Where we build · East York, City of Toronto

Custom home builder and renovation contractor in East York

East York is small houses on small lots. The 1940s and 1950s bungalows and semis around Pape, Woodbine and O'Connor were built for families that have since outgrown them, and the lots are too narrow for a rear addition of any size. That makes the second storey the addition of choice: the footprint stays, the floor area doubles.

East York in detail

East York, on the ground.

The other East York job is the whole-home renovation, taking a house with three small rooms downstairs and one bathroom and rebuilding it as one open floor with a real kitchen. Leaside, on the west edge of the old borough, brings larger lots and a run of custom homes replacing 1930s houses.

East York has been part of the City of Toronto since 1998, and Toronto Building issues the permit. The narrow lots put many designs at the edge of the zoning envelope, so the zoning check decides early whether the design goes straight to permit or through the Committee of Adjustment first.

Permit office

City of Toronto

Toronto Building issues the permit, and the narrow lots put many designs at the edge of the zoning envelope, which decides whether a Committee of Adjustment hearing comes first. [Link to the East York building permit page and typical processing time.]

Housing stock

What the lots allow

East York is 1940s and 1950s bungalows and semis on narrow lots, with larger 1930s lots in Leaside on the west edge.

Projects here

[n] in East York

[Kam confirms how many Savino projects have been built in East York and which ones can be shown.]

Questions from East York

On most of the lots, yes, because there is no room to go back. The floor area doubles on the same footprint. The height limit for the street and the condition of the foundation are the two things to check before drawings.

The City of Toronto, through Toronto Building. East York has had no separate office since 1998.

For a second storey the roof comes off, so most families move out for a period. With a whole-home renovation on one floor it is sometimes possible to stay. We tell you which at the site walk, not after you sign.