Customers Rate us 5 out of 5
Customers Rate us 5 out of 5
Planning a home addition in Oakville? Rear additions, second storeys, rooms over the garage and sunrooms, with the drawings, engineering and Town permit handled by us.
Six ways to add space, and what each one involves in Oakville.
A bigger kitchen and family room across the back, usually one storey on a new foundation. The one we're asked about most in Glen Abbey, River Oaks, Clearview and Falgarwood.
A full second floor on a bungalow. An engineer confirms the foundation and walls can carry it, and most families move out while the roof is off.
A bedroom or suite on top of an attached garage, carried on new beams. Often the most cost-effective way to add a bedroom.
The garage turned into a family room, office or bedroom. Oakville's zoning asks for two parking spaces for a detached house, so if the garage holds them, we show parking elsewhere on the lot or apply for a minor variance.
A bright room off the back on a proper foundation, insulated for use all year. It's built like any addition, with drawings, a zoning check and a building permit.
For lots with room beside the house or a cramped front entry. Setbacks decide what fits, so zoning is checked before design.
Footings, foundation walls and waterproofing, inspected before anything is closed in.
Walls, floor and roof framed to the engineer's drawings.
Siding, windows and a new deck with stairs to the yard.
A bright, open living space with new floors and pot lights.
Family owned since 2003We are a family-owned renovation company with offices in Oakville and Burlington. The people who design your addition are the people who build it.
We measure the house and lot, check zoning, and sketch options with a budget range for each.
Architectural and structural drawings, any variance or heritage application, then the Town of Oakville building permit.
Excavation, footings, foundation walls and waterproofing, inspected before backfill.
Floors, walls and roof framed and tied into the house, then windows, roofing and exterior finishes.
Plumbing, electrical and HVAC, inspections, insulation and drywall.
Floors, trim, paint and fixtures, then the wall into the old house comes out and everything is tied together.
“Elijah and Daniel did a fantastic job on our home addition. Highly recommend them for any renovation project. We hired them because we felt like they were genuine and professional. They completed our project in 2 months, a home addition, kitchen, and two bathrooms.”
“We looked for many contractors in Oakville and Gracia makeovers were recommended by many people in our community. Fantastic job, great prices, great craftsmanship.”
“They listened carefully to our needs and preferences and provided expert guidance throughout the design process.”
5.0 on Google · rated by the homeowners we've built for
Costs, permits, timing and local details, for when you want the full picture.
The right addition depends on the house and the lot. These are the ones we are asked about most in Oakville.
| Addition | Common on | What it involves |
|---|---|---|
| Rear addition | 1970s to 90s two-storeys in Glen Abbey, River Oaks, Clearview and Falgarwood | A bigger kitchen and family room across the back, usually one storey on a new foundation |
| Second storey over the garage | Homes with an attached garage and a bedroom shortage | An engineer checks the garage foundation and walls, then new beams carry the room above |
| Second storey on a bungalow | Bungalows in Bronte, Eastlake, Old Oakville and Coronation Park | The roof comes off, so most families move out for part of the build |
| Side or front addition | Lots with room beside the house, or a cramped front entry | Setbacks decide what fits, so zoning is checked before design |
| Garage conversion | Homes with a garage used for storage, or a family that needs a room on the main floor | Insulating, heating and finishing the space, and showing where the required parking goes |
| Sunroom or four-season room | Backyards with a deck or patio off the kitchen | A foundation, insulated walls and roof, and a permit like any other addition |
Most home additions we build cost $120,000 to $350,000+ before HST. What moves the number:
Square footage drives most of the cost, and a second storey adds structure and roofing.
A full basement under the addition costs more than a crawlspace or slab, and gives you more room.
Opening the old house into the new space, moving a kitchen or adding a bathroom adds to the scope.
Matching older brick or stone can cost more than new siding, but it is what makes the addition look original.
A Committee of Adjustment application, heritage permit or arborist report adds fees and time.
Tight side yards mean more hand work and smaller equipment, which takes longer.
We price your addition after a visit and a zoning check, with drawings, engineering and the permit included.
Oakville's zoning by-law sets how close you can build to each lot line, how much of the lot the house can cover and how tall it can be. In many older neighbourhoods it also caps the floor area of the house against the size of the lot. We check your lot before any design work.
If the design needs a little more than zoning allows, it goes to the Town's Committee of Adjustment for a minor variance, with notice to neighbours and a hearing. It adds time, so we start it early and design to give it the best chance.
In Oakville's heritage conservation districts, such as Old Oakville and Trafalgar Road, an addition needs heritage approval as well as a building permit. The design has to respect the street, and we plan for that from the first sketch.
Removing a tree 15 cm across or larger needs a Town permit, and trees nearby are protected during the build. Lots on Sixteen Mile Creek, Bronte Creek or other ravines can also need Conservation Halton approval.
Every home addition in Oakville needs a Town building permit. The application is digital, with scaled drawings:
A heritage-listed property needs heritage approval, digging on a lot that backs onto green space, a creek or a wetland needs Conservation Halton approval, and a separate demolition permit is needed if much of the house comes down. We prepare and submit all of it. Source: the Town's Additions to a house page.
When a design needs a little more than zoning allows, such as a smaller side yard or more lot coverage, it goes to the Town's Committee of Adjustment for a minor variance. The committee is five residents appointed by Council, and Council isn't involved in the decision.
Under the Planning Act, a variance is approved only if it passes all four tests:
A hearing is held within 30 days of a complete application, with notice to neighbours. It adds time before the building permit, so we start it early and design to give it the best chance. Source: the Town's Committee of Adjustment page.
Most families stay home. The new rooms are built outside the old walls, and we only open into the house near the end.
Usually you can stay, with some noisy weeks while beams go in and the roof is tied in.
Plan to move out for part of the job while the roof is off. We give you the dates early.
Most additions we build fall in the range shown above, before HST. Size, one or two storeys, the foundation, how much of the existing house changes and any variance or heritage work decide where yours lands. We price it after a visit and a zoning check.
Yes. Every addition needs a Town of Oakville building permit with architectural and structural drawings. Some also need a minor variance from the Committee of Adjustment, a heritage permit or a tree permit, and we handle all of them.
It is permission to go a little beyond what zoning allows, such as a smaller side yard. Many additions fit without one. If yours needs it, the application goes to the Committee of Adjustment before the building permit, which adds time.
Often, yes. An engineer first checks that the foundation and walls can carry it. Expect to move out for part of the build while the roof is off.
Usually. The engineer checks the garage foundation and walls, then beams are designed to carry the new room. It is one of the most cost-effective ways to add a bedroom.
Removing a tree 15 cm across or larger needs a Town permit, and nearby trees must be protected during construction. We find this out at the first visit, before the design is set.
Two to three months for design and permits, longer with a variance or heritage approval, then three to six months of construction.
All of Oakville, including Glen Abbey, River Oaks, Clearview, Falgarwood, Bronte, Eastlake, Old Oakville, Joshua Creek, West Oak Trails and north Oakville, from our office at 1155 North Service Rd W.
You need drawings from a qualified designer: an architect, an engineer or a designer with a BCIN, plus a structural engineer for anything that carries load. We arrange all of it, and it goes in with the permit application.
Often, yes. Oakville's zoning asks for two parking spaces for a detached house, so if the garage holds them, we show the parking elsewhere on the lot or apply for a minor variance. The space is then insulated, heated and finished like any room.
A four-season sunroom on a foundation is built like any addition, so it needs a building permit and a zoning check. We confirm the setbacks and lot coverage first.
Usually. The Town notes that MPAC can issue a supplementary or omitted assessment when a property is improved by an addition, and the new tax bill follows from it.
For an addition larger than 50 m², the Town asks for a grading plan with the permit application. We have it prepared with the drawings.
We serve Oakville from our Oakville office.
1. Free consultation at your home
2. A fixed quote, with every finish listed
3. We build, then walk through it with you
Oakville Home Renovation Contractors by Gracia Makeovers
1155 North Service Rd W, Oakville, ON L6M 3E3
647-919-1997
Gracia Makeovers designs and builds kitchens, bathrooms, basements, additions and whole-home renovations from offices in Oakville and Burlington.
Also serving MiltonMississaugaEtobicokeTorontoAncaster
