Building and renovating in Markham

Our office is on Steelcase Road, so Markham is where we’re most often on site, and where we can be at your house the same day.

Book a site visit in Markham

White kitchen with glass-front upper cabinets running to a coffered ceiling, marble island and stone slab range wall

Nearby: New custom home in Vaughan.

Markham’s housing is younger than Toronto’s but just as varied: 1970s and 1980s split-levels and two-storeys in Thornhill and Milliken, 1990s family homes in Unionville and Berczy, New Urbanist streets in Cornell, and estate lots in Angus Glen and Devil’s Elbow. Each era has its own renovation pattern, and we’ve worked in most of them.

Markham also has one of the largest Chinese-Canadian communities in the country. We can walk you through a project in Mandarin as well as English, and the plans, quote and schedule are written so the whole family can follow them.

Neighbourhoods we work in

Unionville, Markham Village, Cornell, Berczy, Cachet, Angus Glen, Milliken, Thornhill, Bayview Glen, Wismer, Greensborough, Cathedraltown.

What Markham houses are like

What we usually find in each era of house, and the work it tends to need.

1960s–1980s: Bungalows, backsplits and two-storeys in Thornhill, Bayview Glen and Markham Village. Common work: opening the main floor, new kitchens, basement suites, and full rebuilds on the larger lots.
1990s–2000s: Two-storey family homes in Unionville, Berczy, Cachet and Milliken. Common work: kitchens and ensuites original to the house, closed-off family rooms, and finished basements that need a second unit.
2000s onward: Cornell, Wismer and Cathedraltown. Mostly interior upgrades, basement finishing and garage or coach-house suites where the lot allows.

Living room with marble fireplace wall and built-in shelving — From a custom home in Vaughan.

Local rules that can affect your project

These are what most often change the design, cost or timing of a Markham project. We check each one before any drawings are made.

Tree permits from 20 cm

Markham’s Tree Preservation By-law (2023-164) requires a permit to injure or remove a private tree 20 cm or more in diameter at breast height. That includes root damage from excavation, so tree protection belongs in the design.

City of Markham tree permits
Four heritage districts

Unionville, Markham Village, Thornhill and Buttonville are Heritage Conservation Districts. Exterior changes, additions and new houses inside them need heritage approval as well as a building permit.
Second and third units

Provincial rules allow up to three units on most residential lots, as long as the zoning by-law’s setbacks and the building code are met. A legal basement suite is the most common route in Markham.
Ravines and valleys

Lots backing onto the Rouge River or its tributaries can fall within Toronto and Region Conservation Authority regulated areas, which need a TRCA permit before construction.