Hiring a general contractor is the biggest decision in a renovation. It matters more than the tile, the layout or even the budget, because the general contractor is the person who turns all of those into a finished house. In East Toronto, where many homes are close to a century old, it also means choosing someone who knows what older houses hide.
This guide covers what a general contractor actually does, the rules that protect you in Toronto, how contractors charge, and the questions worth asking before you sign.
What a general contractor actually does
On a renovation, the general contractor runs the job. That usually means:
- Planning the work and the schedule: what happens in what order, and who is on site when.
- Hiring and managing the trades: framers, electricians, plumbers, HVAC, drywall, finishers.
- Permits and inspections: applying for the building permit, booking inspections at each stage and keeping the work to the approved drawings.
- The budget: pricing the work, tracking costs and pricing any changes before they happen.
- The site: safety, protection of the parts of the house you’re keeping, and the neighbours.
In an older house, add one more: reading the house. When the walls open and the drawings meet reality, the general contractor decides what happens next. That judgement is most of what you’re paying for.
General contractor or design-build?
A traditional general contractor builds from drawings someone else prepared, usually an architect or designer you hired separately. A design-build firm does both under one contract: the same team designs the house and builds it.
The difference shows up when something unexpected turns up mid-job. With separate designer and builder, the question goes back and forth between them. With design-build, the people who drew the house are the people solving it. That’s how we work, and we explain why in Design-Build in Toronto.
The paperwork that protects you in Toronto
- A City of Toronto Building Renovator licence. The City requires businesses that repair or renovate buildings to hold a Building Renovator licence, renewed every year. Ask to see it. Woodsmith is licensed, and we’re glad to show you ours.
- A written contract. Ontario requires a written agreement for any renovation contract over $50, covering the work, the price with taxes and the payment terms. If you sign the contract at your home, you have a 10-day cooling-off period to cancel.
- A building permit, in the right name. Structural, plumbing and HVAC work needs a permit. Electrical work goes through the Electrical Safety Authority. A contractor who suggests skipping the permit “to save money” is handing you the risk. Here’s how the Toronto permit process works.
- Insurance. Ask for proof of liability insurance and workplace (WSIB) coverage before work starts.
- When a renovation becomes a “new home.” Some major projects count as building a new home under Ontario rules, and then different licensing and warranty rules apply. We explain where that line falls in our Tarion warranty guide.
Questions to ask any general contractor
Whoever you hire, these questions will tell you a lot:
- Does the same team design and build? When one team draws the house and builds it, what turns up on site is solved by the people who designed it. That is how we work.
- Who prepares the drawings and handles the permit? We do both in-house, with a BCIN-qualified designer.
- Have they worked on houses like yours? Older East-Toronto homes come with brick foundations, shared walls and old wiring. Ask to see comparable projects, like ours.
- How will you see progress and costs? Our clients follow their job through an online project dashboard.
- How is the budget built? Ask what is included, what is not, and how changes are priced. Here is why renovation quotes vary.
- If energy performance matters to you, ask about net-zero and energy-retrofit training.
- Can they point to recognised work? Ours includes a BILD award for renovation innovation.
How general contractors charge
Most residential general contractors work in one of two ways:
- Fixed price: one number for a defined scope. Anything outside the scope becomes a change order. In an older house, a fixed price has to carry a contingency for what nobody can see yet, and you pay for it whether or not it’s used.
- Cost-plus: you pay the actual cost of labour and materials plus the contractor’s fee, with the books open.
Neither is automatically cheaper. What matters is that you understand which one you’re signing and how changes are priced. We compare the two in fixed price vs cost-plus, and explain why renovation quotes vary so much.
Warning signs
- No written contract, or a contract that’s vague about scope and payment.
- A suggestion to skip the permit.
- Pressure to sign today, or a price that only holds if you decide on the spot.
- Requests for cash only.
- No comparable work to show. For an older house, ask to see an older house they’ve done.
How we work
Design and build under one roof. Your designer and your builder are the same team, so there’s no hand-off where things get lost.
Local experience. We’ve worked on East Toronto homes since 2001, from 1920s Beach semis to Danforth bungalows. Our long relationships with trades and City inspectors help keep permits and inspections moving.
Honest pricing. Our estimates are grounded in current trade rates and the real condition of your house. See how we budget for older Toronto homes.
Our general contracting services
Full Home Renovations (especially for homes built before 1950)
Second-Storey Additions and Basement Lowerings
Structural Repairs & Restorations
Kitchen & Bathroom Remodelling
Custom Home Construction
Permit Applications & Engineering Coordination
Building trust, not just homes
Toronto homeowners often feel overwhelmed choosing a general contractor. We get it. That’s why we approach every project as a relationship, not just a job. From your first consultation to the final walkthrough, you’re working with a responsive, respectful, and experienced team.
We don’t cut corners, and we don’t walk away when things get complicated. Our process is designed to surface problems early, solve them efficiently, and deliver results that match your vision and budget.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. The City of Toronto requires businesses that repair or renovate buildings to hold a Building Renovator licence, renewed every year. Trades such as electrical have their own licensing on top of that.
It depends on how the contract is set up. A fixed price builds the contractor’s margin and a contingency into one number. Cost-plus charges the actual cost of the work plus a fee, with the books open. Compare what’s included, not just the total.
Look for someone who has done work like yours, in houses like yours. Ask to see comparable projects, read their reviews, check their City licence, and get the scope and payment terms in writing.
Usually the general contractor applies on your behalf, using drawings prepared by a qualified designer. Make sure the permit covers the work being done, and keep a copy.
At minimum: the contractor’s details, a clear description of the work, the total price with taxes, the payment schedule, the timeline and what happens if the scope changes. Ontario requires a written contract for any renovation over $50.
