Most of Vaughan was built after 1985: large two-storey subdivision homes in Woodbridge, Maple and Vellore Village, executive stock in Kleinburg, and older ranch and custom homes in Thornhill. The 1990s houses are now 25 to 35 years old and reaching first full renovation age, with original kitchens, oak staircases and unfinished or builder-finished basements ready for real conversion.
Vaughan’s first renovation wave
Vaughan is young housing stock getting its first real renovation cycle. Woodbridge, Maple and Vellore Village filled in through the 1990s and 2000s with large brick two-storeys, and those houses are now 25 to 35 years old. Original kitchens, oak railings, four-piece builder bathrooms and unfinished basements are all due. YAREX handles that full cycle: kitchen and bathroom rebuilds, basement finishing, permitted secondary suites, custom carpentry and full-home renovations. Licensed, insured, free estimates.
Suites, subdivisions and Kleinburg
Basement work dominates our Vaughan calendar. The city permits secondary suites in most low-rise homes and requires both a building permit and registration of the unit, and the typical 1990s basement is a good candidate: full-height ceilings, large windows, and a layout that accepts a legal suite without underpinning, which keeps costs well below what the same project runs in Toronto’s older stock. In Thornhill, the stock is older and more varied, from 1960s ranches to custom rebuilds, and projects trend toward opening main floors. Kleinburg sits at the other end: estate lots and newer executive homes where the work is high-spec kitchens, millwork and whole-home refinishing. Across all of it, we manage permits through the City of Vaughan and build to Ontario Building Code.
Straight up the 427
Our base in central Etobicoke sits at the foot of Highway 427, which runs directly into Woodbridge. That is about a 20 minute drive, with Maple, Concord and Thornhill roughly 25 to 35 minutes via the 407. Emergency crews dispatch 24/7 for burst pipes, flooding, sump failures, mold and fire damage, then carry the job from cleanup through rebuild under one contract. Call (416) 358-2059.
- 01Kitchen Renovation$25,000 – $150,000+ · 4–8 weeks
- 02Bathroom Renovation$15,000 – $45,000 · 3–5 weeks
- 03Basement Finishing$35 – $90 per sq ft · 6–10 weeks
- 04Legal Basement Apartment$80,000 – $150,000 · 10–16 weeks
- 05Full Home Renovation$150 – $250+ per sq ft · 3–6 months
- 06Condo Renovation$60 – $150 per sq ft · 4–8 weeks
- 07Carpentry & Finishes$2,000 – $30,000+ · 1–3 weeks
- 08Water Damage Restoration24/7 · 3–7 days drying, then rebuild
- 09Mold Remediation24/7 · 2–5 days remediation, then rebuild
- 10Fire & Smoke Restoration24/7 · 1–2 weeks cleanup, rebuild varies
Vaughan — questions
01Are secondary suites allowed in Vaughan?
Yes. Vaughan permits secondary suites in most low-rise homes, in line with provincial rules, and requires a building permit plus registration of the unit with the city. Code items are the usual sticking points: ceiling height, egress, fire separation between units and interconnected smoke alarms. YAREX designs the suite to pass and manages the paperwork.
02How much does it cost to finish a basement in Vaughan?
A straightforward finished basement in a Maple or Vellore Village two-storey typically runs in the mid tens of thousands. Turning it into a legal secondary suite costs more because of the separate entrance, kitchen, fire separation and permit work. We give a fixed written estimate for free before anything starts.
03How far is YAREX from Vaughan?
Our base is in central Etobicoke, right at the bottom of Highway 427. Woodbridge is about 20 minutes straight up the 427, and Maple, Concord and Thornhill are typically 25 to 35 minutes via the 407. Emergency crews run 24/7, when highways are empty and response is fastest.
04Do 1990s Vaughan homes have any common renovation issues?
A few show up repeatedly: builder-grade kitchens and bathrooms at end of life, poly-B or early PEX plumbing in some years, cracked garage-side foundations, and open-to-above great rooms owners want floored in for extra space. None are exotic. We see them weekly and price them predictably.
Fixed estimate. Permits handled. Vaughan to Etobicoke.
We hold one contract from demolition to handover, and answer the emergency line around the clock across the GTA.