Pine Shore Construction
Home Additions in Grimsby and Area
When the house works but there isn't enough of it, an addition is often the answer. Pine Shore Construction builds home additions and ties them into the existing house, from the framing through to the finishing trim. We bring more than 17 years of residential construction experience, and WSIB coverage and insurance are in place on every job.
What an addition can include
Depending on the project, the work can include:
- Framing, including new walls, floors and roof structure
- Windows and exterior doors
- Siding and insulation
- Drywall, taping and painting
- Trim, interior doors and stairs
- Custom carpentry and finishing details
Many additions also involve changes to the existing house, such as opening a wall into the new space or reworking a kitchen. We plan those parts together so the old and new rooms work as one house.
How an addition works
1. Plans. Send us your drawings, or a description and photos of what you have in mind. We'll review everything, ask questions and set up a time to talk. If it's a good fit, we arrange a site visit and prepare a quote.
2. Drawings, zoning and permits. Every addition needs a building permit, and the permit needs drawings. We can prepare or arrange the permit drawings. Your municipality will also check the design against its zoning by-law, which sets rules such as setbacks and building size.
3. Framing and closing in. Once the permit is issued, the new structure is framed and closed in with windows, exterior doors, siding and insulation, with inspections at the stages the permit requires.
4. Finishing. Inside, we finish with drywall, taping and painting, then trim, doors, stairs and custom carpentry, and tie the new space into the existing house.
Garden suites and basement apartments (ADUs)
An additional dwelling unit, or ADU, is a second home on your property. Most homeowners call it a garden suite, a coach house or a basement apartment. People build them for aging parents, grown kids who want their own space, or rental income.
Ontario now allows up to three units on most residential lots with municipal water and sewer, for example the main house, a basement apartment and a garden suite. Your municipality's zoning by-law still sets the details, such as size, height, setbacks and parking, and every unit needs a building permit.
- A garden suite is a separate small building in the back yard, with its own kitchen, bathroom and entrance.
- A basement apartment turns an existing basement into a self-contained unit, which usually means a separate entrance, fire separation, egress windows and its own kitchen and bathroom.
- An addition can also be designed as a separate suite, attached to the house but with its own entrance.
We can prepare or arrange the permit drawings and build the unit from framing to finish. Send us your survey, photos and what you have in mind, and we'll talk through what your lot allows and what makes sense.
When is a permit needed?
In Ontario, you must get a building permit before you add to a building. Permits are issued by your local municipality, and the proposed work has to meet the Ontario Building Code and applicable law, including the local zoning by-law.
If your addition doesn't meet the zoning by-law, you may need a minor variance from your municipality's Committee of Adjustment before a permit can be issued. Properties near creeks, wetlands, steep slopes or the Lake Ontario shoreline may also need approval from the local conservation authority, such as the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority. In parts of Hamilton, lands near the escarpment fall under the Niagara Escarpment Commission. Your municipality's planning and building staff can tell you what applies to your property.
Already in planning or at the permit stage?
Many homeowners come to us with drawings from an architect or designer. Some are waiting on a Committee of Adjustment decision or have a permit application in. Wherever you are, send what you have. We'll review the drawings with the build in mind and raise any construction questions before we prepare a quote.
What to have ready
- Any drawings or a site survey you have
- Photos of the house, inside and out, where the addition would go
- A short note on what you need the new space for
- Where you are with approvals, if you've started
- Roughly when you'd like to build
Where we work
Based in Grimsby, we do renovations from Niagara to Halton. Renovation contractor based in Grimsby, ON. Serving Lincoln, Beamsville, Stoney Creek, St. Catharines, Hamilton, Burlington and Oakville.
Related services
An addition often goes hand in hand with other work. We also do whole-home renovations, kitchen renovations and basement renovations.
Have Plans? Let's Talk About the Build.
Send us your drawings, or just a description and a few photos, and we'll set up a time to talk it through. We're available Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM.
Send Us Your Plans
Call 905-630-8255
Pine Shore Construction. Love Where You Live.