Phase Works: From First Meeting to Construction Drawings
A step-by-step look at how the in-house design phase of a design-build project works across the GTA, from the first meeting and site measure to concept, selections, and permit-ready drawings.
Read guide → GuideHow to Choose a Design-Build Contractor: Questions to Ask
How to choose a design-build contractor in the GTA: the credentials to verify, the questions to ask, the red flags to avoid, and how to compare quotes fairly.
Read guide → GuideHow to Prepare Your Home and Family for a Major Renovation
A practical guide to preparing your home and family for a major renovation across the GTA: what to pack away, dust and access planning, living arrangements, pets and kids, and how to stay sane through the build.
Read guide → GuideRenovating an Older Home in the GTA: What to Expect
Renovating an older or century home in the GTA: the surprises to plan for, knob-and-tube and old plumbing, structure and foundations, permits, and budgeting for the unknown.
Read guide → GuideRenovating in a Toronto Heritage District: What Are the Rules?
A homeowner guide to Toronto Heritage Conservation District renovation rules, heritage permits, drawings, attributes, materials, approvals, and project planning.
Read guide → GuideSecond-Storey Addition vs Moving: Which Is Right for Your GTA Home?
Add up or move on? Compare a second-storey addition against selling and buying bigger in the GTA: cost, disruption, land transfer tax, and how to decide.
Read guide → GuideWhich Renovations Add the Most Home Value in the GTA?
A GTA renovation ROI guide comparing kitchens, bathrooms, basements, exterior improvements, additions, maintenance, and the limits of percentage claims.
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