Leaside's 1940s–1960s brick bungalows and two-storey homes are among the most renovated in Toronto — and the basement is where families are unlocking serious square footage. Kopman Build has been finishing and converting Leaside basements for over 25 years, delivering permitted, code-compliant work in one of the city's most tight-knit family neighbourhoods.
Leaside's beloved post-war bungalows and two-storey brick homes were built for a different era — and most of their basements reflect that. Low ceiling heights, older drainage, and unfinished utility spaces are the norm. Transforming them into livable, legal, and beautiful square footage requires a contractor who understands the specific structural quirks of this housing stock. Kopman Build has worked in Leaside for decades and brings that accumulated experience to every project.
Leaside is one of Toronto's most active renovation markets. With detached home values consistently above the city average and a strong preference for staying-and-improving over selling, the neighbourhood's families invest heavily in their properties. A properly finished basement — permitted, inspected, and built to Ontario Building Code — is one of the highest-ROI upgrades available in this market.
Dustin Kopman founded the company in 1999 after growing up working in construction through his family's firm, G&G Enterprise. Every Leaside project is managed by someone who understands the craft, not just the contract.
Full secondary suite creation in Leaside homes, compliant with Toronto zoning, Ontario Building Code, and City of Toronto Second Suite requirements.
Finished basement family rooms, home theatres, play areas, and entertainment spaces — popular with Leaside's young families extending their living square footage.
Dedicated basement home offices with appropriate lighting, egress compliance, and electrical for modern work-from-home setups.
New basement washrooms and ensuites, including rough-in plumbing, tiling, and fixture installation.
Basement underpinning and bench-pinning to increase ceiling height — a common first step in Leaside's lower-ceilinged postwar bungalows.
Interior and exterior waterproofing, sump pits, weeping tile, and drainage solutions before finishing.
We visit your Leaside property, listen to your goals, and document the project in writing — scope, budget, and timeline.
A detailed line-item estimate with allowances and contingencies, so you know the number before committing.
We manage all permit applications, engineering consultants, and approvals — nothing falls through the cracks.
Full-time site supervision, weekly updates, and open-book cost tracking throughout the project.
Structured handover with all documentation, warranties, and a 12-month attendance window post-completion.
In Leaside, where the housing stock is dominated by 1940s–1960s brick bungalows and two-storey homes, basement finishing typically runs $65,000–$135,000. Many Leaside basements have lower ceiling heights typical of that era, so underpinning to meet modern headroom expectations adds $35,000–$85,000. Legal secondary suites in Leaside homes generally cost $85,000–$160,000 all-in, including permits, mechanical separation, and egress work. We provide a detailed line-item estimate before any commitment.
Many 1940s and 1950s Leaside bungalows were built with basement ceiling heights of 6–6.5 feet, which falls below the 6'11" (2.1m) minimum recommended for a comfortable finished space and the 1.95m minimum required for a legal secondary suite. Underpinning or bench-pinning is a common first step before finishing these basements. Kopman Build assesses headroom, footings, and soil conditions in our initial consultation to give you an accurate scope.
Yes. Leaside falls within the City of Toronto, and Toronto's Second Suite bylaw permits legal basement apartments in most detached and semi-detached homes. Requirements include minimum ceiling height (1.95m), egress windows in sleeping areas, fire-rated separation between units, separate or dedicated HVAC, and an accessible entrance. Given the tight-knit, family-oriented character of Leaside, many owners create suites for extended family rather than rental income. Kopman Build handles all permits, inspections, and City sign-offs.
A standard basement finish in a Leaside home takes 8–14 weeks from permit issuance. If underpinning is required first — common in the neighbourhood's older bungalows — add 5–8 weeks before finishing begins. A full legal secondary suite typically takes 14–20 weeks in total, accounting for the additional inspections, mechanical work, and egress modifications these projects require.
Kopman Build delivers permitted, code-compliant basement renovations in Leaside and across Toronto and the GTA. No-obligation consultation.
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