Kitchen renovations in Whitby
Subdivision lots take a crane and a bin, and Lynde Creek and the waterfront put some lots inside a conservation authority's regulated area. The kitchen comes out behind dust walls, the beam and the services go in, and the cabinets, stone and appliances from the catalogue go in last, with the rest of the house kept clean throughout. A kitchen renovation in the GTA is usually a structural job in disguise: the wall that has to come out carries the floor above, and the sink is moving to where the drain is not.
Whitby, on the ground.
Whitby is a heritage downtown, a lakefront in Port Whitby, 1970s and 1980s subdivisions between them, and Brooklin's village core with new subdivisions around it. In those houses in Whitby, the kitchen is usually at the back, walled off from the dining room, and the job is to open it up and bring it into the plan. The Whitby brief is usually a second storey on a 1980s house, a rear addition behind a downtown heritage house, or a custom home on a lakefront lot.
Read more about building in Whitby or the full kitchen renovations page.
On the drawing.
A measured plan and a rendering of the finished kitchen before you sign
Engineered drawings for any wall that comes out, and the building permit if one is needed
Demolition with dust walls and floor protection to the rest of the house
Beam and posts where a wall comes out, plumbing and electrical moved to the new plan
Cabinets, counters, backsplash, lighting, flooring and appliances installed from the catalogue
A deficiency walk with the list closed before the last payment, and a written warranty
Paper first.
A kitchen renovation needs a building permit where a load-bearing wall comes out or plumbing is relocated, and the electrical is inspected under its own permit. The Town of Whitby issues the permit, and heritage designation downtown adds a review to exterior work.
- A building permit is required where a load-bearing wall comes out or plumbing is relocated.
- Electrical work is inspected under the Electrical Safety Authority's permit, pulled by the licensed electrician.
- A kitchen rebuilt in the same footprint with the same services usually needs no building permit.
The paperwork wall: WSIB, insurance, licences, the HCRA status and the warranty, on one page and dated.
| Driver | What we look at |
|---|---|
| Does the plan change | A kitchen in the same footprint with new finishes, or a kitchen that moves and opens into the next room. |
| Structure | A load-bearing wall coming out is a beam, posts and footings sized by the engineer. |
| Services | How far the sink, the range and the panel circuits move from where they are. |
| Cabinets and stone | Custom versus semi-custom cabinets, counter material, and the length of the run. |
| Appliances | Panel-ready, gas versus induction, a hood that needs a new duct through the roof. |
No price ranges on this site. The measured plan sets the number, and the catalogue lets you move it line by line.
If a wall comes out or the plumbing moves, yes, from the Town of Whitby. A kitchen rebuilt in place with the same services usually does not. We tell you which at the site walk.
Weeks for a kitchen rebuilt in place, longer when a wall comes out and the plan changes. The schedule is written into the contract with the drawings.
Yes, with a heritage review of anything visible from the street if the house is designated. Additions usually go to the rear and follow the house's character.
The Town of Whitby, for Whitby and Brooklin both. Additions, second storeys and new houses all need a building permit with engineered drawings.