Home Renovation in Pickering

Expect the surprises to be in the services rather than the structure. Houses in the older south end of Pickering often still carry their original electrical and supply plumbing, and the basements are frequently lower than a modern finished ceiling height allows. None of that is a reason not to renovate. It is a reason to have the panel and the basement looked at before you set a budget, because finding a 60-amp service after you have already chosen tile is how a project goes over.

For a kitchen of that age, usually yes, and the reason is layout rather than condition. Late 1980s and 1990s kitchens were drawn around appliance sizes and traffic patterns that have changed. You can reface cabinets and keep the layout, which is cheaper and looks better than it did, or you can move the plumbing and change how the room works. Refacing a layout you dislike is the one option that reliably disappoints.

The City of Pickering requires a permit for structural changes, new or relocated plumbing, electrical modifications and basement finishing. Like the rest of Durham, a like-for-like cosmetic swap generally does not need one, and almost any renovation that moves a fixture does. We prepare and submit the application and schedule the inspections as part of the job.

Yes, and the two things to plan for there are builder warranty and, in some communities, an architectural control period or homeowners association rules affecting exterior changes. Interior work is rarely restricted. We will ask about both at the assessment because it is cheaper to check than to undo.

We are on Westney Road North in Ajax, so Pickering is the next town over and a short drive. Practically, that means an assessment is easy to schedule and our crews are not spending an hour each way in traffic, which is a real factor in what a job costs to run.