Basement finishing
in Toronto & the GTA
A basement is the cheapest square footage you can add to a house, but only if the water is handled first. We start every basement with moisture and waterproofing, then frame, insulate, and finish over a dry, sealed shell. Finishing over a damp foundation just buries the problem until it ruins the new work.
From a family room to a legal second unit, we handle egress windows, ceiling height, bathrooms, and electrical under one contract. You get an itemized fixed-price quote before anything starts, one project manager from the first walk-through to the last, and in-house crews who work across Toronto and the GTA.
What the job includes
- Moisture control and waterproofing
- Framing and insulation
- Egress windows
- Basement bathrooms and wet bars
- Separate entrance and second-unit work
- Electrical and pot lights
- Flooring
Licensed and WSIB-registered, with one accountable point of contact and a schedule you can hold us to. The same crews that earned ELG a 5.0 rating across 40+ Google reviews.
Recent residential projects.
Work completed across Toronto and the GTA. Tap any photo to open the gallery.
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From first call
to finished basement.
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01
Walk-through
We check the things that decide the whole job before anything else: where water is getting in, how much ceiling height you actually have, and whether the layout can take an egress window.
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02
Moisture first
Interior drainage, sealing the foundation, or correcting grading and downspouts outside, handled before a single stud goes up. Finishing over a damp foundation just buries the problem until it ruins the new work.
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03
Permits
Most finished basements need one, especially with new plumbing, a bathroom, egress windows, or a second unit. We pull them and handle inspections so the work is on record.
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04
Build
A finished basement typically runs 4 to 6 weeks on site. Underpinning, a legal second unit, or extensive plumbing adds time, and the schedule comes with the quote.
Basement permits and legal second units
In Toronto, finishing a basement needs a building permit when the work includes structural or material alterations, installing or modifying plumbing or heating, excavating or building foundations, underpinning, a new basement entrance, or a second suite. A basement finish with no structural or material alterations, no new plumbing, and no added unit is on the City's list of work that does not need one. Add a bathroom, a walkout, or a lowered floor, and it does.
Since the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022, Ontario's Planning Act allows up to three residential units per lot in many existing residential areas without a rezoning: up to three in the main house, or two in the house and one in an ancillary building such as a garage. Toronto allows more, with four-unit multiplexes permitted city-wide. A basement apartment still needs its own building permit.
A legal basement apartment has to meet the Ontario Building Code and the Ontario Fire Code. The province's second-unit guide covers the main points: minimum ceiling heights over the unit and the route to its exit, a way out in an emergency, including escape windows large enough for a person to get through and easy to open without tools, a fire separation between the units, smoke alarms on every level, outside sleeping areas, and in each bedroom of the unit, and carbon monoxide alarms where the house has a fuel-burning furnace or an attached garage.
Electrical work goes through the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA), not the City: the unit needs a separate electrical permit and an ESA inspection. We pull the building permit, arrange the ESA review, build to these requirements, and handle the inspections so the unit is on record and signed off.
One call.
One team.
One quote.
Tell us about the basement. We will visit the space, document a fixed-price quote, and begin on the date specified in the contract.
- Phone
- 416 · 875 · 0870
- Info@elgservices.ca
- Service area
- Toronto, North York, East York, Vaughan, Richmond Hill, Markham, Aurora, Stouffville
Basement renovation questions.
Do you handle moisture and leaks before finishing?
Always. We deal with moisture before anything gets framed or covered. That can mean interior drainage, sealing the foundation, or correcting grading and downspouts outside. Finishing over a wet basement just hides the problem until it ruins the new work.
Can you build a legal basement apartment or second unit?
Yes. A legal second unit needs an egress window, fire separation, the right ceiling height, and a safe way out. A separate entrance is preferred, but Ontario's Building Code also allows a shared exit when the exit area has the required fire separation and smoke alarms interconnected to both units, and local zoning can add its own entrance rules. We build to those requirements and pull the permits so the unit passes inspection and is legal to rent.
What if my basement ceiling is too low?
Low ceilings can be fixed by lowering the floor through underpinning or bench footing. Underpinning gives you the most height and protects the foundation. We tell you which one your house needs and what it adds to the job before you commit.
Do I need a permit to finish a basement?
Most finished basements need a permit, especially with new plumbing, a bathroom, egress windows, or a second unit. We pull the permits and handle inspections so the work is on record and signed off.
How long does a basement renovation take?
A finished basement typically runs 4 to 6 weeks on site. Underpinning, a second unit, or extensive plumbing adds time. You get a real schedule with the quote, not a guess.
How many units can I have on my property in Ontario?
Since the More Homes Built Faster Act, 2022, Ontario's Planning Act allows up to three units per lot in many existing residential areas without a rezoning: up to three in the main house, or two in the house and one in an ancillary building such as a garage. In Toronto, four-unit multiplexes are permitted city-wide. Zoning and building permits still apply, so we confirm what your lot allows before any drawings start.
When can I finish a basement in Toronto without a permit?
When the work has no structural or material alterations, no new plumbing, and does not create an additional unit. That is how the City of Toronto describes a basement finish that does not need a permit. A new bathroom, underpinning, a basement entrance, or a second suite all need one.
Does basement electrical work need an ESA permit?
In most cases, yes. The Ontario Electrical Safety Code requires almost all electrical work to be filed with the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) as a notification of work, separate from the City building permit, and a second unit needs its own electrical permit and ESA inspection. We arrange the ESA review as part of the job.
Start with a walk-through
Tell us what you have in mind for the basement. You get a clear quote, a real start date, and one person to call the whole way through.
Where we work
ELG builds finished basements across Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. Choose your city for local details, or call 416 · 875 · 0870 for a free on-site quote.