The kids moved out years ago. You’ve been in this condo for 15 years, and somewhere along the way you stopped inviting friends over. The kitchen looks tired, and the bathroom still has the tile it came with.
Or maybe the galley kitchen is so tight that two people can’t pass each other without one of you stepping back.
If that sounds familiar, the next question is usually what it will cost to fix. Condo renovation cost in Toronto depends less on the size of your unit than on what you change, the finishes you pick, and your building’s rules. Here’s what that looks like in 2026.
Quick Answer
A full renovation of a 1,000 sq. ft. condo in Toronto with good mid-range finishes typically costs $200 to $350 per sq. ft., or about $200,000 to $350,000, before HST. Kitchens and bathrooms take the biggest share, because that’s where the cabinets, tile, plumbing and appliances are. Condo rules add both cost and time: board approval, elevator bookings, limited work hours and sound rules for flooring. Construction for a full renovation may take 8 to 12 weeks or more, and that clock only starts once design is done and the building has approved the work.
Average Condo Renovation Cost in Toronto in 2026
For a full renovation of a 1,000 sq. ft. condo with good mid-range finishes, plan on $200 to $350 per sq. ft. That works out to roughly $200,000 to $350,000, before HST.
A full renovation usually covers:
- A new kitchen, often with a changed layout
- One or two bathrooms
- New flooring throughout
- Painting
- Lighting and electrical updates
- Closets and built-in millwork
- Doors, trim and hardware
- Popcorn ceiling removal
Construction may take 8 to 12 weeks or more for a full renovation. Lighter projects, such as a kitchen and bathroom without big layout changes, may take 4 to 6 weeks. Either way, the clock starts after design is finished, every material is selected, and the building has approved the work.
If you only need a bathroom, or just paint and new flooring, a smaller company may be a better fit than a design-build firm.
Condo Renovation Cost Per Square Foot in Toronto
The same $200 to $350 per sq. ft. range is a good place to start, but it’s a rough guide, not a quote. A few things bend the math:
- Small units often cost more per square foot. Some costs don’t shrink with the size of the unit: elevator bookings, floor and hallway protection, and waste removal.
- Kitchens and bathrooms cost more per square foot than bedrooms or living rooms, because so much happens in a small space.
- Doing more at once usually costs less. Andrei Sosnovsky, Sosna’s owner, calls it the “Costco effect.” Buying in bulk at Costco costs less than buying one piece at a time at Longo’s. Doing the kitchen and bathroom together shares the setup, protection and bookings, so it usually costs less than doing them one at a time.
Condo Renovation Cost by Room
Condo Kitchen Renovation Cost
The kitchen is usually the biggest single line in a condo budget. At Sosna, a kitchen starts at about $60,000 for entry-level finishes. Mid-range is around $100,000, and high-end is $150,000 and up. These prices are before HST and don’t include appliances. The cost comes down to cabinets, countertops, appliances and, above all, whether the layout changes. Keeping the sink and stove where they are costs far less than moving them. For a full breakdown, see our guide to kitchen renovation cost in Toronto.
Condo Bathroom Renovation Cost
A small bathroom still costs a lot. At Sosna, a four-piece bathroom typically costs $45,000 to $65,000, before HST. Waterproofing, tile, plumbing and fixtures don’t get much cheaper just because the room is small. Waterproofing matters even more in a condo, because a leak can reach the neighbour below, not just your own unit. Our guide to bathroom renovation cost in Toronto goes into more detail.
Flooring, Painting and Millwork
These cover the most area, so a small difference in price per square foot adds up fast. Many buildings require a special underlay under hard flooring, so the neighbours below don’t hear every footstep. It’s called acoustic underlay, and your building’s rules will say what kind they accept. Custom millwork, like built-in closets or shelving, adds cost but can make a small unit work much harder.
Condo Costs Most People Don’t See Coming
Two renovations with the same finishes can cost different amounts. The difference is the building.
- Condo board approval. The board reviews your plans before work starts, often through an alteration agreement. That’s a contract saying what you’re allowed to change and who’s responsible if something goes wrong. The building usually charges $200 to $1,500 to process the application, and approval usually takes 1 to 3 weeks.
- Elevator and loading dock bookings. Every delivery and every load of debris needs a booked time. On one of our jobs, the building had two elevators, one of them broken, and three other renovations going on at once. We had to book the elevator several weeks ahead.
- Limited work hours. Many buildings restrict when noisy work can happen, which can stretch the timeline.
- Contractor insurance. Buildings usually ask for the contractor’s insurance papers before work starts.
- Getting materials in and debris out. In a high-rise, everything travels by elevator, with hallways protected along the way.
- Sound rules for flooring. See acoustic underlay above.
Fees and rules vary by building, so confirm them with your property manager. Some work also needs a city permit. See permits for a condo renovation in Toronto.
What Moves the Cost Up or Down
| What changes | Why it matters |
| Size of the unit and how much of the layout changes | Moving walls means more demolition, drawings and trades. |
| Moving plumbing | The main drain pipes, called stacks, are shared with the units above and below. That limits how far a kitchen or bathroom can move, and moving it adds cost and building approvals. |
| Electrical changes | New lighting, outlets and circuits add labour, and some buildings want to review them. |
| Finishes and fixtures | As Andrei puts it, “You can buy a toilet today for $80 or for $19,000 and anything in between.” The same goes for faucets, tile and appliances. |
| Age of the building | Older pipes and wiring may need updating once the walls are open. |
| Custom built-ins and millwork | Made to measure, so they cost more than off-the-shelf pieces. |
| Building access and work hours | Short work windows and hard-to-get elevator bookings stretch the schedule. |
How to Plan a Condo Budget That Holds
Most budgets don’t blow up from one big surprise. As Andrei says, “Every little thing adds and adds, and boom, we are over the budget.” A few habits help your number hold:
- Set your budget before you pick finishes. It’s much easier to design to a number than to cut back later.
- Make every selection during design. An allowance is a placeholder amount in a quote, like $5,000 for tile, before anyone has picked the tile. If the real choice costs more, you pay the difference. Sosna doesn’t use allowances in its quotes.
- Get your building’s renovation rules early. They shape what you can change and when work can happen.
- Plan for the unexpected. Most contractors don’t inspect a home in detail before pricing it, so what’s found behind the walls becomes an extra bill. When a company investigates during design, as Sosna does, the fixed price can already cover it.
Getting Started
Sosna takes on full condo renovations and kitchen and bathroom projects done together, in North York, Thornhill, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill and Mississauga. One team handles design, estimating and construction, with a dedicated supervisor on site. You get a fixed price at the end of design, and we’ve missed only two deadlines in 25 years. We prepare what your condo board asks for, such as drawings, the scope of work and insurance papers, and you usually submit it.
See our Richmond Hill condo renovation, North York condominium renovation and Toronto condo renovation, learn how our design and planning process works, or read more about our condo renovation in Toronto services.
Book a quick 10 to 15 minute call to see if it makes sense to meet, or if we should recommend someone else who would be a better fit for the job.
Sosna Home Renovations, 7250 Keele Street, Unit 372, Vaughan, Ontario L4K 1Z8. Phone: 416-888-7366. Prefer to pick a time? Schedule a call.
15 Views
