Toronto brick house at dusk with a lit side entrance leading down to a legal basement apartment

See What a Legal Basement Apartment Costs Before You Commit

Turning an 800 sq ft unfinished basement in Toronto into a legal 1-bedroom apartment costs about $108,000 to $160,000 CAD before HST at 2026 prices. The low end uses an existing door and the house furnace, and the high end adds a new side entrance and a separate heating system.

A legal apartment needs more than finished walls and a kitchen. It meets the building and fire rules for a second home inside your house, with fire separation, safe exits, and its own kitchen and bathroom.

Prices updated October 2026

Price Your Apartment

Your Suite

sq ft
Enter the floor area of the basement the apartment uses, in square feet.

Ceiling HeightSelect the height from the floor to the bottom of the ceiling joists.
Enter how many bedrooms the apartment has. Each bedroom includes an exit window.

Safe Exit PathSelect whether the basement already has a code-sized exit door or window outside the bedrooms.
EntranceSelect how tenants enter the apartment.

Kitchen, Bathroom, and Systems

KitchenSelect whether the apartment gets a new kitchen or keeps one already in the basement.
BathroomSelect whether the apartment gets a new bathroom or keeps one already in the basement.
Heating and VentilationSelect whether the apartment shares the house furnace or gets its own heating and fresh-air system.
Leaks, Damp Spots, or CracksSelect the water or foundation problems you see in the basement today.

Upgrades

Tick to have True Frame Builders prepare the drawings and apply for the building permit.
Tick to add extra sound insulation and resilient channel to the ceiling.
Tick to replace the electrical panel with a larger one for the second unit.

Location

Enter the first 3 characters of your postal code to apply location-based pricing.

Fill in the fields above to see your price
Pick a time for True Frame Builders to visit, measure, and prepare your quote.Book a home visit

What Changes the Cost

  • Fire and sound separation: The code requires fire-rated drywall and sound insulation between the units, and a soundproof ceiling adds more.
  • Exits and entrance: An exit window in each bedroom, a safe exit path, and a new side entrance each add to the total.
  • Kitchen, bathroom, and electrical: A new kitchen and bathroom are the largest add-ons, and a second unit often needs a larger electrical panel.
  • Heating, ventilation, and plumbing: A separate heating system costs more than extending the house furnace.
  • Design, permits, and inspections: Drawings and permit applications add to the cost before work starts.
Installer hanging fire-rated drywall over sound insulation in a Toronto legal basement apartment ceiling
Fire-rated drywall and sound insulation separate the apartment from the home above.
New bedroom egress window and window well cut into the foundation of a Toronto legal basement apartment
Each bedroom needs an exit window large enough to climb out of, often cut into the foundation.
New side entrance stairwell dug beside a Toronto house to give a legal basement apartment its own door
A new side entrance gives the apartment its own way in and is one of the larger add-ons.

What Your Estimate Includes

This estimate prices the whole apartment with the finishing work included, so you use it in place of the basement finishing estimate. It covers framing, insulation, fire separation, drywall, flooring, paint, lighting, outlets, and connected smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

Before

Unfinished Toronto basement with bare concrete walls and open joists before a legal basement apartment build
An unfinished basement with bare concrete, open joists, and one small window.

After

Toronto basement converted into a legal basement apartment with a full kitchen, living area, and egress window
The same basement as a legal apartment with its own kitchen, safe exits, and room for a tenant.

What True Frame Builders Checks Before Your Quote

Contractor checking the electrical panel with a homeowner before a Toronto legal basement apartment quote
True Frame Builders checks your exits, ceiling height, and electrical panel before sending your quote.

Whether your home qualifies for a second unit, and which permits it needs, depends on your property. True Frame Builders confirms both when it reviews your saved project. Your final price depends on site conditions, measurements, chosen materials, and the full work plan. True Frame Builders visits, measures, and then sends your quote.

Common Questions

How much does a legal basement apartment cost in Toronto?

Turning an 800 sq ft unfinished basement into a legal 1-bedroom apartment costs about $108,000 to $160,000 CAD before HST at 2026 prices. The low end uses an existing door and the house furnace, and the high end adds a new side entrance and a separate heating system. Your own cost depends on your answers in the estimate and the condition of your basement.

What makes a basement apartment legal in Toronto?

The apartment meets the building and fire rules for a second unit and passes its permit inspections. That includes fire separation between the units, safe exits, and smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

Can I turn my finished basement into a legal apartment?

Many finished basements convert. Select your existing kitchen or bathroom in the estimate to keep them, and True Frame Builders checks the layout, exits, ceiling height, and building systems before it sets the final scope.

Plan the Next Part of Your Project

Many apartment projects also include a kitchen renovation or a bathroom renovation upstairs. Each one has its own estimate, and your saved estimates add up to one project total.

For City of Toronto permit rules, see the Toronto secondary suite guide.