Latest live posts from LF Builders
What Can I Build in My Toronto Backyard? Garden Suites, Studios, and Detached Garages
Yes, on most Toronto residential lots you can put a second building in the rear yard. What that building is allowed to be, a rented garden suite or just a detac…
Are Basement Leaks Covered by Insurance? What Toronto Homeowners Need to Know Before Fall Rains
Sometimes. A burst pipe or a hot water tank that lets go is usually covered. Water that seeps through foundation walls, comes up through the floor drain, or bac…
Are Basement Leaks Covered by Insurance in the GTA?
Most of the time, no. Home insurance covers sudden water damage like a burst pipe, but a leak that seeps through the foundation or comes in around an old window…
Can I Build a Garden Suite or Laneway Suite in My Toronto Backyard?
In most cases, yes. Toronto allows laneway suites on lots that touch a public laneway and garden suites on most residential lots, so the real question is not wh…
How Much Does It Cost to Enclose a Balcony in the GTA?
Most balcony enclosure jobs we price in the GTA land between $8,000 and $25,000, the same band as a deck or porch build. A simple glass system on a small condo …
When Should You Finish Your Basement in Toronto? Why Fall Beats Spring
Start in the fall. If you want a finished basement you can actually use by next winter, a fall start is the reliable path, because spring is when every other ho…
Can You Enclose a Covered Balcony in Toronto and Actually Use It in Winter?
Yes, you can, and done right it becomes a room you'll use from October straight through to April. The catch is that a warm winter balcony is a real build, not s…
When Should You Clean Your Eavestroughs in Toronto Before Winter?
Clean your eavestroughs in late October or early November, after most of the leaves have come down but before the first hard freeze. In Toronto that window usua…
5-Inch vs 6-Inch Eavestroughs: Which Size Does a Toronto House Actually Need?
If you're getting quotes to replace your eavestroughs, you'll probably see two sizes: 5-inch and 6-inch seamless aluminum. The 6-inch costs a bit more. The ques…
Ice Dams and Eavestroughs: Why Toronto Gutters Freeze and What Actually Stops It
Every Toronto winter has a stretch where it snows, warms up to plus three for an afternoon, and drops to minus twelve that night. Do that a few times and you ge…
Can You Waterproof a Basement in Winter in Toronto?
Yes, but not every kind of waterproofing, and not every week of the winter. What you can do depends on whether the fix happens inside the basement or outside in…
White Powder on Basement Walls: What Efflorescence Is Telling You About Your Toronto Basement
You move a box in the basement and find a white, chalky crust on the wall behind it. Sometimes it's a light dusting, sometimes it looks like frost growing out o…
Toronto Basement Flooding Subsidy 2026: The City Now Pays Up to $6,650. Here's How to Claim It
If you're reading an article that says Toronto's basement flooding subsidy tops out at $3,400, it's out of date. The City almost doubled the program in 2026. A …
Toronto Downspout Disconnection: The Rules, How to Do It, and Where the Water Can Go
Every property owner in Toronto is required to have their downspouts disconnected from the City's sewer. A lot of older houses in the city still have them runni…
What to Do When Your Basement Floods in Toronto (and Does Insurance Cover It?)
If water is coming in right now, shut off the power to the flooded area and stop the water at the source before anything else. On insurance: a sudden event like…
Kitchen Facelift vs. Full Renovation: What Cabinets Actually Cost in Toronto
Your kitchen needs a full renovation if you're changing the layout, plumbing, or electrical, and that runs $25,000 to $65,000 in Toronto. If your boxes are soli…
Does Home Insurance Cover Basement Waterproofing in Toronto?
Short answer: usually no. Insurance covers sudden water damage, like a burst pipe or a washing machine hose letting go, but it almost never pays to fix the foun…
How Much Does Basement Waterproofing Cost in Toronto?
Most basement waterproofing jobs in Toronto run between $4,000 and $12,000. Where you land comes down to three things: how many walls need digging, how deep you…
Can You Enclose a Covered Balcony in Toronto? What It Takes and What It Costs
Yes, most covered balconies on a house can be enclosed, as long as the slab can carry the extra weight and you get a permit for the work. The catch is that "enc…
Interlock vs Natural Stone: Which Is Better for a Toronto Driveway or Patio?
For most Toronto homes, interlock is the better pick for driveways and flagstone is the better pick for front walks and garden patios, and budget is usually wha…
How eavestroughs really work before the fall rush
Your eavestrough is not a rain gutter with a fancy name - it is the only thing stopping your foundation from taking a bath every storm. LF Builders has been a fam…
Summer Basement Leaks in Toronto: Stop Water Before It Reaches the Wall
If your basement smells like a dock every time it rains, the water isn't the problem - it's where it's getting in. LF Builders has been fixing Toronto homes since…
Sustainable Home Renovations
At LF Builders, we've been helping homeowners in Toronto renovate their homes for over 40 years. Lately, we've noticed more and more people asking about sustain…
Summer Home Maintenance in the GTA
Summer is here. It brings heat, humidity, and storms to the GTA. These conditions can affect your home. We'll go over what to check and when to call a contracto…