Restoration Register

Heritage restoration contractors in Toronto and the GTA

A general restoration contractor is who you hire when the job crosses trades, with masonry and windows and roof and interior all needing to happen in the right order and under a heritage permit. On a designated property this is a different job from ordinary general contracting, because the permit and the trades both constrain the schedule.

What separates a heritage general contractor from a good renovator is process. They should be comfortable working to the Standards and Guidelines for the Conservation of Historic Places in Canada, able to sequence a job around a municipal heritage permit rather than after it, and willing to argue for repair over replacement when replacement would be easier to price and faster to install. On GTA projects they are usually also managing a conservation architect's specifications, city heritage staff, and subtrades who each need to be the right specialist. Ask what share of their work is on designated or listed property. If it is occasional, you are paying them to learn.

What to ask before you hire

  1. What proportion of your work is on designated or listed heritage property? Occasional heritage work inside a general renovation business is a different capability from a restoration practice.
  2. Have you worked under a municipal heritage permit before, and in which municipalities? Permit conditions and staff expectations vary considerably across the GTA.
  3. Which parts of this job will you self-perform and which will you subcontract? You want the specialist trades named, so you can check them independently.
Grant funding

Toronto funds 50% to $10,000 on residential designated property with no cap on other types, Oakville to $15,000, Markham $5,000 and Caledon $4,000. Most GTA programs require approval before work begins, so line the grant up before you sign a contract.

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