
Legal Basement Apartment Renovation
quality craftsmanship & 100% customer satisfaction
Square Footage | Cost Range |
400-500 sq. ft. | $19,900 - $25,400 |
500-600 sq. ft. | $25,400 - $29,900 |
600-700 sq. ft. | $29,900 - $34,900 |
700-800 sq. ft. | $34,900 - $39,900 |
800-900 sq. ft. | $39,900 - $44,900 |
1000-1400 sq. ft. | $49,500 - $89,900 |
Our Advantages
- Detailed and accurate estimate
- 5 Million liability insurance
- Guaranteed time frame
- Limited lifetime warranty
- Post-renovation support
- Licensed & insured
- Top quality materials
- Affordable Prices
What Our Clients Say
Latest Reviews:
- All
- Homestars
- Video
CSG did an amazing job on renovating my basement. Work was fast, efficient and they helped point out some space saving changes that really helped maximize the space. The basement addition involved adding a bathroom, doing a complete reno of the space including living room, office, storage rooms, electrical room and Exercise room. The work was finished professionally and very fast. I’ve dealt with a number of workers in the past and these have been the best I’ve worked with. Highly recommended.
Their work exceeded my expectations. I finally found a professional renovation company I can confidently rely on. They did a complete floor replacement in all rooms and paint throughout. Communication was always clear and prompt. Owner, Zeev and his team worked with my special requests and the results were outstanding. Not a single detail was overlooked and I could not find a single flaw in the workmanship. They left everything spotless. It all looks amazing. Bonus; all the work was completed under the estimated time frame and I was very pleased with the reasonable cost of the entire job. CSG Renovation ticks all the boxes. Thank you Zeev!
We had a great experience working with Zeev! His team actually finished our condo renovations ahead of schedule and the quality of their work was excellent. I would recommend CSG and work with them again. Reasonably priced and a job done right. Thanks Zeev!
Recent Projects
- Basement
- Commercial
- Condo
- Home


Basement Apartment Renovation Process
Why Choose CSG Renovation?
- Management problems
- Unclear price changes
- All materials hassle on you
- Minimal or no design
- Unprofessional labour
- Start-to-finish customer support
- Upfront transparent proposal
- Materials ordered & delivered
- Experienced design help
- Professional, certified contractors
All About Basement Apartment Renovation
A basement apartment also referred to as a second unit or in-law suite, is a rental unit normally located on the lowest level of an apartment building or a house and complies with legal requirements. Such an apartment includes a bathroom, kitchen, bedroom and a living area. Basement apartments provide all the necessary amenities for individuals to live comfortably.
If you are looking for services to turn a basement into an apartment don’t hesitate to contact us at (647) 428-0007. We look forward to helping you with your basement renovation needs or legal second suit in Toronto!
What Makes a Basement Apartment Legal in Ontario?
In developed areas, basement apartments are recognized as a vital source of housing. This means they play a major role even in the real estate market of Toronto and GTA. Typically, a basement apartment in Ontario is an accessory dwelling unit that’s up to the Ontario building code requirements and standards. Therefore for your basement apartment to be termed as legal in Ontario it has to meet the following requirements:
- A ceiling height of at least 1.95 meters (check out our low ceiling basement renovation service).
- A space of at least 145 square feet.
- A fire separation between the apartment and the main unit of at least 30 minutes.
- Approval of cooling, electrical and heating systems from an Electrical Safety Authority electrician.
- Windows that are at least 2.5% and 5% of the bedroom floor space and living floor space, respectively.
- Access to a sink, laundry, hot or cold water and a kitchen sink.
- Have a second exit (individual basement walkout) in addition to the common exit.
You can read more about this in our article Legal Basement Apartment Requirements.
Benefits of Converting Your Basement Into Legal Apartment
Assuming you are planning basement finishing to turn your space into a legal rentable basement apartment or a Toronto basement suite. Do you know that doing so can bring forth several advantages?
- Flexibility: A legal Toronto basement apartment can serve several purposes like a space for guests, a rental unit or a home office. This means you are not limited in terms of the purpose the basement can serve.
- An Increase in Property Value: Although ensuring that the basement apartment meets all the building codes and safety standards is challenging, converting basement into studio apartment or into a legal apartment increases the value of your property. This attracts more potential buyers. For example, if the buyers were 10 prior to the remodelling they become 20 or more after the conversion.
- Additional Source of Income: Converting a basement into a legal apartment calls for more spending primarily if you intend to make significant changes to the space. However, after converting it gives you an opportunity to find a tenant and to rent it out hence providing a stable source of extra income for homeowners.
- Affordable Housing: Despite the fact that maintaining basements can be challenging due to issues like ventilation, moisture and mold since the unit is not a unit above the ground, it is worth noting that they provide affordable housing options, especially for renters in urban areas where the cost of housing is very high.
Our Basement Renovation Services in Toronto
Trust CSG Renovation to offer you the best complex home renovation services or cottage renovation, whether you are in Toronto, GTA or Ontario and what you want: a basement renovation, an addition, or a light cosmetic changes. Our basement apartment in Toronto services are comprehensive and affordable. They include the following:
This involves strengthening the existing basement foundation to prevent structural problems such as cracking, water seepage, and shifting. It also allows you to increase the ceiling height in your basement through basement reinforcement or benching.
This process involves installing steel beams, backfilling the foundation, or using concrete structures to increase stability and load-bearing capacity.
Waterproofing involves applying protective materials and installing drainage systems to prevent water from seeping into the basement. This is necessary to prevent mould growth, structural deterioration and water-related problems, keeping your home dry and safe.
Insulation involves installing foam board, fibreglass or spray foam in walls, floors and ceilings to regulate temperature and reduce noise.
Proper insulation is necessary to maintain energy efficiency and enhance the properties of waterproofing among other things.
Creating a separate emergency entrance and daylight windows is required by the Ontario Building Code to allow for the creation of living space in a basement. Only then will you be given the necessary building permit.
This includes cutting through concrete walls, installing an egress door and windows, and providing proper insulation and sealing.
This includes the demolition or dismantling of old walls and partitions and/or the erection of new ones to create functional living space, as well as separating the bathroom, kitchen, and bedroom areas from the common space when creating a cellar apartment.
This also includes additional work to relocate and/or install the necessary communications for the individual rooms: water supply, electricity, and ventilation.
We have a team of professionals who can provide electrical solutions such as the installation of electrical panes, lighting and wiring or electrical updates.
They also ensure there is approval from a licensed Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) electrician. This helps ensure that the electrical work is done in a safe and up-to-code manner.
Our team handles plumbing tasks like repairing leaks, replacing fixtures and installing new pipes. We ensure that your basement apartment has a kitchen sink, a bathroom, a bedroom, access to the laundry area, hot/cold water and all the required amenities. We don’t just do the work but rather do it correctly and efficiently!
We install a fire suppression system in your apartment to help control and extinguish a fire in the basement apartment. Additionally, we install other fireproofing systems like fire caulking, fire-resistant drywall and fire doors to prevent the spread of fire and offer additional safety to the occupants of the apartment.
Do you want to increase the privacy of your basement apartment renters? We will help you do so. When working with us, we will provide solutions such as installing soundproofing materials like acoustic panels, soundproof curtains and insulation. Our goal is to help reduce noise transmission between rooms creating a quieter and more peaceful living environment.
We ensure that legal basement apartments in Toronto share ducts and furnaces with the main apartment while having special smoke detectors in the ducts that abide by UL268A to shut off the furnace in case of an emergency. We also ensure there is enough ventilation in the bathroom and kitchen by installing an exhaust fan or a window.
In this case we mean plastering, painting, laying of flooring, ceiling finishing, installation of interior doors, fixtures, electrical appliances, furniture assembly in your new room.
What Are the Costs of a Legal Basement Renovation in Toronto?
The cost of a basement remodeling in Toronto into legal apartment varies but averagely ranges from $55 – $75 per square foot. If the cellar has a square foot of 800 the remodelling cost may vary between $40,000 – $60,000+. Also, if you want to add things like a bathroom, gypsum walls, basement apartment finishing and joint sealing, you might pay more than the standard amount. The factors that influence the final cost of legal basement apartment renovation in Toronto include:
- The size of the cellar
- The materials and labor required
- Complexity of the new designs
- Upgrades to be made
- Inspection and certification
Contact us today at (647) 428-0007 today and we will give you a free consultation and free quote for your new space as well as on the issues of basement renovation financing.
What Types of Work Are Provided by Our Basement Finishing Company
CSG Renovation is a full-service company, our team implements turnkey for legal basement renovation in the GTA from drawing and room design to full implementation, including permitting. Within basement apartment renovation we can offer you the transformation into:
- Living room
- Bedroom and senior bedroom
- Studio
- Gym
- Kitchen
- Bathroom
- Utility room/laundry room
- Storage system creation

Reasons to Choose CSG Renovation for Basement Suite
When planning building legal basements in Toronto, you must choose professionals who are good at what they do or a reputable basement renovation company and basement finishing company like ours that adheres to local rules. Here are several reasons why you should choose us:
- We offer transparent prices and have an array of affordable selections, and thus, you won’t need to go overboard with your budget when working with us.
- Our company offers renovation financing options that are flexible for you as we know that our clients have other financial plans aside from the renovation.
- At CSG Renovation, we have the best designers, licensed electricians, plumbers and builders armed with extensive expertise ready to give your basement apartment a new look!
- Our company offers personalized high-quality basement apartment renovation solutions that meet your specific needs and reflect your preferences and personality.
- We have full insurance coverage to cover you in case of any injuries or damage during the renovation process.
- Our customer support is friendly and responsive, always looking forward to handling your queries and consultations with quickness and ease.
We Make All Types of Renovation Simple
We are qualified to do work in all renovation services in Toronto and GTA.
CSG Renovation is a company that offers quality service and 100% customer satisfaction. We make legal basement renovation, office and commercial renovation, townhouse and condo renovation, residential home renovation simple, with our qualified team we take pride in taking care of all your renovation needs under one roof.
We’re looking forward helping you
FAQ
The main point of reference: get your basement apartment in line with where you would like to live. Here are some examples of what we most often renovate in cellars:
- separate entrance
- full windows (if it’s possible)
- temperature and humidity level in the room (waterproofing + ventilation and heating system)
- a comfortable kitchen area with the necessary modern appliances
- shower and bathtub in the bathroom
- new sanitary equipment
- high ceiling
- modern design
- sufficient storage space
Here’s a simplified outline of what you’re gonna do for legal basement upgrade:
- reinforcing the foundation and walls (if necessary)
- raising the ceiling (if necessary)
- waterproofing and insulation
- design project
- building the necessary walls and partitions for zoning
- plumbing and wiring
- finishing works
- furniture installation
When you transform your basement with us, we will take all the issues and stages on ourselves, apply our experience to take into account all the important steps and nuances and provide you with a legal apartment in the cellar.
To legalise a basement flat, you need:
- Make sure that the apartment meets the requirements, such as a separate entrance, lighting, ceiling height, zoning, plumbing, etc. The requirements are in the Ontario Building Code.
- Check with local authorities: the ESA, fire service and local municipality.
- Obtain an opinion and certificate.
If you use an uncertified contractor, you will have to take responsibility for compliance. This will require consulting with a lawyer or ordering a design project from a professional familiar with legal basement regulations.
Thus, it is more cost-effective to hire a licensed company like CSG Renovation and have all the work done in one place, with a guarantee of both work and compliance.
Especially if you are in need of structural adjustments, it is better to trust someone who will provide a quality guarantee for your Toronto’s legal basement apartment services.
By the bylaw, a legal flat in a basement is classified as a second dwelling unit. All legal second rooms must have a second escape route if the main entrance is through the main room. Even if you have a small basement apartment, in this case, it does not affect the norms.
Therefore, a legal flat must have its own separate entrance/exit to comply with fire safety regulations. The second means of egress will be through the main house, i.e. a passageway must be maintained between the basement flat and the main house.
When working with us, we take fire regulations in the Greater Toronto Area into account in the design and remodelling. The final flat will definitely comply with fire regulations.
Before making such a decision, you should study all the norms that a cellar flat must comply with and the stages of its legalisation.
If you are not a certified master of this particular profile, you will also have to master many types of specific work.
Whether it is worth it is up to you. In contrast, by hiring our team, you give the responsibility of quality and compliance to us. In addition, you get a guarantee.
Depending on the current condition of your cellar and the work required to furnish a legal apartment in the basement, the total cost can range from $18,000 to $60,000.
Each case is different, so it is worth contacting our managers at (647) 428-0007 for advice and cost calculation.


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Related Articles
In Toronto, pricing for the basement is calculated based on the square feet. Professionals charge between $5 and $30 for each square foot. The average square feet for a basement should be 1000 sq ft. This means that the cost of a basement in Toronto is pegged between $5,000 and $30,000.
Toronto holds hospitable grounds for its citizens. Basement apartments are growing in popularity over the years. The predominant reason for the popularity could be the swift and easy construction of the building. Moreover, the comparatively cheaper value attracts a large number of renters. This boosts the economy of the Toronto real estate market.
Renovating your basement is likely to increase the square footage of your house. It also impacts the value of your home. The basement can be converted into a living room, a bedroom, or even a play area.
But there are many factors to put into consideration when converting your basement into a living space.
In older residences that weren’t necessarily constructed with the goal of eventually getting the basement completed, very low ceiling basement height is a prevalent problem. More often than not, individuals choose to raise their ceiling heights for the purpose of abiding by the legalities.