Apartments in buildings below five storeys
2,005 of 5,290 occupied private dwellings in the structural-type group.
Long Branch / Toronto
Custom Home Builders in Long Branch
Plan the rooms you need while considering the house, its neighbours and the street.
Send us the property details and the work you have in mind. We can discuss the design, scope and next planning steps.
Discuss your project
Renovations, additions and custom homes
A Long Branch brief needs both a floor plan and a street view
A useful Long Branch design brief explains how the proposed home would work inside and how it would sit beside neighbouring buildings. The City adopted neighbourhood character guidelines in 2018 for a defined area; the property address and applicable land designation need checking before those guidelines are applied.
The 2021 profile also contains a mix of housing: 37.9% apartments in buildings below five storeys and 29.2% single-detached homes. Identify whether the project is a whole house, a unit or a building with several dwellings before choosing the design and construction approach.
Local housing context / 2021
Long Branch housing, in the 2021 Census
The City’s Long Branch profile records apartments in buildings below five storeys as its largest structural category, at 37.9%. The largest construction-period category covers dwellings originally completed in 1960 or earlier. These are separate measures of the area’s housing.
Originally built in 1960 or earlier
1,995 of 5,290 occupied private dwellings in the construction-period group.
For an older building, compare its present layout with available drawings and alteration records. Do not assume the existing structure or services still match the original construction.
Source: City of Toronto Neighbourhood Profiles, 2021, Long Branch (019). Each measure uses its own published total; rounded counts may differ. These area figures do not establish what can be built at an individual address. View the source workbook.
This guide uses the City’s Long Branch statistical neighbourhood, number 019. Find the address on the City’s neighbourhood map before using the profile. Zoning, secondary-plan and heritage boundaries require separate checks; the area name does not confirm a property’s permissions.
Before the scope is fixed
Bring the street context into the first design discussion
Is the property within the guideline area?
Check the mapped location and land designation against the Council decision. The Long Branch statistical profile and the area where character guidelines apply are different references; an area name alone does not establish applicability.
What does the immediate block show?
Bring photographs looking both ways along the street as well as toward the neighbouring homes. Discuss the proposed building form, entrance, driveway and landscape together. The guidelines assess context at more than one scale.
What would a larger home change at ground level?
Mark existing trees, outdoor space, access and the relationship between the front door and street. Ask the design team to compare those effects alongside the new rooms, rather than deciding the exterior after the plan is fixed.
Which records are missing for the existing building?
For an older property, gather available drawings and alteration records. The profile records 37.7% of dwellings as originally built in 1960 or earlier, but that does not tell you what has since changed on your lot.
For the property and proposal, the City’s preliminary zoning review information explains the available review routes.
Sources: City of Toronto Neighbourhood Profiles · 2018.CC36.15: Long Branch Neighbourhood Character Guidelines · Long Branch Neighbourhood Character Guidelines, January 2018, Part 1 · Apply for a Zoning Review · Find the official neighbourhood for your address
What we do
Six services, shaped around your project
1
Architectural Design & Permits
Develop the drawings and application work within the agreed scope. Begin with the property, the proposal and the information needed for review.
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2
Renovations
Rework the layout, structure and finishes together. Consider kitchens and bathrooms as part of how the whole home functions.
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3
Additions
Compare additional floor space with the existing layout, structure and outdoor space. Review rear, side or second-storey options where appropriate to the property.
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4
Custom Homes
Plan a new home from the site and design brief through to construction. Resolve the scope and responsibilities before work begins.
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5
Laneway / Garden Suites
Discuss a separate dwelling as its own project. A laneway suite and a garden suite need distinct property and proposal checks.
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6
Project Management
Coordinate the agreed work, decisions and construction sequence. Keep responsibilities and changes recorded as the project progresses.
Explore project managementHow the work moves forward
From the first conversation to handover.
Work through the property, scope and decisions before construction. Keep responsibilities and changes recorded as the project progresses.
Discuss your projectDiscuss how you want to live
Start with what works, what does not and the changes that matter most to your household.
Review the existing house
Assess the layout, structure and relevant site conditions before developing the renovation approach.
Develop the design and scope
Coordinate the rooms, structural approach, services and finishes. Review inclusions, exclusions and responsibilities before construction.
Prepare the approval work
Coordinate the drawings and applications required within the agreed scope, including a Committee of Adjustment application where needed. Allow for review comments and further information. The proposal identifies how City fees, Committee fees and survey costs are handled.
Manage the construction
Sequence the work and trades around the project plan. Keep decisions and changes documented, with updates through the project coordinator.
Review and hand over
Walk through the finished work, record outstanding items and agree the follow-up. Confirm the applicable closeout and warranty documents.
Planning questions
Long Branch project questions
Do the Long Branch character guidelines apply to every address with that name?
Confirm the property against the Council decision and mapped area. The guidelines were adopted for specified lands designated Neighbourhoods; the statistical neighbourhood name is not an address-level test.
2018.CC36.15: Long Branch Neighbourhood Character Guidelines
What photographs are useful before discussing an exterior design?
Show the front of the property, the adjoining homes, views along the block and existing access. These help explain the proposal in context; they do not replace measured drawings or a planning review.
Long Branch Neighbourhood Character Guidelines, January 2018, Part 1
Does a similar new house nearby establish what I can build?
No. Use it to explain preferences, then review your own lot, building and proposal. Its dimensions or approval history cannot be assumed to apply to another address.
Should a split or change to a lot be assumed in the first design?
Treat any proposed change to the lot arrangement as a separate question for review. Begin with the current survey and desired rooms so the design does not rely on an unconfirmed assumption.
Toronto
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Start with your home
Tell us what you want to change
Share the address and the work you have in mind. We can discuss whether the project is a fit and what information will help with the next planning step.