Basement Renovations in Vaughan
Luxury basement finishing for Vaughan homes. Free 3D design, an itemized price that locks before you sign, a lifetime workmanship warranty and a written finish date that pays you $200 for every late day.
Get a Free EstimateSee our projectsBasement renovation in Vaughan, street by street
Newer builds in Maple, Woodbridge, Kleinburg and Concord typically come with high ceilings and dry, open basements that finish beautifully into theatres, bars and gyms (see our luxury basement renovations in Toronto for the fully custom version), while demand for legal second suites keeps climbing near the TTC subway at Vaughan Metropolitan Centre and along the Highway 7 corridor.
Thornhill's older streets bring mature-home considerations like moisture control and egress upgrades, which our crews handle as part of the build, not as surprises. Whatever you start with, you end with finished square footage your family uses every week, and a number your Vaughan house carries at resale.
What we build in Vaughan basements
Basement finishing
Theatres, bars, gyms and family spaces. Wood studs with metal tracks and moisture-resistant drywall as standard, finished to match the rest of your home.
EXPLORE BASEMENT FINISHING →
Home renovations
Kitchens, bathrooms and whole-home updates for Vaughan families, built with the same crew and warranty as our basements.
EXPLORE HOME RENOVATIONS →
Structural & legal suites
Underpinning for ceiling height, waterproofing, and permitted separate entrances for legal Vaughan second suites.
EXPLORE STRUCTURAL WORK →Basement renovation permits in Vaughan, handled for you
Vaughan requires a building permit to finish a basement, and all applications go through the city's online ePlans portal, no paper submissions. Planning a legal second suite? Vaughan permits additional residential units in detached, semi-detached and townhouse properties under By-law 082-2025. The unit may not exceed the gross floor area of the principal dwelling, and there are specific rules for parking and the separate entrance. Our licensed structural engineer prepares and stamps the permit drawings, and we file through ePlans and book every staged inspection, so your project moves while other people's applications sit in a queue.
Drawings & zoning
Stamped by a licensed structural engineer for your Vaughan address
Filed via ePlans
We file it and track it. You never stand in line.
Staged inspections
Framing, insulation, ESA electrical, plumbing
Final sign-off
Closed permit, documented for resale
A free 3D design of your finished basement
Walk your basement room by room in 3D. Move a wall, swap a finish, then approve every detail before a stud goes up.
"Working with Kam and Desire Basements was honestly the best decision we ever made. We ended up with our dream basement. We will enjoy this basement as a family for decades to come."
RAVI & SWETAL PATEL · HOMEOWNERS IN MAPLE, VAUGHAN · ✓ GOOGLE REVIEWBuilt on trust, backed in writing
Basement renovations across the GTA since 2017, the owner on every site.
Lifetime workmanship warranty on every wall, floor and fixture we install, in writing.
Your quote includes a written timeline. If we miss it, we pay you $200 for every late day.
Every basement is priced from the same quote sheet, line by line. Permit drawings, 3D design and the lifetime workmanship warranty are included.
A 915 sq ft bar-and-lounge basement on Purple Creek Road
- Completed 2024
- 915 sq ft
- About 11 weeks
- $100,000 to $110,000
A 12-foot bar with the backsplash run to the ceiling, integrated LED and a dishwasher, paired with a 7-foot island. A 10-foot glass wall with double glass doors closes off the gym, a fluted panel wall frames the 60-inch linear fireplace, and the furnace and ducts were relocated to open up the plan. Two-piece bathroom, 30 pot lights, five doors.



What a basement in Vaughan costs, by scope
The same quote sheet we use everywhere in the GTA, line by line. Permit drawings, 3D design and the lifetime workmanship warranty are included.
| Scope | Price before HST |
|---|---|
| 600 sq ft with a three-piece bathroom | $56,000 |
| 800 sq ft with a three-piece bathroom | $62,000 |
| 1,000 sq ft with a three-piece bathroom | $67,800 |
| 1,200 sq ft with a three-piece bathroom and two bedrooms | $75,200 |
| 1,500 sq ft with a three-piece bathroom and two bedrooms | $83,700 |
| The family basement: media wall, full bathroom, laundry, around 1,000 sq ft | $60,000 to $85,000 |
| The entertainment build: theatre or media room, bar, gym, spa bathroom, 1,000 to 1,300 sq ft | $95,000 to $130,000 |
| Three-piece bathroom, added to a basement without one | $11,700 |
| Custom wet bar | +$15,000 |
| Home theatre setup | +$20,000 |
| Walkout entrance, permits included | $15,000 to $25,000 |
| Full-perimeter underpinning for low ceilings | $60,000 to $120,000 |
| Legal basement apartment, purpose-built | $75,000 to $110,000 or more |
Every 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. Use the calculator to price yours. Cost guides: bathroom, walkout and underpinning.
Answers for Vaughan homeowners
Do I need a building permit to finish my basement in Vaughan?
Yes. Vaughan requires a building permit for finishing a basement, submitted through the city's ePlans online portal. Desire Basements has the drawings prepared and stamped by a licensed structural engineer, files the application, and manages every inspection through final sign-off. You never deal with the paperwork.
Can I add a legal basement apartment in Vaughan?
Yes. Vaughan permits additional residential units in detached, semi-detached and townhouse properties under By-law 082-2025. The unit may not exceed the gross floor area of the principal dwelling, and requirements include a separate entrance, fire separation between units and adequate parking. We design and build Vaughan basement apartments to full code and handle the approvals end to end.
How much does it cost to finish a basement in Vaughan?
Every 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. Use the calculator to price yours. Every Desire quote is itemized line by line and locked before you sign, and includes a free 3D design.
Ready for your Vaughan basement renovation?
Book a free in-home consultation. We'll measure your space, talk through your vision, and bring a 3D design with your itemized basement renovation quote.
Get a Free EstimateA real basement we finished in Maple, Vaughan
Tap to watch the walkthrough, filmed on site, no staging.

