How long does a whole-home renovation take?

A main-floor renovation typically takes 4–8 weeks. A whole-home mid-range renovation runs 8–16 weeks depending on scope, permits and material lead times. Gut renovations with structural changes can run 4–6 months.

How much should I keep as contingency?

Keep 10–15% of the budget as contingency. Older GTA homes routinely reveal surprises behind walls — knob-and-tube wiring, galvanized plumbing, hidden moisture — and the contingency is what keeps the project moving when they appear.

Which renovations add the most value?

Kitchens and bathrooms return the most at resale. A legal basement apartment is the strongest income play in Brampton, adding rental income of roughly $1,800 per month. Consistent flooring and fresh paint are the cheapest improvements with visible impact.

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Whole-Home Renovation Cost in the GTA (2026): Prices by Room & Sq Ft

Q: How much does it cost to renovate a whole house in the GTA?

In 2026, a cosmetic refresh runs $40–$75 per square foot, a mid-range renovation with a new kitchen and bathrooms runs $100–$160, and a gut-to-studs renovation runs $180–$275+. For a typical 2,000 sq ft GTA detached, that means roughly $80,000–$150,000 cosmetic, $200,000–$320,000 mid-range, and $360,000+ for a full gut.

Q: What should I renovate first?

Structure and systems first: roof, plumbing, electrical and HVAC issues before anything cosmetic. Then kitchen and bathrooms, which carry the most resale value. Flooring and paint go last so they are not damaged by other trades.

Updated July 30, 2026 • By Raj Renos Inc. • Serving Brampton, Mississauga & the GTA

Ask five GTA contractors what a whole-home renovation costs and you will get five numbers that differ by six figures. That is because "renovation" covers everything from paint-and-floors to taking a house back to the studs. This guide splits it into three honest tiers, shows the 2026 room-by-room numbers behind them, and explains where the money actually goes.

The Three Tiers: 2026 Per Square Foot

Tier	Per Sq Ft	2,000 Sq Ft Home	What You Get
Cosmetic Refresh	$40 – $75	$80K – $150K	Flooring, paint, trim, doors, lighting, hardware — layout untouched
Mid-Range Renovation	$100 – $160	$200K – $320K	New kitchen, 2–3 bathrooms, flooring throughout, some wall changes
Gut / Full Remodel	$180 – $275+	$360K+	Back to studs: new plumbing, electrical, HVAC, insulation, layout redesign

These are installed prices covering material and labour, before 13% HST. Older homes trend to the top of each range because of what hides behind the walls — more on that below.

Room-by-Room: Where the Budget Goes

Room / Scope	2026 Range	Notes
Kitchen	$25K – $45K mid-range	$10K–$20K refresh, $50K–$75K+ custom — see our kitchen page
Bathroom (each)	$15K – $30K full remodel	$8K–$15K refresh, $30K–$50K+ luxury — see our bathroom page
Basement finish	$60 – $90 / sq ft	$35–$55 basic, $90–$140+ legal apartment — see our basement page
Flooring (main level)	$4 – $15 / sq ft	LVP to solid hardwood — full breakdown in our flooring guide
Interior painting	$3 – $6 / sq ft of floor area	Whole 2,000 sq ft home: $6K–$12K including ceilings and trim
Stairs (13 steps)	$1.3K – $2.6K+	Hardwood recap; first thing buyers and guests see

Rule of thumb for mid-range budgets: the kitchen takes about 30% of the total, bathrooms about 20%, flooring and paint about 20%, and the remaining 30% covers trim, doors, lighting, drywall repairs and the contingency. If a quote gives the kitchen 50% of the budget, the rest of the house will feel unfinished.

The Order of Operations (Do Not Skip This)

Systems and structure first. Roof, foundation cracks, plumbing stacks, panel upgrades, HVAC. Nothing cosmetic survives a leak.
Layout changes. Wall removals and beam work happen while the house is already open.
Kitchen and bathrooms. The rooms with plumbing and the biggest resale return.
Flooring, trim, paint. Last, so other trades do not scratch and dent the finish work.

This order is also why phasing a renovation over two or three years costs more in total — trades remobilize, floors get protected and re-protected, and finished rooms get dusted by the next phase. If the budget allows, one continuous project is cheaper per square foot.

Older GTA Homes: The Hidden Costs

Homes built before the 1980s routinely hide knob-and-tube or aluminum wiring, galvanized or cast-iron plumbing, zero insulation in exterior walls, and moisture damage around original windows. None of it is visible on a walkthrough; all of it surfaces on demo day. This is why we tell every client to hold 10–15% contingency — not as padding, but because in a 40-year-old Brampton or Mississauga home, something behind the drywall will want attention.

Where to Save, Where to Spend

Spend: kitchen layout and cabinetry, bathroom waterproofing, anything structural or behind walls — redoing these later costs triple
Spend: the staircase — it anchors the main floor and photographs in every listing shot
Save: LVP instead of hardwood in bedrooms and basements; the look is 95% identical at half the price
Save: keep plumbing where it is when possible — moving a kitchen sink or toilet adds thousands in rough-in work
Save: big-box fixtures and lighting in secondary rooms; put the designer pieces where guests actually look

Turning Renovation Into Income

In Brampton the strongest renovation ROI is not cosmetic at all — it is the legal basement apartment. A $60K–$120K legal second unit renting around $1,800/month pays itself back in 3–5 years and raises the property's value as an income-generating asset. If you are renovating the whole home anyway, roughing in the basement plumbing and separate entrance during the main project is dramatically cheaper than retrofitting later.

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How Raj Renos Runs a Whole-Home Project

Free walkthrough and scope. We measure, photograph and price the house room by room — you see exactly what each space costs.
Fixed line-item quote. Kitchen, bathrooms, flooring, paint and stairs each priced separately, so you can trim scope without guessing.
One crew, one schedule. Licensed trades for plumbing, electrical and HVAC, sequenced so finished work stays finished.

Whole-Home Renovation FAQ

How much does it cost to renovate a whole house in the GTA?

Cosmetic refresh $40–$75/sq ft, mid-range $100–$160, gut renovation $180–$275+. A 2,000 sq ft detached: roughly $80K–$150K, $200K–$320K, or $360K+ respectively.

What should I renovate first?

Systems and structure, then kitchen and bathrooms, then flooring and paint last. Cosmetic work done before systems work gets destroyed and paid for twice.

How long does it take?

Main floor: 4–8 weeks. Whole home mid-range: 8–16 weeks. Gut renovation with structural changes: 4–6 months including permits.

How much contingency should I hold?

10–15%. Older GTA homes reveal wiring, plumbing and moisture surprises on demo day; the contingency keeps the schedule alive.

Is it cheaper to renovate all at once or in phases?

All at once, per square foot. Phasing means trades remobilize each time and finished areas need protecting from the next phase. Phase only if cash flow demands it.

Related Guides

Price Your Renovation Room by Room

Free walkthrough across Brampton, Mississauga & the GTA. Line-item quote — trim the scope, not the quality.

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