100% Money-Back Guarantee
If we don't complete your basement to building code and our 15-year workmanship standard, we make it right — or you get every dollar back. Put in writing, before we start.
Toronto's 10x HomeStars-winning basement team
Basement Renovation in Toronto — done right, or 100% of your money back.
Licensed basement renovation contractors — insured & certified. Don't love the design? Cancel free before we build. On time, on budget, no hidden fees — and $7,500 off right now.
60-second itemized estimate · emailed to you · no pressure, no pitch
- 15-year workmanship warranty
- $5M liability coverage
- 1000+ projects finished
Free instant estimate Step 1 of 7
What's this basement for?
Pick one to start — you'll see a real, itemized price in about 60 seconds.
No pressure, no pitch · Detailed breakdown emailed to you
🛡️ Zero-risk promise · terms apply
The RenoDuck Triple Guarantee
We take on the risk — not you. Three written promises, backed by your contract, that no other Toronto basement renovator puts on the table.
Design Satisfaction Guarantee
Don't love the design we present? Cancel before we build and get a full refund — no penalty, no pressure. Scope-creep anxiety, gone.
15-Year Workmanship Warranty
Every basement we build is backed for 15 years. If our workmanship fails, we come back and fix it — for a decade and a half.
*All three guarantees are subject to the terms in your signed contract. The money-back guarantee applies after we've had the opportunity to remedy any deficiency to building code and our workmanship standard.
Video reviews
Hear it straight from our happy clients
Don't just take our word for it — see and hear how we've transformed homes across Toronto.
Trusted by Toronto homeowners
Don't just take our word for it
We're a 10x HomeStars Award winner — here's what homeowners say after the dust settles.
“One of the best experiences by far. The team started on time and finished ahead of schedule — communication was excellent the whole way through.”
“Excellent job not only completing the project on time and within budget, but the quality was outstanding. Extremely impressed with the whole team.”
“Remarkable from start to finish. They delivered our dream basement on time and within budget. We could not be happier with the result.”
10x HomeStars Award Winner · Licensed, insured & certified
Not all contractors are equal
The full comparison: side by side
Every factor that matters, compared across the three types of contractor you'll get quotes from. The cheapest quote and the safest quote are rarely the same company.
| Factor | Truck & Ladder | Small / Medium GC | RenoDuck Design-Build |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team | 1 person + occasional helper | 2–4 people, owner does everything | Full team: designers, PMs, coordinators, trades |
| Design | None | None or outsourced | In-house designers + 3D renderings |
| Project management | None | Owner doubles as PM | Dedicated in-house PM |
| Trades | Just the owner | 100% subcontracted | In-house crews + consistent subs |
| Trade availability | Low | Low — mercy of sub schedules | High — subs prioritize our volume |
| Timelines | Longest, or never finished | Long, unpredictable | Fastest, most reliable |
| Pricing | Unpredictable (often labour only) | 10–20% less than design-build | Market rate — all D&B within 5–10% |
| Material knowledge | None to minimal | Low to moderate | Deep — exceeds specialty retailers |
| Showroom | None | Maybe a small office | Permanent 6,000 sq ft showroom |
| Warranty | None — no location to enforce | 1–2 years, hard to enforce | Full 15-year workmanship warranty |
| Risk level | 9/10 | 7/10 | 0/10 |
Team
✓ RenoDuck Full team: designers, PMs, coordinators, trades
Truck & Ladder 1 person + occasional helper
Small / Medium GC 2–4 people, owner does everything
Design
✓ RenoDuck In-house designers + 3D renderings
Truck & Ladder None
Small / Medium GC None or outsourced
Project management
✓ RenoDuck Dedicated in-house PM
Truck & Ladder None
Small / Medium GC Owner doubles as PM
Trades
✓ RenoDuck In-house crews + consistent subs
Truck & Ladder Just the owner
Small / Medium GC 100% subcontracted
Trade availability
✓ RenoDuck High — subs prioritize our volume
Truck & Ladder Low
Small / Medium GC Low — mercy of sub schedules
Timelines
✓ RenoDuck Fastest, most reliable
Truck & Ladder Longest, or never finished
Small / Medium GC Long, unpredictable
Pricing
✓ RenoDuck Market rate — all D&B within 5–10%
Truck & Ladder Unpredictable (often labour only)
Small / Medium GC 10–20% less than design-build
Material knowledge
✓ RenoDuck Deep — exceeds specialty retailers
Truck & Ladder None to minimal
Small / Medium GC Low to moderate
Showroom
✓ RenoDuck Permanent 6,000 sq ft showroom
Truck & Ladder None
Small / Medium GC Maybe a small office
Warranty
✓ RenoDuck Full 15-year workmanship warranty
Truck & Ladder None — no location to enforce
Small / Medium GC 1–2 years, hard to enforce
Risk level
✓ RenoDuck 0/10
Truck & Ladder 9/10
Small / Medium GC 7/10
5–10%
That's the real price gap between comparable design-build firms. If two established design-build companies quote within 5–10% of each other, that's normal. A 30–40% gap means you're comparing different types of companies — not the same scope of work.
Why homeowners choose us
A basement renovation you won't lose sleep over
Most basement headaches come down to surprises — on price, timeline, or quality. We built RenoDuck to remove all three.
One in-house team, start to finish
We own our crews and build our cabinetry in our own facility — no subcontractors. One team, one standard, one point of accountability.
15-year workmanship warranty
One of the strongest warranties in the market. We stand behind the build long after the dust settles.
$5M coverage · licensed & insured
Fully licensed, insured, and certified. Your home and your investment are completely protected.
Transparent, itemized pricing
You get a detailed, line-by-line quote up front — the number you see is the number you plan around. No hidden fees.
Visit the showroom
See it before you build it
The GTA's largest renovation showroom — the biggest selection of materials anywhere, plus live demos of exactly how we build. Touch the finishes and watch the workmanship before you commit to anything.
6,000 sq ft showroom
50+ flooring options
200+ tile options
What you'll see inside
- Full kitchen displays you can open, touch, and compare
- Vanity, fixture, and countertop samples side by side
- Live build demos — how we frame, waterproof, paint, and build showers
- Real finished-project examples, not just brochures
The RenoDuck difference
Built to last 25 years — not 5
Anyone can make a basement look finished on day one. The difference shows up years later, in what's behind the walls. Here's what you're actually paying for.
400 vs 80
Magic-eraser scrubs our wall paint survives, versus standard paint. We roll commercial-grade coats — five times the durability.
25+ years
How long our DensShield + full-membrane waterproofing lasts in wet areas — versus 1–3 years for the green drywall many contractors use.
0 subs
Subcontractors on core trades. Our own crews and our own cabinetry shop mean one standard and one point of accountability.
Free inspections
We inspect your foundation and camera-scope your drains before building — because hidden issues cost 3–5× more to fix once walls close.
See and compare every material in person at our 6,000 sq ft showroom in Concord — 200+ tiles, 50+ hardwoods, live finish demos.
Recent work
Basements we've brought to life
From income suites to home theatres — a few of the Toronto basements we've designed, permitted, and built.
How it works
Your basement renovation journey
Education-first, every step of the way. You always know what's happening, what it costs, and what's next.
- 1
Get your estimate
Build an exact estimate online in 60 seconds, or book a free call. Same-week consultations available.
- 2
Lock your clear quote
We confirm scope on a free on-site assessment and lock an itemized quote. No hidden fees, no surprises.
- 3
We build it — on time, on budget
Permits to final install, fully managed. Licensed trades, daily progress, one point of contact.
- 4
Enjoy your new basement
Move in and relax — every project is backed by our 15-year workmanship warranty.
Basement renovation cost
Know what your basement will cost — to the dollar
No vague ranges, no "it depends." Pick the layout closest to yours, set your size, and see a real estimate built from the way we actually price projects.
Budget Basement
Clean, finished open space with a powder room.
Open finished space1 Powder Room
Estimated project cost
$44,975
includes a $7,500 booking discount
What's included
General Construction & Admin$28,913
Bathroom$4,786
Electrical$6,880
Flooring & Trim$8,897
Permits & Approvals$3,000
Estimate based on standard finishes for this layout. Your exact price depends on your finishes and site conditions.
Takes 60 seconds · No pressure, no pitch · Detailed breakdown emailed to you
Legal basement apartments
Let your basement pay your mortgage
Turn unfinished space into a fully permitted, rent-ready suite. We're Toronto's legal-basement specialists — zoning, code, and city approval handled end to end, so you can start earning sooner.
Earn $2,500+/month A legal second suite can turn unused space into steady rental income — often enough to offset a big chunk of your mortgage.
Increase your home value A permitted, income-generating suite is one of the highest-return renovations you can make in Toronto.
We handle the hard part Permits, zoning, egress, fire separation, city inspections — all managed for you, built to Toronto code.
Low ceilings? Underpinning
Not enough headroom? We lower your floor.
Many older Toronto homes have basements just 6–7 ft tall — too low to finish comfortably, and too low to qualify as a legal suite. Underpinning safely lowers your foundation to give you real, usable ceiling height.
- Engineered and permitted structural work — done in staged sections so your home stays fully supported.
- The path to the 6'5" minimum ceiling height a legal basement suite requires in Toronto.
- One team handles the structural lowering and the finished basement — most firms do only the underpinning and leave you to coordinate the rest.
Local to Toronto
Basement Renovation in Toronto: Permits & Local Requirements
Basement renovations in Toronto require a building permit whether you're finishing the space or creating a legal secondary suite — and as of 2023, Toronto's as-of-right zoning allows up to four units per lot (duplexes through fourplexes) without a rezoning application, making income-suite conversions more accessible than ever. Many Toronto homeowners in East York and Leaside sit on post-war bungalows from the 1950s and '60s with ceiling heights that are already close to code, while older Victorian and Edwardian homes in Riverdale, the Junction, and Leslieville often require underpinning to meet the 6'5" minimum. The City runs a Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program that now covers up to $6,650 per property for backwater valves, sump pumps, and flood-proofing work — a program worth factoring in before you break ground. Permit applications are submitted online through Toronto Building's ePlans portal, and a Rental Renovation Licence Screening Form must be submitted with the permit application for any rental property; a full Rental Renovation Licence is additionally required if you issue an N13 notice to vacate existing tenants.
Questions, answered
Basement renovation FAQ
The things Toronto homeowners ask us most about cost, timeline, permits, and legal suites.
Do I need a permit for a basement renovation in Toronto?
Yes. Any basement finishing, secondary suite creation, or structural modification requires a City of Toronto building permit applied online through the ePlans portal. Purely cosmetic work (paint, flooring) generally does not require a permit, but adding a bedroom, bathroom, kitchen, or suite egress always does.
My basement tenant received an N13 notice — what licences do I need before renovating?
If you issue an N13 Notice to Terminate to a basement tenant in order to renovate, you are required to obtain a full Rental Renovation Licence from the City. For any rental property, a Rental Renovation Licence Screening Form must also accompany the building permit application. These are separate requirements — the Screening Form applies to all rental properties; the full Licence applies only when an N13 has been issued.
How much does a basement renovation cost in Toronto?
Standard basement finishing typically runs about $50,000–$80,000 (roughly 600–1,000 sq ft); a premium build is $80,000–$120,000+, and legal rental suites more. Comparable design-build firms land within 5–10% of each other — a much cheaper quote usually means a smaller scope. Use the estimator above for a real, itemized number.
How long does a basement renovation take?
A typical basement is finished in 6–8 weeks, from permit to final install. The exact timeline depends on scope, permit turnaround in your municipality, and any structural or mechanical work — we lock your schedule before we start.
Why might your quote be higher than a cheap contractor?
Because of what's included. Every RenoDuck basement comes with a foundation and drain-camera inspection, full waterproofing (DensShield, not green drywall), framing with proper blocking, screws instead of nails, commercial-grade paint, in-house custom cabinetry, a dedicated project manager, and a 15-year workmanship warranty. The cheapest renovation is rarely the least expensive one — a basement that fails in 3 years costs far more to redo.
Can you build a legal basement apartment or rental suite?
Yes — it's one of our specialties. A legal suite typically requires a separate entrance, an egress window in each bedroom, a minimum ~6'5" finished ceiling, one-hour fire separation, interconnected hardwired smoke/CO alarms, and independent HVAC — all permitted and inspected. We manage the whole scope and confirm the exact requirements for your municipality.
How much rent can a legal basement suite earn?
In the GTA, a legal second suite commonly rents for about $1,500–$2,500+ per month — enough to offset a large share of a typical mortgage. Many homeowners see the build pay back within a few years.
Do you offer financing or a discount?
Yes. Qualifying projects get $7,500 off, and 0% financing is available — roughly $40 per month for every $10,000 (an ~$80,000 basement works out to about $377/month). We'll walk through the numbers on your free consultation. (OAC)
My basement ceiling is low — can you help?
Yes. Many older Toronto homes have 6–7 ft basements. Underpinning safely lowers your foundation in staged sections to add real headroom and reach the ~6'5" minimum a legal suite needs — engineered, permitted, and finished by one team.
Do you use subcontractors?
No — our core trades are fully in-house, and we manufacture our cabinetry in our own facility. One team, one standard, one point of accountability, from foundation to finish.
Do you handle permits and inspections?
Yes. We manage the entire permit process — drawings, applications, zoning, and city inspections — from start to finish, so you never have to coordinate it yourself.
Which areas do you serve?
We renovate basements across the GTA — see the full service-area list in the footer.
Limited-time: $7,500 off qualifying projects
Transform your basement — it's easier than you think
Get your exact, itemized estimate in 60 seconds, or book a free call with a basement specialist. 15-year workmanship warranty, $5M coverage, and zero pressure.
Or call us directly at 647-245-2405