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High Park Architects

High Park Architects helps Clients to maximize their property potential such as: enlarging livable areas, height and layouts flexibility that can be easily adopted for changing needs also increasing resale value.

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Most popular projects

Most popular projects with homeowners are basement underpinnings, additions, interior renovations and laneway suites or laneway houses. Those projects are considered by the City as a "fast track" projects. For inexpensive fee the building permits can be quickly and easily obtained. The construction can be completed usually in three to four months depending on the scope of work. Our first consultation meeting is free. Consultation services include: Feasibility Study, review client's plans and alternatives, preliminary zoning and Building Code review, defining scope of work required for City applications, budget review and construction cost estimates.

Basement Underpinning
For underpinning permit the City requires the least amount of paperwork and fees. There are no additional time consuming and expensive submissions or fees for creating a separate living space such as Urban Forestry or Committee of Adjustment applications. City Permits can be obtained in 1 - 2 weeks. Average basement underpinning concrete work and slab lowering takes about five weeks. Finishing work that follows may also take about five weeks depending on the scope of interior renovation (see above basement underpinning designed by High Park Architects at 124 Dunington Drive in Toronto).

Basement Walkout
This is an easiest way to create in your house a new rental apartment or an additional suite for the family or guests. The City is encouraging homeowners to provide much needed residential dwelling units by not imposing high fees like: development fees educational charges, park levies etc. that would be applicable in other cases like in multiple dwelling units and apartment buildings. Basement walkouts can be designed not to interfere with your deck or backyard. Walkout Drawing is usually an accessory to underpinning permit (see above basement walkout designed by High Park Architects at 85 Riverview Gardens in Toronto).

2nd. Floor Additions
Addition above a first floor doubles the floor area and the construction take advantage of the existing house elements; supporting foundations, setbacks, electrical, gas, storm drains and sewer connections. The exterior of a 2nd. Floor addition can be finished with a cladding that continues the existing facade style or can create a contrast to the current look, for example by matching stone with stucco (see above 2nd. Floor addition designed by High Park Architects at 192 South Kingsway in Toronto)

First Floor Additions
The rear or side First Floor additions are fast and efficient way to create more space in the house. The area will be doubled if the addition is build with a basement. Additional bonus is a possibility of creating a terrace on the addition's roof and accessible from second floor bedrooms. The one or two story addition is a fast track project that gets usually approved in 1 - 2 weeks in the City (see above rear addition designed by High Park Architects at 465 Clendenan Avenue in Toronto).

Interior Renovations
Most popular feature in interior renovations is to create an open space concept at the first floor that includes removing interior walls and replacing them with beams. The homeowners also often choose to renovate kitchens, add powder rooms, re-configure stairs to second floor and opening house to the rear patio and garden etc. The changes to 2nd. Floor include adding a bedroom, bathroom and closet space (see above interior renovation designed by High Park Architects at 4617 Kingston Road in Toronto).

Laneway Suite
The City of Toronto has launched a program to help home owners develop a two storey secondary house on their property. The laneway suite, detached from the primary property, can be used as extra space for the owner or as a rental unit. The City program provides funding in form of a forgivable loan up to $50,000 for property owners developing a laneway suite. The loan will be forgiven in 15 years from the date when the first tenant occupies the suite (see above laneway house designed by High Park Architects at 328 Brock Avenue in Toronto).