Rooms ยท Toronto
Open-Concept Renovation in Toronto
Taking down the walls between kitchen, dining and living rooms changes how a house feels more than any finish. When those walls hold the house up, it has to be engineered. In Toronto, much of the housing is pre-war: narrow semis and detached brick houses with plaster walls, old wiring and shared party walls.

Scope
What is included.
- Checking which walls carry load
- Structural engineer's beam and post design
- Building permit and inspections
- Temporary shoring and beam installation
- Rerouting wiring, plumbing and ducts in the wall
- Patching floors and ceilings so the join disappears
Cost
What it costs.
From $5,500
Most projects in Toronto: $5,500 to $16,000
What moves the price
- Length of the wall and the span of the new beam
- Flush or dropped beam
- Plumbing, ducts and wiring inside the wall
Prices are in Canadian dollars before HST, as of October 2026. Every project is confirmed with a written quote after a site visit.
Local knowledge
Open-Concept Renovation in Toronto.
Homes like these
In older houses, kitchens and bathrooms sit in small separate rooms with plaster walls and old plumbing stacks, so opening up and re-plumbing is usually part of the job.
Housing
In Toronto, much of the housing is pre-war: narrow semis and detached brick houses with plaster walls, old wiring and shared party walls.
Permits
Building permits in Toronto are issued by the City of Toronto (Toronto Building). We prepare the drawings, submit the application and book the inspections.
Areas we cover
We work throughout Toronto, including Leaside, The Annex, High Park, Riverdale, The Beaches, Forest Hill and Lawrence Park.
Suites and multiplexes
Toronto permits laneway suites, garden suites and, on most residential lots, up to four units in a house. That makes basement apartments and rear additions more feasible here than in many suburbs.
Tight lots
Narrow lots and shared walls mean additions and underpinning often need a minor variance or a neighbour's cooperation, so the approvals take planning.
Before you start
What to know.
Load-bearing walls
A load-bearing wall can be removed, but it is replaced by a beam sized by an engineer, with posts and footings carrying the load to the foundation. This needs a building permit.
What is inside the wall
Walls often hide plumbing stacks, heating ducts and wiring. Finding a new route for them is frequently the real work.
The floor underneath
When a wall comes out there is a gap in the flooring. Matching or replacing the floor across the new room should be part of the plan.
How we work
One team for every stage.
- AssessWe survey the house as it stands.
- Design and permitsDrawings and approvals before work starts.
- Strip-outWhat is worn out comes off.
- RebuildStructure, wiring, plumbing and walls.
- FinishesCabinetry, tile, floors and paint.
- HandoverWalkthrough and documents.
Questions
Open-Concept Renovation in Toronto: the short answers.
- How much does open-concept renovation cost in Toronto?
- With Zigma Group, open-concept renovation starts from $5,500, and most projects fall between $5,500 and $16,000. Prices are in Canadian dollars before HST, as of October 2026, and are confirmed after a site visit. The main factors are length of the wall and the span of the new beam; flush or dropped beam; and plumbing, ducts and wiring inside the wall.
- How do I know if a wall is load-bearing?
- Clues include walls running across the floor joists, walls near the centre of the house and walls with posts or beams below them. The only reliable answer comes from checking the structure, which we do before any design.
- Do I need a permit to remove a load-bearing wall in Ontario?
- Yes. It is a structural alteration and needs a building permit with engineered drawings.
- Do you do open-concept renovation projects in Toronto?
- Yes. We work throughout Toronto, including Leaside, The Annex, High Park, Riverdale, The Beaches, Forest Hill and Lawrence Park. Call +1 (647) 718-3913 to arrange a visit.
- Who issues the permit for this work in Toronto?
- Where a permit is needed, it is issued by the City of Toronto (Toronto Building). We prepare the drawings and handle the application and inspections.
Book a consultation
Tell us what you want to change.
Call or email and we will arrange a visit. We work across the Greater Toronto Area and have been renovating and building homes since 2006.