Whole-home renovations
Renovations that touch most of the house, from the layout to the finishes. Planned as one project so the work is sequenced properly and the result feels consistent from room to room.
SERVICES
RESIDENTIAL
Major Renovations
Major renovations that transform the home you already own, planned around the house, your goals and how you live, from early planning through construction, across Durham Region and Kawartha Lakes.
01 / OVERVIEWMAJOR RENOVATIONS
MAJOR RENOVATIONS
Transform the home you already have
Many owners love where they live but not how the house works. The layout no longer suits the family, the finishes are tired, or the house needs work behind the walls. A major renovation changes that without leaving the street, the lot or the community you chose.
Henley Contracting takes on major renovations across Durham Region and Kawartha Lakes, for homes and cottages. We work with owners who want a substantial change to the house and want it planned and built properly.
Renovations bring their own unknowns. An existing house has to be understood before the plans are settled, because what is behind the walls shapes the scope, the budget and the schedule.
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01 / THE HOUSE
What is there today shapes what the renovation can be.
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02 / DESIGN
Plans that fix what does not work and keep what does.
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03 / PLANNING
Scope, budget and schedule defined before work starts.
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04 / CONSTRUCTION
One team on site, with clear updates from start to finish.
02 / WHAT WE BUILDMAJOR RENOVATIONS
Renovation projects we take on
Layout changes
Opening up rooms, moving kitchens and reworking how the main floor flows. Changes like these often affect the structure, so they are worked out carefully before construction.
Renovating older homes
Older houses often need work beyond what you see: the structure, the building envelope and the systems behind the walls. We plan for that so the renovation lasts.
Cottage renovations
Bringing an existing cottage up to date, or making it more comfortable through more of the year. See Custom Cottages, and Home Additions if you also need more space.
03 / APPROACHMAJOR RENOVATIONS
What matters when planning a major renovation
Six things shape every major renovation. Working through them early is what keeps the design, the budget and the schedule pointing in the same direction.
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01
The existing house
Its structure, its condition and the systems behind the walls.
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02
Scope
What you want to change, what must stay, and what is essential versus what can wait.
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03
Budget
A realistic range for the work, with room for what an existing house can reveal once it is opened up.
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04
Design
Plans that solve how the house works today, developed with construction in mind.
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05
Approvals
The approvals a renovation needs depend on the work and the municipality. They are worth confirming before the design depends on them.
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06
Living arrangements
Whether you stay in the home during the work or move out, and how that affects the schedule.
04 / IN FOCUSMAJOR RENOVATIONS
Living through a renovation
One of the first questions on a major renovation is where you will live while the work is done. Some owners stay in part of the house; others move out for the busiest stages. Either can work, but the choice affects how the job is planned.
Deciding this early shapes the order of the work, how parts of the house are kept usable and how long each stage takes. It is easier to plan around it from the start than to change course once construction begins.
- Which rooms you need to keep using, and for how long
- Whether moving out for part of the work makes sense
- Kitchens and bathrooms: what you will use while they are being renovated
- Children, pets and working from home
- Access to the house for crews and deliveries
We can talk through the options with you before the plans are final. See Design-Build & Planning.
05 / PROCESSMAJOR RENOVATIONS
How a major renovation works
Renovations most often go off track when the existing house holds surprises nobody planned for, and decisions get made in a hurry on site. We work to reduce that by understanding the house and getting involved before construction starts.
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Discover
Tell us about the house, what you want to change and roughly when. Tell us about your project. It takes a minute.
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Plan
We look at the existing house, your goals, any plans you already have and the budget range you are working within, and turn your ideas into a clear scope.
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Design
Plans are developed or refined alongside your designer and other specialists, so design and construction questions are answered together, then priced and scheduled.
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Build
Our project team, carpenters and trusted trades carry out the work, planned around how you are living during construction. You are kept informed at every stage.
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Complete
Final details, a walkthrough together, and the handover of your renovated home.
Already have plans? We can review them with you and price the work.
06 / SERVICE AREASMAJOR RENOVATIONS
Where we take on major renovations
Not sure whether your home is in our area? Tell us about your project and we will let you know.
Durham Region
Our head office is in Oshawa, and we renovate homes across Durham Region, in town and on rural properties.
Kawartha Lakes
To the north, we renovate homes and cottages across Kawartha Lakes, in town and on the water.
07 / WHY HENLEYMAJOR RENOVATIONS
Why owners renovate with Henley
House-first thinking
We start by understanding the existing home, so the plan accounts for what is really there.
Clear project planning
Scope, budget and schedule are defined before construction begins, so the work runs on decisions already made.
Planned around how you live
The work is organised around whether you stay in the home or move out.
Construction coordination
Our project team, carpenters and trusted trades work together through the whole job, with clear updates from start to finish.
Regional experience
A family-run, local builder with our head office in Oshawa, working in town and on the water across Durham Region and Kawartha Lakes.
RELATED PROJECTSMAJOR RENOVATIONS
Selected projects
Durham Region
QUESTIONSMAJOR RENOVATIONS
Frequently asked questions
Can't find your answer? Tell us about your project and ask us directly.
What is involved in a major renovation?
A major renovation moves through a few stages: understanding the existing house and your goals, developing or refining the plans, defining the scope, pricing and scheduling the work, construction, and a final walkthrough and handover. Understanding the house early matters most, because it sets the scope and the budget.
Can we live in the house during the renovation?
Sometimes. It depends on the scope of the work and which parts of the house you need to keep using. We talk this through during planning, because whether you stay or move out affects how the work is ordered and scheduled.
What if you find problems once the walls are opened?
Existing houses can hold surprises. We look at the house carefully during planning to reduce them, and we recommend keeping room in the budget for what an older home can reveal. If something is found, we explain it and the options before work continues.
Do you renovate cottages as well as homes?
Yes. We renovate homes and cottages across Durham Region and Kawartha Lakes, including making cottages more comfortable through more of the year.
Is it better to renovate or build new?
It depends on the house, the lot and what you want. A renovation keeps the location and parts of the home you like; building new gives you a blank slate. We can talk through both with you. See Custom Homes.
Can you price renovation plans I already have?
Yes. If your plans are complete, we can review them with you and price the work. Reviewing them together is also a chance to catch details that would be costly to change once construction starts.
What should I have ready before starting a renovation?
It helps to know what you want to change, your rough timing and the investment range you have in mind. Photos, existing drawings or plans are useful if you have them, but you do not need them to start the conversation.
YOUR NEXT CHAPTER STARTS HERE
Tell us about your project.
A few details is all we need. Sarah from our office will text you shortly from (905) 576-9714.
