General Contractor Cost in Toronto

GC visits your home, reviews scope of work, identifies potential issues (asbestos, knob-and-tube wiring, structural concerns), asks about budget and timeline. Good GCs will tell you if your budget is unrealistic or if there are scope items you haven't considered (HVAC relocation, electrical panel upgrade).

GC provides itemized breakdown of costs: labour by trade, materials, permits, dumpster, contingency. Contract specifies payment schedule (never more than 10% deposit in Ontario), change order process, warranty terms, start and completion dates. Review for red flags: vague scope, no permit language, payment terms front-loaded.

GC (or their engineer) prepares drawings and applies for building permit with your municipality. They coordinate any required inspections from Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) for electrical work or Technical Standards & Safety Authority (TSSA) for gas work. Permit approval times vary: 2-4 weeks typical, 6-8 weeks in Toronto or for complex projects.

GC orders long-lead items (custom cabinets, windows, specialty tile), schedules all trades in proper sequence, arranges dumpster and porta-potty if needed. They should provide you with a schedule showing when each trade is on site and key milestones (demo complete, framing inspection, drywall, substantial completion).

GC or their site supervisor is on site daily or every other day to coordinate trades, verify work quality, solve problems, communicate progress. They handle deliveries, schedule inspections at correct times (framing before insulation, rough electrical before drywall), document issues, manage change orders. You should get weekly updates minimum.

GC coordinates mandatory inspections: footing, framing, insulation, rough electrical/plumbing, HVAC, final building inspection. They fix any deficiencies identified by inspectors. For electrical and gas work, separate ESA and TSSA inspections are required before the utility will reconnect service.

GC completes all scope items and does their own quality check. You do a walkthrough together and create a deficiency list (paint touchups, minor adjustments, etc.). In Ontario, "substantial completion" means the space is usable even if minor items remain. This triggers next payment milestone per your contract.

GC completes all deficiencies, provides you with final building permit sign-off, ESA/TSSA certificates if applicable, warranty documents, paint colors and product specs for future reference. Final payment is due when all work is complete and permits are closed. Ontario new home warranty doesn't apply to renos, but GC should warranty their work for 1 year minimum.