The best basement renovation companies in Toronto and the GTA
Ten companies do most of the basement work that shows up in Toronto search results. Here is how they compare on the things a homeowner can actually check before signing: whether the price is published, how detailed and how firm the quote is, what you get to see of the design before you commit, the warranty, the on-time promise, and the reviews. Desire Basements wrote this page and sits at the top of it, so the criteria are laid out first and every claim is one you can verify on the company's own site or listing.
The comparison at a glance
Swipe sideways to see all six checks
| Company | Prices published | Quote detail | Design before you sign | Warranty | On-time guarantee | Google reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desire Basements | Yes, one quote sheet for every basement: about $67,800 for 1,000 sq ft with a bathroom | Guaranteed price. Every line itemized down to the number of pot lights, with a material catalog and brand names attached | Photorealistic 3D rendering, free | Lifetime workmanship | Yes, $200 per day | 5.0 (101) |
| Finished Basement Co. | No | Estimate "based on square footage" (their wording); catalog and brands not mentioned | 2D floor plans and a 3D sketch at the estimate visit | Not published as a term | No | 4.8 (58) shown on site |
| Capable Group | "Often start around $40K+" | "Fixed quote"; line detail, catalog and brands not published | 3D design with the quote | Not published as a term | No | 4.8 shown on site (count not shown) |
| Moose Basements | Calculator | Not published | Not stated | Not published as a term | No | Schema shows 29 |
| Assured Basements | No | Not published | "Floor plans in 3D" | Not published as a term | No | 4.5 (162) |
| Harmony Basements | Cost guide with ranges | Not published | 3D and VR design | Not published as a term | No | 4.7 (86); 4.9 on HomeStars (379) |
| Renoduck | Price tables per city | Not published | Not stated | Not published as a term | No | 4.6; 4.8 on HomeStars |
| Senso Design | No | Not published | Design-led, format not stated | Not published as a term | No | 4.9 (115+) |
| Revival Construction | City cost posts | Not published | Not stated | Not published as a term | No | 5.0 ("100+" on site) |
| Violet Build | No | Not published | Not stated | Not published as a term | No | 57 Google |
"Not published" and "Not stated" mean we could not find it on the company's main pages; ask for it in writing before you sign. Review counts are as shown on each company's own site, schema or Google listing during our September 2 to 11 checks; they move weekly, so check the live listing before you decide.
Why the quote matters more than the price
Two quotes for the same basement can be $40,000 apart and both look reasonable on one page. The difference is almost always in what is not written down: how many pot lights, which subfloor, what grade of vinyl plank, whose faucet, whether the bathroom fan is a $60 unit or a $400 one. A quote that says "flooring: supply and install" leaves every one of those decisions to be settled later, usually as an extra. Desire's quote is guaranteed and itemized down to the count: 18 pot lights, not "lighting"; 620 sq ft of a named vinyl plank, not "flooring"; the model of the toilet, not "bathroom fixtures". It comes with a material catalog so you can see and change every selection before the number is final, and once you sign, that number holds unless you change the scope. None of the other nine companies on this page publishes a quote that works this way; several describe theirs as itemized, but none mentions a catalog or names brands.
The design you see before you commit
Most companies here will draw you something. The question is when, and how close it is to what gets built. Finished Basement Co. sketches 2D floor plans and a "3D sketch" during the estimate visit. Capable Group and Assured Basements offer 3D design or 3D floor plans. Harmony offers 3D and VR. Others do not say. In every case we could find, the design is a layout or a basic model. Desire produces a photorealistic 3D rendering of your basement, with your finishes, lighting and millwork, before you sign anything, and it is free. A disagreement settled on a screen costs nothing; the same disagreement settled after framing costs weeks.
The companies, one by one
Desire Basements (Richmond Hill, serves all of the GTA)
The only company on this list that publishes its pricing in writing (every basement is priced from the same quote sheet, line by line, and a 1,000 sq ft basement with a three-piece bathroom comes to about $67,800 before HST), gives a guaranteed price that is itemized to the last pot light with a material catalog and brand names attached, shows you a photorealistic 3D rendering before you sign, backs the schedule with a $200 a day late penalty in the contract, and backs the work with a lifetime workmanship warranty. Kam Oveisy designs and builds every project himself: the rendering you approve, the millwork, the media wall, the theatre. A typical basement takes about two months, about two and a half with custom cabinetry and about three for a legal suite, with a written completion date on every contract. For Toronto specifics, from permits to ceiling heights in older houses, see our page on basement renovation in Toronto. Every number on the Toronto cost guide comes from that quote sheet and real contracts. The honest tradeoff: this is a luxury and full-finish builder. If you want a drop ceiling and a rec room for the lowest possible number, several companies below will quote lower.
See finished projects · Score any quote against the 18-point checklist
Finished Basement Co. (Mississauga)
A high-volume builder that advertises two-to-three-week completions and a 45-to-60-minute estimate visit, during which the estimator draws 2D floor plans and a 3D sketch. The site describes the estimate as "itemized" and "based on square footage"; it does not mention a material catalog or brand names, and no pricing is published. No warranty term is stated on the main pages and there is no written on-time guarantee.
Capable Group (Toronto)
Basements are one of several services. The basement page offers a "fixed quote with 3D design and permit check" and says finished basements "often start around $40K+". Line-item detail, catalog and brands are not published. The site says warranty terms "should be clear before work begins" but does not state its own term. No written on-time guarantee.
Moose Basements (Vaughan)
The site is built for search: separate city pages and a calculator. Reviews shown in its structured data are modest for the company's size. No published rate card, no stated design format, no warranty term and no written schedule penalty.
Assured Basements (North York)
Markets on promotions: a $10,000-off sale and deferred payments were on the home page in September 2026. Design is described as 3D floor plans. No pricing, no quote detail, no warranty term and no on-time guarantee are published.
Harmony Basements (Vaughan)
Publishes a cost guide with ranges rather than a fixed rate. Quote detail is not published. No warranty term stated and no written on-time guarantee.
Renoduck (Toronto)
Publishes more price detail than most, as a table per city. Design format, quote detail and warranty term are not stated. No on-time guarantee in writing.
Senso Design (Toronto)
Design-led, but the design format is not described. No basement pricing, quote detail or warranty term is published, and no on-time guarantee.
Revival Construction (Toronto)
The review count in its structured data is lower than the "100+" on the page. No rate card, no quote detail, no stated design format, no warranty term and no schedule guarantee.
Violet Build (Toronto)
Documents its projects well. Pricing, quote detail, design format and warranty term are not published; no on-time guarantee.
How to use this list
Get three quotes and put them on the same table: what finish is included, subfloor, insulation, bathroom count and shower type, the number of pot lights, the flooring product by name, permit, allowances versus fixed prices, warranty term, timeline and what happens if it slips. Most $40,000 gaps between quotes disappear into those rows; our post on why two GTA quotes differ by $40,000 walks through it line by line. Then check the credential the City of Toronto recommends (RenoMark), the Google listing, whether the person who designed your basement is the person who will build it, and whether the price you were quoted is guaranteed or an estimate.
Budget-wise, every Desire basement is priced from the same quote sheet, line by line: a 1,000 sq ft basement with a three-piece bathroom comes to about $67,800 before HST, and the price per square foot falls as the basement grows because the permit, bin, breakers, stairs and bathroom cost the same at any size. Bars, kitchenettes and walkouts are priced as their own lines. The calculator gives you a number in a minute, and monthly financing is available through Financeit.
Want a guaranteed, fully itemized quote with the material catalog, the warranty and the schedule penalty in writing, and a photorealistic rendering of your basement before you sign? The in-home consultation and 3D design are free.
Get a Free EstimateQuestions homeowners ask
Who is the best basement renovation company in Toronto?
By the six checks on this page (published pricing, a guaranteed itemized quote with a material catalog, a photorealistic design before signing, a lifetime workmanship warranty, a written on-time guarantee and a 5.0 Google rating), Desire Basements ranks first. Finished Basement Co. and Capable Group are the highest-volume alternatives.
How much does a basement renovation cost in Toronto in 2026?
Every Desire basement is priced from the same quote sheet, line by line: a 1,000 sq ft basement with a three-piece bathroom comes to about $67,800 before HST, and the price per square foot falls as the basement grows because the permit, bin, breakers, stairs and bathroom cost the same at any size. Bars, cabinetry and stone are priced as their own lines. Use the calculator to price yours.
What should a basement contractor's quote include?
The finishes included, subfloor and insulation, the bathroom specification, the count of pot lights and outlets, flooring and fixtures by product name, the permit and inspections, fixed prices rather than allowances, the warranty term, and a dated schedule with a stated penalty for running late. If the quote is an estimate rather than a guaranteed price, ask what would change it.
Does RenoMark matter when choosing a basement contractor?
Yes. RenoMark members commit to written contracts, a minimum two-year warranty and $2 million in liability insurance, and the City of Toronto points homeowners to the program. Desire Basements, Harmony and Violet Build are members.
Sources: each company's own website and structured data, Google map listings viewed from a Toronto browser, and HomeStars profiles, checked September 2 to 11, 2026. Desire Basements figures are from its own contracts and Google listing. If a figure above is out of date, email kam@desirebasements.com and it will be corrected.