East York Design

Third Floor Plans

East York Design Tips

East York is a great and unique part of our city. It is comprised of a lot of brick bungalows that were constructed during wartime. It offers the perfect chance for a family to set up roots and build their dream home. The property sizes are also a bit on the bigger side when compared to the downtown core. There are, however, a few things that one should think about with your East York design.

 

Size Matters

Size does matter in East York, and designing small will hamper your chances of the best return on your investment down the line. Always maximize on what you can build.

Up is Easier

Always build up on a wartime brick bungalow. These homes were built like bomb shelters and can usually take the extra load of an additional floor without much structural adjustment.

 

Size

The property sizes, as mentioned before, are very favorable in comparison to the downtown core. Make sure your East York design takes advantage of this fact. I have seen a lot of money spent on redesigning the bungalow itself and not adding anything to the floor plan at all. This is a big mistake, given that most of the people who are looking to buy in that area are looking for larger family homes. New home buyers want a full-sized family home and not a renovated bungalow.  Also, make sure you keep your home up to the scale of the homes around you. Remember that your East York design must stand out in the crowd but not to the point that it looks out of place on the street.

 

Design Smart

Always, always, build upon these wartime bungalows. They provide a great foundation base that will usually allow you to do so without any additional structural changes on your end. Ensure your East York design factors are in the right building materials and techniques, such as full-span floor joists and truss roof systems. All of these will sit on the outside walls and keep the new structure over the existing foundation structure and will remove the need for any additional support through the center of your home.  This design practice gives you the most flexibility with your interior layouts. This allows you to go to the full open concept on the ground floor and divide up the second or third floor however you like. It also allows you to change things down the line and not have to worry about taking out a barring wall. When changing a bedroom around or relocating an office in your home. Full-span design allows for quicker and easier construction, which will also save you time and money on your building budget.

Woodsmith Construction is first and foremost one of the leading contractors serving the GTA. We at Rigid Frame Structural Engineers Inc. provide structural engineering consulting for them. Woodsmith always adhere to the drawings and regulations in all of their construction projects. We also find Chris and all his crews to be very respectful. We recommend Woodsmith to all our clients who like to tackle renovations.

Cristina Blesa
Cristina Blesa2023-12-06
Google

We worked with Chris Smith and Woodsmith Construction Inc. on a large-scale renovation of our east-end semi and we couldn’t be happier with the finished product. The project included adding a third floor, underpinning the basement, and updating the interior throughout the house. Chris handled both the design and the build, and he is incredibly knowledgeable about all stages of the process. He was professional and responsive and always had our best interests at heart. His team was hard-working and respectful and they were all a pleasure to work with.Chris was professional, calm, and reasonable in working with our neighbours at all stages of the process and earned a very positive reputation among people on the street who saw the process and admired the result. The final product maintains the same exterior character of the home while updating the interior and making it a hundred times more functional for our family. It is a total transformation from what it used to be and we thank Chris for his vision and guidance throughout the process.Chris and his team were organized, professional, and always on top of the details. They kept us in the loop throughout the project and made sure everything was done to the highest standard. We would not hesitate to recommend Woodsmith to anyone undertaking a residential renovation – he is one of the hardest-working people we know and we are very grateful for his expertise and dedication.

D Volpe
D Volpe2024-12-01
Google

Emmanuel Moysis
Emmanuel Moysis2019-03-31
Google

We worked with Chris Smith and Woodsmith Construction Inc. on the design for a garage addition, and the experience was fantastic. The project included adding attic trusses to create a new walk-in closet and laundry room that seamlessly connected to our existing main bedroom. Chris’s goal was to make the addition feel like it had always been part of the home, and he absolutely nailed it.From the start, Chris took the time to understand what we needed and came up with a design that not only maximized the functionality of the space but also kept the style consistent with the rest of the house. He paid close attention to every detail, from the layout to the finishes, ensuring everything worked perfectly with our main bedroom.The design makes such smart use of the space, and it feels like a natural extension of the home rather than an afterthought. Chris was great to work with—responsive, creative, and incredibly knowledgeable. He even provided advice on how to approach the construction phase, which made us feel confident moving forward.If you’re looking for someone to bring your vision to life with a thoughtful and practical design, we highly recommend Chris Smith and Woodsmith Construction. The design he created for us has truly enhanced our home. Our construction is well under way and we are already seeing the great design come to life!

Steve F
Steve F2024-12-03
Google

Woodsmith construction just completed a gut job and garage addition for my husband and I and it was the best experience I could have hoped for especially given all the renovation horror stories we have heard. They were so professional, helpful, diligent and responsive and the quality of the renovation was first class. I would recommend anyone to hire Woodsmith construction for all their needs whether it is a renovation or a new build. We could not be happier with the outcome and our newly renovated home.

Woodsmith Construction completed a project for us in a timely and professional manner. The quality of their workmanship is superb. Communication between them and us was informative, courteous and collaborative. We would highly recommend them.

Rick Wilson
Rick Wilson2020-03-31
Google

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