Serving Burlington City of Burlington Permits 1950s and 1960s Dominant Era

Home Renovation in Burlington

Renovator Toronto renovates across Burlington, which has the oldest dominant suburban era of any separate municipality we cover. Burlington went from 6,017 people in 1951 to 47,008 in 1961, a 681 percent increase, then 87,023 in 1971 and 114,853 in 1981. 2021 census figures give 186,948 people in 73,180 occupied dwellings, and growth of only 2 percent since 2016, the slowest we cover.

City of Burlington issues the permit, plus a heritage permit taking up to 90 days

1950s and 1960s dominant construction era

A built-out city where renovation replaces new build

Get a Burlington renovation estimate

Send your Burlington address and what you want renovated. We reply to book a free site visit.

What can we help with?

Service

So the right crew reviews your project.

Itemized written quote with HST at 13 percent shown.

Burlington

A city at its boundary, so the only way to gain space is inward

Burlington’s 681 percent growth across the 1950s, from 6,017 to 47,008, makes the 1950s and 1960s its dominant construction era, older than Mississauga’s or Markham’s. More importantly for anyone renovating here, the city is at its built-out urban boundary, hemmed by the Parkway Belt and Highway 407 to the north, the Niagara Escarpment and Lake Ontario. Growth has slowed to 2 percent in five years, the slowest of the 15 communities we cover. A city that cannot expand outward is a city where additional space comes from renovation, conversion and intensification, which is why local demand is concentrated in additions, basement conversions and reworking 1950s and 1960s floor plans that were not built open. On the regulatory side, Burlington issues a separate heritage permit for designated properties, and that process can take up to 90 days, which is the longest heritage timeline of any municipality we work in. Twenty-seven properties were shortlisted for heritage designation in response to Bill 23. Local landmarks include Spencer Smith Park on the lake, the Royal Botanical Gardens, Canada’s largest, the Joseph Brant Museum and Village Square.

Burlington renovation in a city that cannot expand

Built out, so renovation is the route

Hemmed by the Parkway Belt, Highway 407, the Niagara Escarpment and the lake, with 2 percent growth in five years. More space here comes from renovating, converting and intensifying.

A heritage permit that can take 90 days

Burlington's heritage permit for designated properties is a separate application and can take up to 90 days, the longest heritage timeline in our service area. That belongs in the schedule at the start.

1950s and 1960s floor plans

The oldest dominant suburban era of any separate municipality we cover. Those houses were built compartmented, so opening them up usually means a bearing wall and an engineered beam.

186,948 Burlington residents, 2021 census

681% Population growth across the 1950s

2% Growth in five years, the slowest we cover

90 days Maximum heritage permit timeline

Renovation services for Burlington homes

The work we are called in for most across Burlington's 1950s and 1960s housing.

$3,000 to $6,000 each

Egress Windows

Opening cut and lintelled, well and drainage sized to the code requirement.

LVL and steel

Structural Beam Work

Beam, post and footing design by an engineer, then installed to that detail.

Priced by area

Backsplash Tiling

Wall tile behind counters and range, with outlets and end profiles detailed.

Ready for primer

New Board and Taping

Board hung and screwed off, corners beaded, joints taped and sanded flat.

$50 to $350 per sq ft

Office Fit-Out

Partitions, ceilings, lighting and HVAC distribution, phased around occupancy.

$65 to $130 per sq ft

Basement Renovation

Finishing, legal suites, headroom work and drainage, sequenced so nothing gets rebuilt.

What a 1950s Burlington house needs checked

Four checks specific to a Burlington address.

Whether a heritage permit applies, early

Burlington's heritage permit for designated properties is separate from the building permit and can take up to 90 days. If it applies, it has to be started at the front of the project rather than discovered partway through.

Whether the wall you want opened is bearing

Houses from the 1950s and 1960s were built compartmented, and the wall between the kitchen and the living space usually carries joists. If it does, the job includes an engineered beam at $1,800 to $9,000, shoring, new footings and a permit.

What 60 to 70 year old services are doing

On stock of this age, the panel, the supply plumbing and sometimes the branch wiring are realistic budget lines. We check them at the site visit rather than pricing the visible work and finding them later.

Basement headroom, on 1950s and 1960s construction

Basements from this era were mechanical space. We measure clear height under the lowest duct and beam, because that number decides whether a suite is possible without lowering the floor.

Our Process

How a Burlington renovation runs around heritage timing

1

Free site visit

We measure, check headroom, drains, framing and panel capacity, and confirm the permit office for your Burlington address.

2

Itemized written quote

Scope, materials, permit and engineering allowances, payment schedule and dates, with HST at 13 percent shown.

3

Permits and build

Drawings and engineering where the scope needs them, permit filed, then structure, rough-ins and finishes with inspections booked.

4

Deficiency list and walkthrough

A written deficiency list worked to completion, then a walkthrough with you before final payment.

Burlington homeowner feedback

Renovator Toronto managed our condo renovation efficiently and respected the building rules throughout the project. The workmanship was clean, and the project stayed well organized.

We had a great experience with the team from the initial estimate to the final walkthrough. Communication was clear, the schedule was well managed, and the results look fantastic.

Renovator Toronto transformed our outdated kitchen into a functional and modern space. The team kept us informed at every stage, and the finished work exceeded our expectations.

Burlington renovation and heritage timing, answered

Who issues the building permit in Burlington?

The City of Burlington. It also issues a separate heritage permit for designated properties, which can take up to 90 days, and 27 properties were shortlisted for heritage designation in response to Bill 23. Toronto's bylaws and flood subsidy do not apply here.

What era is most Burlington housing from?

The 1950s and 1960s. Burlington grew 681 percent across the 1950s, from 6,017 people in 1951 to 47,008 in 1961, reaching 87,023 by 1971. That is the oldest dominant suburban era of any separate municipality we cover.

Why is renovation demand high in Burlington?

Because the city cannot grow outward. It sits at its built-out urban boundary between the Parkway Belt, Highway 407, the Niagara Escarpment and Lake Ontario, and grew only 2 percent in the five years to 2021. Additional space comes from additions, basement conversions and intensification rather than new subdivisions.

How long will a heritage permit add to my project?

Up to 90 days on a designated property, which is the longest heritage timeline in our service area. Where it applies we start that application at the front of the project and sequence design and construction behind it rather than running them in parallel and hoping.