Home Renovation in Markham: Kitchens, Bathrooms, Staircases and More
Smart Renovations has renovated kitchens, bathrooms and staircases across Markham since 2017, along with laundry rooms, closets, home bars and other living spaces. We work from our Richmond Hill office, about 20 minutes from Unionville and Angus Glen.
Every project comes with a fixed price, so the quote you approve matches the final invoice. We also manage every approval for you, from City of Markham permits to electrical and gas sign-offs, and all labour comes with a 1-year warranty.
In most cases, a kitchen renovation in Markham costs $20,000 to $90,000+ and takes 4 to 12 weeks. A bathroom renovation, on the other hand, usually costs $12,000 to $70,000+ and takes 2 to 7 weeks.
That’s why clients from Milliken Mills to Angus Glen keep coming back to us. If you’re planning a project, book a free in-home consultation to see your options, costs and timeline.
WSIB Certified | Licensed Electrician | $5M Liability Insurance | 8x Houzz Award Winner | 4.9/5 on Houzz & Google | HomeStars Verified | CBRB Verified
home renovation markham
Trusted Home Renovation Contractor in Markham.
Winner of 8 Coveted Houzz Awards for 2026, 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020 & 2019 for SERVICE OF EXCELLENCE
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Permits in Markham: Four Approvals We Manage for You
Many homeowners don’t realize that one kitchen or bathroom renovation in Markham can need several approvals. The City of Markham handles building permits, the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) oversees electrical work, and all gas work must meet Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) requirements. For homes in Unionville or Markham Village, Heritage Markham may also review exterior changes. Since a missed approval can stop a project mid-construction, we plan for every one of them at the first consultation.
City of Markham Building Standards Department: reviews structural changes, plumbing relocation and general building work. We submit complete applications online so the review moves as quickly as possible.
Electrical Safety Authority (ESA): oversees all electrical work, including panel upgrades, new circuits and wiring changes, separately from the City building permit.
Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA): sets the rules for all gas work. When you add a gas range or move a gas line, a TSSA-certified gas technician completes the work to TSSA standards.
Heritage Markham: reviews exterior changes for properties in Unionville and Markham Village before the City issues a building permit. We flag this at the consultation and build the extra review time into your schedule.
Approvals we manage by project type:
- Kitchens: City building permit, ESA electrical and TSSA-compliant gas work
- Bathrooms: City building permit, ESA electrical and a plumbing permit when fixtures move
- Staircases: City structural permit and a guardrail compliance review
- Other rooms: approvals depend on the scope. For example, a home sauna usually involves electrical work, while widening an opening for a glass door can require a structural permit.
- Heritage properties: Heritage Markham review, coordinated before the City permit submission
Typical City of Markham review times
Once we submit a complete application, a residential alteration permit usually takes about 10 business days, while a structural permit takes about 15 business days.
Best Time to Start a Home Renovation in Markham
- Most renovation projects in Markham, such as kitchens, bathrooms and staircases, are interior work, so weather rarely affects the schedule. Instead, timing depends on permit review times and contractor availability across York Region.
- Permit reviews tend to move faster between January and March, before spring applications build up. As a result, starting your planning in winter often means earlier approvals and an earlier construction date. By May, however, review times usually grow longer.
- Summer is peak season, and kitchen and bathroom projects across Markham often book 3 to 5 months ahead between June and August. So if you want your renovation finished before the school year or the holidays, it’s best to book your consultation early.
- Fall works well for families who want a new kitchen or bathroom before December. Permit reviews settle down again in September and October, and contractor schedules become more flexible than they are in mid-summer.
- Winter is also a strong choice, especially for Markham’s 1990s builder homes. Because these projects happen entirely indoors, they stay on schedule regardless of the weather, and shorter material lead times give us more flexibility than at any other time of year.
Recent Home Renovations in Markham
Every project below was designed, permitted and built by Smart Renovations for Markham homeowners. As you scroll, you’ll see how we turn dated kitchens, cramped bathrooms and builder-grade staircases into spaces that fit the way each family lives.
Our Track Record
2017
Serving Markham Since
8
Houzz Service Awards
4.9/5
Rating on Houzz and Google
1-Year
Labour Warranty
Kitchen Renovation Markham
Kitchen renovations balance functionality, aesthetics, and family workflow while providing durability and long-term value.
Two kitchen problems come up again and again in Markham. The first is the closed or semi-open layout common in Milliken Mills, Box Grove and Thornhill, where a wall cuts the kitchen off from the family room. Since no cabinet upgrade can fix that, we first assess the load-bearing structure, design the beams you need and open the layout to meet current Ontario Building Code requirements before any cosmetic work begins.
The second is the large but underperforming kitchen found across Cachet, Angus Glen, Cathedraltown and Berczy Village. Here, the footprint is generous, but the original cabinets, counters and appliances no longer match how the family cooks. For that reason, we focus these projects on custom cabinetry, properly sized islands, better countertops and cooking upgrades, including secondary wok stations with high-output ventilation and a dedicated gas supply for households that need them.
For multigenerational families where several people cook at once, we also add secondary prep areas and plan the layout around shared use rather than a single cook.
Heritage homes in Unionville and Markham Village need a careful assessment before demolition begins. That’s why we check what’s behind the walls at the consultation stage and plan around it, so nothing unexpected comes up mid-project.
Kitchen renovations in Markham start at $20,000 for a cosmetic refresh and reach $90,000+ for a full structural remodel, with timelines of 4 to 12 weeks depending on scope.
Professional Bathroom Renovation Services
Many of Markham’s 1990s and early 2000s bathrooms were designed for one person at a time. In multigenerational homes where three or more adults share a floor, that layout breaks down every morning. So we design each bathroom around the people who actually use it. In busy family bathrooms, that means double vanities, separate storage for each person and finishes that stand up to heavy daily use. Meanwhile, in primary ensuites across Angus Glen, Cachet and Cathedraltown, clients often choose heated floors, walk-in showers, freestanding tubs and tile work that matches the finish level of the rest of the home.
Older homes in Unionville and Markham Village often still have their original plumbing behind the walls. For that reason, we inspect the rough-ins before we quote, so your scope is accurate from day one. Checking this early keeps your quote accurate, so you face far fewer surprises once we open the walls.
Bathroom renovations in Markham start at $12,000 for a standard update and reach $70,000+ for a luxury ensuite, with timelines of 2 to 7 weeks depending on scope.
Please note: all timelines and price ranges are estimates based on typical projects. We’ll give you an exact quote and timeline after a full assessment of your home.
Staircase Renovation Markham
Many Markham builder homes from the 1990s came with the same staircase: pine treads, hollow newel posts and dated spindles. Once you update the kitchen and bathrooms, that original staircase becomes the one thing that still gives away the age of the home.
Cornell deserves a special mention. Its New Urbanist design places homes close to the street with a prominent front entry and no garage between the door and the sidewalk, so the staircase is the first thing anyone sees when they walk in. As a result, leaving it untouched after a full renovation stands out more here than almost anywhere else in Markham.
We replace and refinish staircases to match the rest of your renovation. In Unionville and Markham Village, we match the existing wood species and baluster profile to respect the home’s heritage character. In newer homes across Cornell, Box Grove and Greensborough, on the other hand, we install open-riser treads, glass panel railings and wrought iron balusters that bring the entry up to the standard of the updated interior.
If the work changes the stringer, the rise and run of the steps or the railing height to meet current Ontario Building Code guardrail standards, it requires a structural permit. In that case, we handle the application and every required inspection for you.
Other Home Renovations in Markham
Beyond kitchens, bathrooms and staircases, we also renovate the rooms that make everyday life easier and more enjoyable. For busy families, that often means a laundry room with more storage and a better workflow, or a custom closet that finally keeps clutter under control. At the same time, many Markham homeowners use their renovation to create spaces for relaxing and entertaining, such as a home bar, a home sauna or a primary bedroom with feature walls and wallpaper. We can also install modern glass doors that bring more light into your living spaces. Because the same team manages design, permits and trades, you can add any of these to a larger renovation and keep everything on one schedule and one fixed price.
Materials and Suppliers for Markham Homes
We source materials from suppliers across York Region, which keeps delivery times short and lets us replace a damaged item quickly without delaying your project. For most Markham kitchens and bathrooms, we rely on trusted brands such as Urban Zebra for tile, Blanco and Bosco for sinks and faucets, EMCO for plumbing fixtures, Mapei for setting materials and Benjamin Moore for paint and cabinet finishes. As a result, your finishes look good for years and stay easy to clean and maintain.
Markham Communities We Proudly Serve
A home renovation doesn’t have to be complicated or stressful. Instead, our process focuses on clear communication and careful execution at every step.
Unionville and Markham Village
Homes from the early 1900s through the late 1980s. Heritage overlay rules govern exterior changes, and older properties often have original plumbing and electrical systems that need assessment before any renovation scope is finalised. We check both at the initial site visit and build findings into the project plan before work starts.
Thornhill (Markham Section): Established affluent community where aging electrical panels create safety concerns and original fixtures show 30+ years of wear. Layouts don’t support modern multi-generational living. Kitchen renovations emphasize safe appliance integration, while bathrooms add double vanities and accessibility features.
Milliken Mills
1970s and 1980s builds with galley kitchens, single-sink bathrooms, and original electrical panels. High concentration of multigenerational households. Every project here starts with a multi-user brief.
Box Grove and Cornell
1990s to early 2000s subdivisions where builder finishes are now twenty-plus years old. Cornell’s street-facing layout makes the staircase and front entry the first thing visitors see. Narrower lots here affect kitchen island sizing and bathroom layout options, and we plan for both from the design stage.
Greensborough: Tranquil setting with larger lots where homes need updates to complement natural surroundings. Properties allow for expanded kitchens and bathrooms, with peaceful settings calling for spa-like retreats.
Angus Glen, Cachet, and Cathedraltown
Properties of 3,000 square feet and above where the brief centres on high-end finishes. Chef kitchens, primary ensuites with spa-level finishes, and premium materials throughout. Builder-grade updates do not belong in these homes.
How We Run Your Renovation
Free Consultation
We visit your home, check load-bearing conditions, inspect existing plumbing and electrical, identify every permit authority that applies, and flag any pre-demolition requirements. No cost, no obligation.
Design and Fixed Price
We prepare plans and lock in your budget including all permit fees. You approve everything before any work starts.
Permits and Materials
We file with all required authorities simultaneously and order long-lead materials during the approval window. Your start date holds.
Construction
Licensed trades arrive on schedule. One site supervisor owns the project and updates you weekly.
Walkthrough and Warranty
We complete a deficiency check with you before closing the project. All labour carries our 1-year labour warranty.
Markham's reliable home renovation Experts
We serve Markham and all of York Region from our Richmond Hill office on Bathurst Street, approximately twenty minutes from Unionville and Angus Glen. Book a free in-home consultation and we will assess your space, confirm every permit authority that applies, and give you a fixed budget and realistic timeline before you commit to anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
For most kitchen and bathroom projects, yes. We seal the work zone, keep the site clean, and schedule noisy work during reasonable hours. For larger structural work we review your situation at the consultation.
Yes. Secondary cooking stations, high-output ventilation, dedicated gas supply, and layouts that support concurrent use are part of our standard kitchen design process for households that need them.
Unlike most GTA cities, Markham separates building, electrical, and gas permits across three authorities. The permit section above explains each one and what it covers. Most contractors only file with one. We manage all three in parallel so your project does not stop mid-construction waiting for approvals.
Yes. Original plumbing and electrical systems are common behind the walls in these older properties and need assessment before scope is finalised. Heritage Markham also reviews exterior changes before the City issues a building permit. We identify both at the initial site visit and account for all timelines upfront.
We start with a free in-home consultation. From there, we build a 3D design so you can see your new space before anything is built. Once you approve the design and the itemised quote, we handle permits, trades, deliveries, and inspections. The final step is a walkthrough together before the last payment, and everything we build is covered by a 1-Year Labour Warranty.
Yes. Smart Renovations is WSIB certified, carries $5M liability insurance, and works with a licensed electrician on every project. We are HomeStars Verified and CBRB Verified, and hold 8 consecutive Houzz Awards for Service Excellence.