GTA Renovation Cost Guide
Last updated · Filteraty Editorial
In the GTA, a mid-range bathroom renovation typically runs in the tens of thousands, a kitchen more, and small repairs far less. But a single number without its scope is meaningless. This guide publishes the full quoted ranges by project type and tier, what each tier includes, and the assumptions and sources behind every figure.
How much does a renovation cost in the GTA?
The honest answer is a range with stated assumptions, and that is exactly what the table below gives you: quoted-market ranges for GTA 2025–2026, split into three scope tiers per project type. Cost content online is notoriously incoherent: the same bathroom question can return answers spanning several multiples depending on the site, usually because pages publish a single average with no scope attached. A range plus its scope is information; an average without one is noise.
Every figure on this page comes from one maintained dataset (the same one Filteraty’s AI assessment uses to give homeowners an indicative range), compiled from published GTA contractor pricing (HomeStars, Houzz Canada, habitualhomes.ca, davidreno.ca, among others) and last verified June 2026. The page and the assessment can never quote you different numbers, because they read the same source.
Swipe sideways to see every column
| Project | Smaller scope | Typical scope | Large / premium scope |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitchen | $5,000–$15,000 | $25,000–$55,000 | $60,000–$120,000 |
| Bathroom | $8,000–$15,000 | $18,000–$30,000 | $35,000–$70,000 |
| Basement | $30,000–$50,000 | $50,000–$75,000 | $75,000–$150,000 |
| Roofing | $800–$3,000 | $5,500–$13,000 | $13,000–$30,000 |
| Electrical | $300–$1,500 | $2,500–$3,500 | $3,500–$6,000 |
| Plumbing | $300–$1,500 | $1,200–$2,800 | $3,500–$8,500 |
| HVAC | $3,500–$9,000 | $8,000–$15,000 | $12,000–$22,000 |
| Painting | $450–$1,800 | $2,000–$6,500 | $5,500–$16,000 |
| Drywall & Plastering | $350–$700 | $800–$2,500 | $2,500–$6,500 |
| Deck & Fence | $5,500–$12,000 | $12,000–$22,000 | $22,000–$42,000 |
| Carpentry & Framing | $2,000–$6,000 | $6,000–$14,000 | $14,000–$28,000 |
| Concrete & Masonry | $1,500–$5,000 | $5,000–$15,000 | $15,000–$30,000 |
| Insulation | $1,500–$3,500 | $3,500–$6,500 | $6,500–$14,000 |
| Exterior | $5,000–$13,000 | $13,000–$26,000 | $26,000–$50,000 |
| Custom Millwork | $3,000–$8,000 | $8,000–$20,000 | $20,000–$40,000 |
| Landscaping | $2,000–$7,000 | $7,000–$20,000 | $20,000–$50,000 |
| Garage Doors | $1,200–$2,200 | $2,200–$3,800 | $3,800–$7,000 |
| Windows & Doors | $900–$1,800 | $1,800–$2,800 | $2,800–$5,500 |
| Demolition | $1,000–$3,500 | $3,500–$8,000 | $8,000–$20,000 |
| General Contracting | $20,000–$65,000 | $65,000–$160,000 | $160,000–$600,000 |
What do the three scope tiers mean?
Each tier describes a real, distinct scope of work, not a quality grade. "Smaller scope" is contained work: a cosmetic refresh, a repair, a single element. "Typical scope" is the standard single-room or single-system job most homeowners mean when they name the project. "Large / premium scope" involves layout changes, structural work, premium materials, or multi-room reach.
When a quote comes in far above the typical tier, the first question is which tier the contractor priced. Very often a "high" quote is a large-scope quote for a job you described in typical-scope words: an alignment problem, not a pricing problem, and fixable by writing the scope down.
What do flooring and tiling cost per square foot?
Flooring and tiling price by area rather than by project, so their honest unit is an installed per-square-foot rate, material and labour together. Beware quotes that look low because they list material-only rates; installation typically matches or exceeds the material cost.
| Material | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Flooring: LVT / Luxury Vinyl Plank | $2/sq ft | $5/sq ft |
| Flooring: Carpet | $3/sq ft | $8/sq ft |
| Flooring: Ceramic / Porcelain Tile | $6/sq ft | $15/sq ft |
| Flooring: Engineered Hardwood | $6/sq ft | $12/sq ft |
| Flooring: Premium / Solid Hardwood | $12/sq ft | $20/sq ft |
| Tiling: Standard ceramic or porcelain (installed) | $15/sq ft | $25/sq ft |
| Tiling: Large format tile (24×24 in or larger, installed) | $22/sq ft | $40/sq ft |
| Tiling: Premium imported or natural stone (installed) | $30/sq ft | $60/sq ft |
| Tiling: In-floor electric heating (add-on per sqft) | $8/sq ft | $14/sq ft |
Do prices differ across the GTA?
Yes. Labour rates inside the City of Toronto run meaningfully above the rest of the GTA, and the western fringe runs below it. The project ranges above are GTA-wide; the modifier table shows how your area shifts them. Materials cost roughly the same everywhere; it is labour, parking, and access that move.
| Region | Relative labour cost |
|---|---|
| City of Toronto (M postal codes) | 115% of the GTA baseline |
| Peel / Halton / York (L postal codes) | 100% of the GTA baseline |
| Hamilton and western fringe (N postal codes) | 90% of the GTA baseline |
What actually drives the price inside each range?
Material grade and scope changes, far more than labour hours. The same renovation can honestly land at either end of its range depending on a handful of decisions, and knowing which decisions move the number is what makes a quote negotiable. The biggest drivers by project type:
- •Kitchen: Cabinet grade is the single biggest cost driver: stock $3k–$10k, semi-custom $8k–$20k, custom $15k–$40k+. Countertop: laminate $30–$50/sqft, granite/quartz $50–$150/sqft. Appliance package $3k–$30k+. Layout change adds $5k–$15k in plumbing/electrical.
- •Bathroom: Tile grade (ceramic $5–$10/sqft material vs imported stone $15–$35/sqft). Walk-in shower glass enclosure $1.2k–$1.8k. Moving any plumbing adds $1.5k–$5k per fixture. Water damage remediation $800–$3k if found during demo.
- •Basement: Legal suite code requirements (fire separation, egress, separate entrance, kitchen) add significant cost over basic finish. Waterproofing if basement is wet $5k–$20k. Underpinning for ceiling height $40k–$80k. Existing rough-in saves $3k–$8k.
- •Roofing: Asphalt shingles $6–$8.50/sqft installed. Metal roofing $13–$28/sqft. Each additional layer to strip adds $500–$1k. Skylights $800–$2.5k each to flash/replace. Fascia/soffit often replaced at same time ($2k–$6k).
- •Electrical: ESA permit required for all panel work ($200–$400, included in above ranges). Panel relocation adds $800–$1.5k. Pre-1980 homes may have knob-and-wiring requiring full rewire. EV charger rough-in adds $800–$1.5k on top of panel cost.
- •Plumbing: Tankless water heater ($5k–$8.5k) vs tank ($1.2k–$1.8k), different scopes entirely. Moving plumbing fixtures $1.5k–$5k each. Access difficulty (finished walls, concrete slab) adds 25–40%. All gas line work requires TSSA-licensed contractor.
- •HVAC: TSSA-licensed contractor required for gas appliances. Heat pump may qualify for Canada Greener Homes rebate ($1.5k–$5k). Ductwork modifications $1k–$5k additional. Attic or in-slab ductwork adds significant labour.
- •Painting: Interior rate $2.50–$5.50/sqft of floor area. Popcorn ceiling removal adds $1–$3/sqft before painting. Extensive patching required before painting adds cost. Multi-colour or accent walls add 10–20%. Exterior depends heavily on home size and surface condition.
Sources: ESA: Hiring an electrician or contractor · City of Toronto: Building & construction
Why do two quotes for the same job differ so much?
Because they are rarely for the same job. Two contractors reading the same kitchen can price different cabinet grades, different plumbing assumptions, and different levels of finish, and a written scope is the only instrument that forces those assumptions into the open. Site conditions matter too: what is behind the wall is unknown until demolition, which is why experienced contractors carry contingency and why a suspiciously low quote often just excludes the risk.
Get the scope in writing, ask each bidder what their number includes and excludes, and treat the ranges on this page as your calibration. A quote far outside them deserves an explanation, in either direction.
How should you use these numbers?
As calibration before you talk to anyone, not as a substitute for quotes. Describe your project on Filteraty and the assessment applies these same ranges to your actual scope and postal area, then matches you with screened GTA contractors whose verification record you can read before you ever message them. The quotes you collect are the real numbers; this page is how you know whether they are reasonable.
Common questions
Are these ranges quotes or estimates?
Neither. They are quoted-market ranges: what GTA contractors publicly price similar scopes at, compiled from the sources listed above. Your project’s real number comes from written quotes against a written scope. Use the ranges to judge whether a quote is in reasonable territory.
Do the ranges include HST?
Treat them as pre-tax and confirm tax treatment on every written quote. Published contractor pricing is inconsistent about HST, which is one more reason the quote, not the listing, is the document that matters.
How current are these figures?
The source set behind this page was last verified June 2026, and the page shows its last-updated date at the top. Renovation pricing moves with material costs and season, so we refresh the corpus on a review cycle rather than letting figures silently age.
My quote is above the top of the range. Am I being overcharged?
Not necessarily. Ask which scope tier was priced and what the quote includes that the tier does not. Premium materials, structural surprises, and access constraints legitimately push past the range. A contractor who can itemize the difference is giving you information; one who cannot is giving you a number.
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