Fixed price contracts
Every contract is fixed price, with every line item specified before signing.
Areas we serve · The Beaches
Custom Builds, Additions & Renovations in The Beaches
Victorian semis, Arts and Crafts detached homes, and frame cottages built for summer.
Victorian and Edwardian semis, Arts and Crafts detached homes, and original frame cottages, shaped by the era of the home and the conditions of the site.
15+ Years
Of building and renovating in Toronto
250+ Projects
Completed across Toronto and the GTA
HCRA Licensed
Fully insured and licensed for your protection
Proposal in 48 Hrs
Fully itemized, line by line
Fixed Contract
Locked before work begins. No surprises
One Team
Design, build and warranty under one contract
What we build in The Beaches
How We Work on Beaches Homes
Renovations, additions, and custom builds across The Beaches. Victorian, Edwardian, and frame cottage work. Fixed price contracts, HCRA licensed.
01Design & Permits
From first sketch to your building permit, we handle every step.
02Home Renovations
Full house major renovations across the whole house, including the basement and exterior, under one fixed price locked before you sign.
03Home Additions
Second storey, rear and side home additions in Toronto, designed and built under one fixed price locked before you sign.
04Custom Homes
We tear down your old house and build the new one, with the design package, permits and construction under one fixed price locked before you sign.
05Laneway & Garden Suites
We design and build garden suites and laneway houses behind your home in Toronto, with the design package, permits and construction under one fixed price locked before you sign.
06Project Management
Project management led with precision and transparency: one point of contact from the first idea to the final inspection.
The Housing Stock
Working Across The Beaches’ Mixed Housing Stock
The Beaches doesn’t have a single defining housing type, which is part of what makes it distinctive, and what makes the work here interesting. Victorian and Edwardian semis dominate the streets between Queen and Kingston, often with original front porches, decorative brickwork, and interior detailing worth preserving. Arts and Crafts homes show up south of Queen, including some of the only clinker brick in Toronto. Original frame cottages, purpose built as summer homes when The Beach was a lakeside getaway rather than a year round neighbourhood, still stand on side streets and around Balmy Beach, and converting them into proper year round homes is a real share of the work.
Most projects in The Beaches involve significant renovation, frequently combined with a rear or second storey addition, and occasionally a full reconfiguration of a frame cottage to bring it to modern standards. Outright teardown is less common here than in Willowdale or parts of North York, partly because the housing stock is worth preserving, partly because the streetscape character is what people moved here for.
Good To Know
The Lake Changes Everything
Proximity to Lake Ontario means a high water table on many Beaches lots, with associated foundation moisture, basement humidity, and soil drainage challenges. Renovation work that ignores this produces basements that smell musty within a season. We address it structurally, with proper waterproofing membranes, foundation drainage, sump systems, and ventilation, as part of the build.
The early 1900s cottages weren’t built to modern code. Foundations are often stone and rubble or shallow concrete, framing is balloon type or sometimes just sawn lumber, walls have no insulation, and mechanical systems were never present. Converting these homes requires significant structural and envelope work that goes beyond cosmetic renovation.
The Beaches isn’t a formally designated Heritage Conservation District, but some streets and individual homes carry heritage listings or designations. We check the Heritage Register as part of every consultation.
South of Queen especially, lots are narrow and side yard clearances are minimal. Side by side semis share party walls. Construction logistics, material delivery, and neighbour communication all need active management.
Homes south of Queen face the lake directly and the elements that come with it. Material choices for siding, mortar, windows, and exterior finishes all need to account for harder weather exposure than the rest of Toronto.
Our Process
From First Walk Through to Final Walkthrough
A luxury renovation in Toronto doesn’t have to mean a moving budget. Since 2010, Grand Design Build has delivered full home rebuilds, kitchens, bathrooms, and basements at the premium level, every project priced upfront and run by the same in house team. What that means in the finished home: open concept layouts that work for how a family actually lives, custom millwork, integrated lighting, and kitchens and bathrooms built around the way the household uses them. The work behind the walls is held to the same standard as the finishes.
- Step 01In house Consultation
We walk the property, talk through your vision, and review what’s possible, including any heritage considerations, foundation conditions, and what the existing structure will or won’t support.
- Step 02Design & Fixed Quote
Architectural and interior design developed in house, including structural assessment for additions and conversions. Every line specified before you sign, including any waterproofing and foundation work the home actually requires.
- Step 03Permits & Final Drawings
We handle the full permitting process, including any heritage review and Committee of Adjustment work required for your project.
- Step 04Build & Inspections
Renovations typically run 4 to 10 months, cottage conversions 6 to 12 months, additions 5 to 12 months. You work with a dedicated project manager, attend regular meetings, and stay updated daily with logs and schedules.
- Step 05Handover & Warranty
We walk through the finished home with you, deal with anything outstanding, and hand it over.
Why The Beaches Clients Work With Us
One Team, One Contract
Older home experience
We’ve worked across Toronto’s prewar housing stock since 2010. The Beaches mix of Victorian, Edwardian, Arts and Crafts, and frame cottage construction is the kind of work we do most.
HCRA licensed and fully insured
Fully licensed under Ontario’s Home Construction Regulatory Authority, and insured on every project.
One contract, one team
Architectural design, interior design, construction, and project management all coordinated under one roof.
The work
Our projects
Cliffcrest A ground up custom home in Cliffcrest, where the 1950s bungalows on the Bluffs are steadily being replaced. Grey stone and limestone across the front, gabled dormers, and the garage set below the entrance so the main floor sits up off the street.
Douglas Avenue A three storey infill on a narrow lot, eleven metres from established grade to the top of the parapet. Buff veneer brick under a black clad set back top floor.
De Vere Gardens Fifteen feet of bathroom, planned as three zones: a glass shower just over five feet square, a 6'-7" freestanding tub set under the window, and the water closet behind its own door.
Don Mills A rear addition on a Don Mills home. Painted brick, full height windows across the back, and an elevated deck sitting over a paved terrace.
Blackthorn A two storey garden suite clad in black vertical seam metal, with sliding doors opening onto a paved path and a cedar fence run alongside it.
Haig Avenue Two custom homes built side by side on one street, one in pale brick and one in dark, with black window frames carried across both.
Glengarry Red brick over a limestone base, steep gables, and a limestone surround to the entrance with a black bay window set beside it.
Homeowner reviews
What homeowners say
Grand Design Build did a rear addition, second storey, and all our bathrooms on a house in the Beaches. March to September 2025. We were told end of September and moved back in the second week, so a bit ahead of schedule. Fixed price contract, and the final cost was exactly the contract number. That mattered a lot to us. We decided to change few items for bathrooms and kitchen halfway and there were no issues with the change orders, and the pricing was really fair even though a fixed contract was signed. There were no pushback. The office project coordinators and the site supervisor were really helpful the entire way through. They also kept the site tidy for six months straight and our neighbours never once complained. Respectful crew. Recommend them.
Allen and his team were a dream to work with. Truly an amazing experience and an incredible condo full renovation. The work was top notch and Allen was excellent to work with, respecting our ideas and desires and making our renovation dream a reality.
I had a really good experience working with Grand Design Build on my home renovation and rear addition project. Their team was professional, knowledgeable, and easy to work with throughout the process. They took the time to understand our needs, offered helpful suggestions along the way, and also provided complimentary interior design support, which was a great added value. They were responsive and attentive to questions as they came up, and the project stayed on track from start to finish. I would recommend Grand Design Build to anyone looking for a reliable custom build and design company in Toronto.
Grand Design Build did a great job on our renovation. Their team was organized, kept us informed through each step, and also delivered quality work. They were reliable with timelines and very clear about costs and materials. Overall, we had a very smooth experience with them. Highly recommended!
Grand Design Build exceeded every expectation we had. From the very first consultation, they were professional, transparent, and truly passionate about their work. If you’re considering custom home building in Toronto, you won’t find a more reliable and talented team. Our new home is stunning, and the attention to detail is second to none. We are so grateful for their dedication and highly recommend them.
Grand design build are a master in custom home building in Toronto for sure. They designed and built our place just exactly how we wanted it. They are very reliable when it comes to communication and planning.
Areas we serve
We also build nearby.
- The Beaches
- Bayview Village
- Bloor West Village
- Cliffcrest
- Danforth
- Forest Hill
- Leaside
- Ledbury Park
- North York
- Rosedale
- Willowdale
We build throughout Toronto and the GTA. These are the neighbourhoods we work in most.
Can't find your neighbourhood?
We build across Toronto and the GTA. These are the ones we work in most, not the only ones we work in.
Frequently asked questions
The Beaches questions, answered
If the answer you need is not here, ask us on the call.
Can my original Beaches frame cottage be converted into a proper year round home?
In most cases, yes, but it’s a more involved project than a standard renovation. Original frame cottages were built without insulation, often without proper foundations, and with mechanical systems that were either absent or added in patchwork over the decades. A proper conversion typically involves either reinforcing or rebuilding the foundation, full envelope upgrade with insulation and weather barriers, new mechanical systems throughout, and structural reinforcement where the original framing isn’t to code. The result is a fully modern home that retains the cottage’s character, though the budget and timeline reflect what the conversion actually requires.
What does the lake's proximity mean for my project?
For most Beaches homes, particularly south of Queen, lake proximity creates a higher water table and more aggressive freeze thaw cycles than the rest of Toronto. Practically, this means foundation waterproofing has to be properly handled rather than treated as an afterthought, basement drainage and sump systems need to be designed in, and exterior materials on lake facing facades need to be specified for harder weather exposure. We assess water table and drainage conditions during the consultation so the design accounts for them from the start.
Is my Beaches home protected by heritage rules?
The Beaches isn’t a formally designated Heritage Conservation District, so most homes here don’t face the exterior alteration restrictions that apply in Rosedale or parts of the Annex. Some individual homes and a few streets carry heritage listings on the City’s Heritage Register, which can affect demolition or significant exterior work. We check the Heritage Register as part of every Beaches consultation, so you know upfront whether your property carries any heritage status.
Can I add a second storey to my Beaches semi or detached?
Often yes, depending on the existing foundation, the structural condition of the home, and zoning constraints. Beaches semis share party walls with neighbours, which adds complexity to second storey additions, both because of structural considerations and because the work affects the neighbouring home and needs to be coordinated. Detached homes are more straightforward. The first design step is always a structural assessment of what the existing home can support.
Can I underpin my Beaches basement to make it useful?
Yes, and it’s a common request. Most older Beaches basements have low ceilings, often 6’6″ to 7′, which doesn’t work as proper living space. Underpinning lowers the basement floor by excavating below the existing footings and rebuilding the foundation walls down to the new depth, producing a basement with 9′ ceilings that functions as family room, in law suite, or rentable secondary unit space. The waterproofing approach in The Beaches needs particular attention given the water table, so we treat that as part of the underpinning scope rather than a separate concern.
Start here
Let's start with the number.
Tell us what you are thinking about in The Beaches. We will come and see it, and you will have a scope and a price broken down line by line within 48 hours.
- A visit to the property, at a time that suits you.
- A scope and price broken down line by line, within 48 hours.
- No obligation to go any further than that.
Contact us (416) 920-6066