Toronto’s real estate is some of the most talked about bricks, sticks and mud in North America. A beacon for local and foreign investment, virtually anything done to a property would yield a return on investment (ROI) unheard of in any other jurisdiction. With that type of frothy growth come stories that can keep a homeowner up at night. Shoddy work, fly-by-night contractors and DIY disaster stories hit the media regularly.
You’ve probably heard of the leaning house and the flooded dream home, as well as the disappearing Detroit deposit taker – all of them horrible tales. At the very least, almost everyone has heard of someone being ripped off or has screwed-up big time themselves.
The challenge
The clients: Risk-adverse homeowners with a Beaches abode in serious need of a major overhaul. Insects, vermin, moisture and general style exhaustion is the best way to describe the home. Fortunately, the original building (and its 1970’s porch and garage addition), has, as they say, good bones.
The challenge? A new and tighter building envelope, new interior layouts and a whole suite of sexier finishes. For a successful outcome, a prescriptive path was laid out and followed closely to avoid the sorry fate of those who flew blind before them into similar undertakings. These homeowners were completely uninterested in a “me too” tale of terror in another reno-gone-wrong saga.
Before the work begins
In mid-2021, after scouring the internet looking for images that resonated with their personal style profile, the homeowners compiled a short-list of architecture and design-build firms. An initial outreach and series of discussions ensued, in a first-date type of cross-table assessment. Discussions were held about goals, budgets, design leanings, company systems and project insecurities. High-level budgets were created from preliminary assessments of the existing home, and the stated goals. Proposals were reviewed along with project case studies of similarly scaled undertakings and then the rubber hit the proverbial road – it was decision time. Who would get the contract? Before signing on the dotted line, there was a critical step of reference verification. Calls to three past clients were made, with a detailed set of questions asked. Forty-five minutes-to-an-hour-conversations took place to best understand the process and skill of each firm. Finally, a winner was selected – Eurodale.
Time to sign
It was decided a design-build method would be choosen versus an architect and contractor-bid model, which was fine with Eurodale, as it participates in either fashion – designing and building for clients directly or working with architects to execute their artistic vision for their clients. It depends on several factors as to which is best suited for a particular project, neither being better or worse than the other, just different. Often, a single design and build agreement is executed at this stage, but airing on the side of caution, a design-only agreement was put in place as a first step. This allowed the clients to design and budget out in detail what the final project would be before committing to the full construction with Eurodale, and also ensured the permits could be secured. Being on a ravine lot with trees to protect and remove plus zoning regulations that restricted what was desired and the risk of neighbour opposition, this provided security and surety for the owners.
Approvals incoming
After months of designing and revising project plans, submissions were made for zoning reviews, committee of adjustments, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TCRA), ravine, natural features and protections and urban forestry. Lengthy approval processes began with various city of Toronto departments, with the eventual preliminary approvals crystalizing in the fall of 2022, and the commitment to construct the project with Eurodale followed.
Bang bang, chop, chop
Construction started by gutting the finishes inside the house and some exploratory work on the exterior building envelope. Some surprises revealed themselves. Some were positive, while others required immediate attention (and more money) and then a revised approach to get to the goal – a home that looked good and performed well long term. Waterproofing, mechanical adjustments to improve airflow and reduce headroom space impacts were engineered and executed. The plumbing and electrical systems were updated to ensure a safe and stable home. The building envelope was sealed tightly with spray foam.
New fenestration that was increased in size capitalized on the view and improved general curb appeal and energy efficiency.
The interior finishes were all carefully installed and the heavy task of addressing the exterior began. A change to the roof slopes provided for a better water shed and a grander appearance. A false dormer (complete with light and white background) suggests the home now has a finished attic space, a design element that remained when budget cuts for an actual primary suite within the roof, fell off the to-do list. The wire lathe cement stucco that a previous renovator applied atop the original brick was refastened for base stability (it was delaminating) and a new thin veneer brick was painstakingly applied, along with a precast stone centre tower and a skirt roof across the front to provide depth, texture and visual interest.
Finish line
What started three years ago finally came to fruition on Labour Day 2024. Tools were removed, the site cleaned of waste and the owners moved back into their new (old) home. The fears that caused any initial trepidation had long since faded. The due diligence deployed by the client at the outset served them well. The project team was the perfect fit, the design met their dreams, and the construction was as precise as they had hoped. The anxieties transformed into gratitude and friendship with those whose skilled craft made it all a reality. Not a headline-grabber for the media, but the most perfect outcome for those who lived it. A reno gone right. They happen, if you work at it upfront!