- Toronto / GTA Basement Experts
- $5M+ Insured
- 4.8★ Rated on Google
Get a Fixed Basement Quote With 3D Design + Permit Check Included
Get more living space without moving. Whether you want room for family, work and hobbies or a rental suite, we’ll plan the basement around that goal.
- Worried about moisture? We check before finishing.
- Rental suite? We review permit requirements.
- Living at home? We plan for dust, noise and access.
“Accurate quote. Great communication and on time with good quality.”
— Marc, Toronto basement project ★★★★★
Why Toronto Homeowners Trust Capable Group
$5M+ Insured & WSIB
Liability insurance and WSIB coverage for the work in your home.
Highly Rated by Homeowners
Homeowners praise our communication and reliability. Read their reviews below.
Legal Code Specialists
Fire separation, egress and zoning requirements reviewed for your rental suite.
Fixed Price Guarantee
Your agreed scope has a fixed price. You approve any changes before extra work starts.
See what we have built
Finished rooms, real homes. Explore these Capable Group projects to see the layouts, materials and details for yourself.
Pickering basement kitchen
An island kitchen alongside family play and fitness space, with a clear route to the stairs.
Scarborough basement bathroom
A double vanity, walk-in shower and built-in storage in a finished lower-level bathroom.
Mississauga home and basement
A whole-home renovation that includes a finished basement family room, office, kitchen and bathroom.
OUR CLIENTS’ TESTIMONIALS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES
Firelawn Ave — client testimonial
Meadowbank Road — client testimonial
Basement renovation — client testimonial
What would you do with another floor of living space?
Give guests a place to stay, make room for work and hobbies, or bring the family together downstairs. Start with what your home is missing, then build the layout around it.
01 MORE ROOM FOR EVERYDAY LIFE
Make space for family, guests or work within the home you already have. Plan the layout around the available ceiling height and service routes.
02 A PLACE FOR GUESTS
Include guest space and a bathroom in the plan. Review window and exit requirements before finishing work starts.
03 ROOM TO WORK OR EXERCISE
Set aside space for your desk or equipment, with lighting, outlets, flooring and circulation considered before construction.
04 STORAGE THAT FITS THE LAYOUT
Plan where everyday belongings will go alongside the rooms and walkways, rather than fitting storage into whatever space is left.
05 A KITCHEN OR BATHROOM IN THE RIGHT PLACE
Plan cabinetry, appliances and fixtures together with plumbing, ventilation and the connected rooms. These features change the renovation scope.
06 A CLEAR PATH FOR A FUTURE APARTMENT
If rental use is part of your plan, review it before the finish. A legal apartment needs its own design and approval path.
Basement finishing, remodelling or a separate apartment?
Make more room in the home you already have
An unfinished basement needs the rooms and the work behind them planned together: insulation, framing, electrical and plumbing changes, drywall, flooring and lighting. Your quote identifies which of those your project needs.
Remodelling an existing basement starts with what can stay and what needs to change. We review the layout, ceiling height and service routes before preparing your quote.
Plan an independent suite from the start
A separate apartment needs its entrance, exits, fire separation and ventilation considered together. If rental use or lowering the floor is part of your plan, we review that scope before the finish. Both need their own design and approval path.
Choose the rooms your basement needs
Basement Apartment
If your plans include rental use, review that scope before the finish. A legal apartment needs its own design and approval path.
Bathroom Renovation
Plan the shower, toilet and vanity together with the plumbing, ventilation and available space. A bathroom changes the scope of the basement renovation.
Kitchen Renovation
Plan the basement kitchen around the way you want to use the room, including cabinetry, appliances, plumbing and the connected living space.
Bedrooms & guest space
Include bedrooms and guest space in the basement layout. Review ceiling height, window and exit requirements before finishing work starts.
Sauna Renovation
A basement sauna needs insulation, ventilation and electrical work planned together. Include that scope before the surrounding rooms are finished.
Workout Areas
Make room for the equipment and exercise you want to do, with the ceiling height, flooring and circulation considered in the layout.
Home Office
Plan a dedicated place to work alongside the other basement rooms, with lighting, outlets and storage considered before construction.
TORONTO BASEMENTS WE’VE TRANSFORMED
Explore the rooms and connections in these existing 3D tours.
Gladeview Crt basement
Scarborough basement
How much does a basement renovation cost?
The rooms you add and the work your basement needs determine the budget. Use these GTA market ranges to compare scopes. Your itemized fixed quote follows a review of your home, layout and finishes.
Open family space
An open 1,000 sq ft finish without a bathroom.
Bedroom and bathroom
A fuller 1,000 sq ft basement renovation with a bedroom and three-piece bathroom.
Legal apartment
For a simpler conversion when the ceiling height and an existing side entrance already work. The broader GTA market planning range for an independent suite is about $90,000–$140,000.
All figures are GTA market planning ranges in Canadian dollars, before HST—not a Capable price list. Water repairs, floor lowering, a new entrance and service changes can add separate work.
Reasons to choose us
Know what you’re building—and what you’re agreeing to
See the layout before building
We show your planned rooms in 3D, so you can check where the sofa, storage and walkways will fit before construction starts.
Know exactly what your quote covers
Your itemized quote sets out the rooms, preparation, materials or allowances, and exclusions. Check who is responsible for permits and disposal when comparing totals. If you request a change, we agree on its price before that work proceeds.
Know how work affects your home
We discuss access, dust, noise and utility interruptions before work starts, so your household can plan around construction. We include deliveries and debris removal in that discussion, especially where access is tight.
Check height and services early
Beams, ducts and floor buildup affect the space left for rooms and walkways. We review ceiling height and service routes before finishing. A legal apartment or floor lowering needs its own design and approval path.
You don’t need finished drawings to start.
Tell us what you want to change. At a free estimate visit, we review the space, discuss your options and identify what needs to be included in your quote.
We designed our process to avoid your nightmares
“What if the price keeps going up?”
Our safeguard
Your itemized quote sets out the work, allowances and exclusions before you sign. If you request a change, we agree on its price before that work proceeds.
“How will I know what happens next?”
Our safeguard
Review the design, work sequence and finish date before you sign, so you know what the project involves before construction starts.
“What if there is moisture behind the finishes?”
Our safeguard
Tell us about leaks, water marks or damp areas, even if they only appear after heavy rain. We review those concerns before finishing. We agree on any investigation or water repairs needed before new finishes cover the affected area.
“Can this basement become a legal apartment?”
Our safeguard
A legal apartment needs its own design and approval path. We review that scope before the finish, including ceiling height and service routes.
“I can’t picture how the rooms will fit.”
Our safeguard
We show your planned rooms in 3D, so you can check where the sofa, storage and walkways will fit before construction starts.
LET’S PLAN YOUR BASEMENT
Send your city, contact details and a short description of your basement plans. We discuss the project with you and review the space at a free estimate visit.
From your first visit to your finished basement
Free estimate visit
Show us the basement and explain the rooms you need. We review the layout, ceiling height, existing services and any moisture concerns that could change the scope.
Design & fixed quote
Review the layout in 3D, select materials and agree on the itemized work and price. Confirm allowances and exclusions before you sign.
Permits & site preparation
Confirm permit requirements and responsibilities, then plan deliveries, site access and protection for the home. Required inspections need to fit the work sequence.
Build & walkthrough
Construction moves from framing to finishing, followed by cleanup and a walkthrough with you.
Start with the space you need.Send your city and a few notes about your basement. We’ll discuss the project and arrange a free estimate visit.
2,000+
Projects completed
25+
Years of renovation experience
$5M+
Liability insurance
WSIB
Covered
CUSTOMER REVIEWS & TESTIMONIALS
Becky Sherlock
Google review
Basement renovation
“The Capable Group team was able to handle the expanded scope and completed the job within the agreed to budget!”
Marc Muehlethaler
Google review
Basement renovation
“Accurate quote. Great communication and on time with good quality. Love our new space.”
Richa Khurana
Google review
Basement renovation
“We did our basement finishing from Capable group. It was seamless process and they were very professional.”
Reviews & Awards
HomeStars Best of Awards winnerLatest award: 2025
Basement renovation questions
Should I finish it, lower it or make it a legal apartment?
Start with the intended use and whether the existing height and layout support it. For household space, keep the plan focused on the rooms you need. If low headroom limits it, compare a revised layout with professionally assessed basement underpinning before buying finishes. An independent legal apartment also needs its entrance, exits, fire separation, services and municipal path considered together.
What if the quote grows after construction starts?
A fixed quote needs a clear boundary: included work, allowances, exclusions and anything awaiting confirmation. Compare labour, materials, disposal, drawings, permit responsibilities and tax treatment. Agree how a concealed condition or a change you request will be documented and priced before the work proceeds.
Can I add a bathroom, kitchen, bedroom or future rental-suite features?
Often yes, but each changes the planning. Plumbing, ventilation, finished height, exits and service capacity can affect the layout and construction. A family basement with a bathroom is not automatically an approved second dwelling; if future rental use matters, review that route before closing the walls. The Scarborough basement bathroom shows a completed room, not the hidden conditions at your home.
Does a basement renovation need a permit in Toronto?
It depends on the work. Toronto lists structural changes, changes to heating or plumbing, excavation, underpinning and creating a secondary suite among work that can require a permit. Check the City’s permit guidance against your proposed scope. Cosmetic finishing alone should not be used to assume a larger renovation is permit-free.
How long do design, permits and construction take?
Keep the stages separate. Capable’s published timing guide gives about four to eight weeks for a standard 1,000 sq ft basement finish; this construction benchmark is not a complete design-to-handover promise or a legal-suite or underpinning schedule. Toronto publishes a 10-business-day review standard for a complete eligible House Stream application, while eligible Express projects have a three-business-day review goal after intake. Check the current review streams: eligibility, completeness, decisions, inspections and material readiness affect the actual calendar.
Can we live at home during the work?
Plan access, dust, noise, utilities and the trade sequence before work begins. Staying upstairs still requires an agreement on how crews and materials reach the basement and when essential services may be interrupted. Put those arrangements beside the schedule, including the decisions you need to make before each stage.
How should I compare contractors and their quotes?
Compare the same rooms and construction, then inspect the allowances, exclusions, change process and responsibility for permits. Ask for basement-specific projects, recent homeowner reviews, current insurance and WSIB documents, and written warranty terms. If work also affects the house upstairs, consider it within a full-home renovation so stairs, services and adjoining rooms are planned together. If you already have a proposal, use the renovation quote review to examine its included work.
When should I contact Capable, and do you work in my city?
Contact us before finalizing finishes or signing another quote. Send your city, basement photos, rough square footage, intended rooms and timing, plus any drawings or approval records. We can then identify the relevant scope and next step.
How much does it cost to finish a 1,000 sq ft basement?
For GTA market planning, an open 1,000 sq ft basement without a bathroom starts from about $40,000. A full basement with a bedroom and three-piece bathroom usually runs about $55,000–$100,000. A legal apartment can start around $55,000 when the ceiling height and an existing side entrance already work; the broader planning range is about $90,000–$140,000. All figures are in Canadian dollars, before HST. Water repairs, floor lowering and a new entrance can add separate work. Your exact quote follows a free estimate visit.
What is the most expensive part of finishing a basement?
Usually the bathroom, because new drains often mean cutting the concrete floor and sometimes adding a pump. Lowering the floor, fixing water and adding a separate entrance can cost more, but not every basement needs them. We check water and height before the quote, so these show up as separate lines, not as surprises.
How long does a basement renovation take?
Our 19-Day Completion Promise: professionally finished basements in as little as 19 days, for a standard open basement finish. Basements with a bathroom, bedrooms, a legal suite or structural work take longer, lowering the floor comes before the finish, and permits add time before work starts. You get the weeks for your scope with your quote, and your finish date is written into your contract.
Can a finished basement become a legal suite later?
Yes, if it was planned for it. The height, an escape-size bedroom window, fire separation, an entrance, heating and the electrical panel all have to work for a legal second unit. We check those before you choose a layout and can build the basement suite-ready, so a later conversion doesn’t mean tearing out new work. A legal suite still needs its own permit. In the GTA market, conversions start from about $55,000 when the height and an entrance already work.
How much does it cost to underpin a basement in Toronto?
In the GTA market, benching starts from about $38,000 and full underpinning from about $55,000, before HST and before finishing. Benching leaves a ledge along the walls and costs less; full underpinning lowers the footings and gives you the whole floor. We tell you which one your house needs, and our own crew does it under the same contract as the finish.
Can low ducts or pipes be moved to get more headroom?
Often, yes. A duct can sometimes be rerouted between the joists or along a wall, and a drain line can sometimes be moved, which gains height where you walk without lowering the floor. Sometimes a beam or the main stack sets the height, and then lowering the floor is the honest answer. We measure under the lowest duct and beam at the visit and show you both options before you pay for finishes.
What are popular basement ideas for 2026?
Flexible basements: a family room plus a guest room with a 3-piece bathroom, a home office or gym, and a wet bar or kitchenette. Many homeowners also plan the drains, the bedroom window and the panel so the space can become a legal suite later without a rebuild.
Our Service Areas
Tell us what you want your basement to become
Tell us whether your basement is unfinished or already finished, the rooms you want and your city. Send your contact details and we’ll discuss the project and arrange a free estimate visit to review the space and scope.
