Renovating Woodbridge Homes Built for Family Life

Kitchens sized for a full table

Many detached houses in Woodbridge, particularly the larger homes in Islington Woods and Weston Downs, were built with generous kitchens next to a separate formal dining room. When owners renovate, the wish list tends to repeat: more counter length, an island that seats the whole family, deep drawers for large pots and serving platters, and room for two or three people to cook at once without colliding. We map those habits first, from where the groceries land to where the dishes go, and only then choose cabinets, counters and tile.

The second kitchen downstairs

A basement kitchen is a familiar sight in this part of Vaughan, and it is often the hardest-working room in December. Many Woodbridge basement kitchens were put in decades ago and now have sagging cabinets, cracked vinyl and a single ceiling light. Rebuilding one deserves the same attention as the main kitchen: flooring suited to a concrete slab, tile that wipes clean after a day of cooking, and good lighting over the work areas. Venting and any new water or power lines are handled by the proper trades, and we build the schedule around them.

There is an important distinction to keep in mind. A second kitchen used by the same household is one thing; a self-contained suite for a tenant or another household is what the City of Vaughan calls a secondary suite, and it needs a building permit. If a future rental is part of the plan, tell us at the start so the layout can allow for it.

Cold cellars deserve a word too. The room under the porch is designed to stay cool, and finishing or insulating it without a plan can trap moisture against the concrete. We assess it before recommending anything, and sometimes the right answer is to leave it as it is.

Bringing a 1970s or 1980s house up to date

Woodbridge spread far beyond its original village from the 1960s through the 1980s. Houses from that period often have closed-in kitchens, sunken living rooms, split levels, heavy oak trim and small bathrooms. A typical update includes:

• Opening the kitchen to the living area, once we know whether the wall between them carries load
• Raising sunken areas to one level and replacing worn parquet or carpet
• Swapping dated doors, trim and railings for a consistent look from room to room
• Upgrading the insulation in any outside wall we have to open anyway

Homes of this age can contain older materials, such as some textured ceilings or floor tiles, that should be tested before demolition. We recommend testing by a qualified firm, and any removal is completed by specialists before our crew begins.

Near the river and the old village

The historic core along Woodbridge Avenue, between Islington and Kipling Avenues, lies inside the Woodbridge Heritage Conservation District, so work on the outside of a house there usually goes through heritage review at the city first. The community also follows the Humber River, which flooded the village during Hurricane Hazel in 1954. Today, lots near the valley can sit inside an area that the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) regulates, which may affect an addition, a deck or regrading. Interior work in Woodbridge is rarely affected, but if your yard backs onto the valley, we check those rules with you before the design is final.