build.bvmcontracting.com

Author: Ryan Meagher

The Secret Ingredient for a Successful Renovation or Custom Home Build
The Best General Contractors in Toronto Have A Great Team Backing Them Up

Learn more about why having an in-house team as a general contractor is the secret sauce for delivering on time and on budget every time
delivering a better renovation or custom home building experience with in-house expertise

General Contractors in Toronto have proven that the concept of specialization can lead to the boom of an entire industry. Being able to have specialist carry out work instead of one person doing multiple jobs is how the concept of General Contracting became such a popular way complete complex custom home builds and home renovation projects. With this concept you are able to complete projects faster, with more quality, and at a reasonable price if you are dealing with the right General Contractor.

Specialization doesn’t just apply to sub-contractors carrying out work for a General Contractor, it also applies to the employees working for the General Contractor. In this article you will learn about the value of specialization within a General Contracting company in Toronto and how it will help you ultimately make the right decision on which General Contractor to hire for your next residential construction project.

Specialization within a General Contracting Company

At BVM Contracting, there are 4 distinct specializations that you will find within our company. Now we aren’t saying that it is the only way to run a General Contracting Company in Toronto, but we have seen a lot of success and have received a lot of good feedback from prospective, current, and past clients about our capabilities from beginning to end as a General Contractor. Below the specializations are highlighted and the benefits explained:
1. Dedicated Sales and Estimating Team – To separate sales from service is a pretty rudimentary concept that leads to a lot of benefits. What you get with this is a dedicated touch point to start your journey with your prospective General Contractor, active/regular communication, and a detailed scope of work and budget that is easy to follow and is explained from beginning to end. At BVM Contracting this “team” comprises of one person, but allows us to actively take care of people in the discovery, estimating, or budget finalization phase of their project.
2. Dedicated Project Administration Staff – To ask questions during a project and get answers back the same day is something that should be expected but is often not delivered upon. Most times the project manager running your renovation or custom home building project is too busy during the day to answer emails and keep all of the project logistics on track. This is where the project administration staff comes in, they keep clients updated on the project and make sure that there is an electronic link between your inquiries and the project manager’s inquiries. At BVM Contracting, everything has a paper trail and with good reason – Home Building and Home Renovation projects are dynamic and can change as you move along, so you need someone who can actively explain those changes via email and provide solutions via email to allow the project to keep moving forward with minimal delays.
3. Dedicated Skilled Labour Team – Other General Contractors might find the cheapest, most untrained labourers, but at BVM Contracting we call them the minutemen, and for good reason. One of the key reasons we can get projects done faster than the many other General Contractors in Toronto is because we have a team of SKILLED labour (emphasis on skilled) that can do the myriad of tasks in between all of the sub-contractors we hire from beginning to end to make sure that the project is delivered on time and on budget. We cannot stress enough how important having a SKILLED team of labourers is for a General Contractor to deliver on every project, so if any of the General Contractors that you are talking to don’t have one then they are not going to deliver on your renovation or custom home build.
4. Dedicated Project Management Staff – Having a project manager seems to be a minimum requirement nowadays to call yourself a General Contractor in Toronto, but the fact of the matter is it takes more than just a good Project Manager to deliver a project to the standards of a true General Contracting company. It is so valuable to have a dedicated touch point for the in-house team, subcontractors, and vendors to call to, but it is equally important to relay all project information in a timely manner and with accuracy to ensure the project nears perfection. Having a team alongside a project manager brings everything together and creates a successful General Contractor.
It also doesn’t hurt if your General Contractor is Family-owned, brownie points for that!

Conclusion

The next time you are evaluating General Contractors in Toronto, make sure you understand how their internal processes work in order to make sure that they will be able to deliver for your renovation or custom home building project!
About BVM COntracting

BVM Contracting is a full-service General Contractor or Home Builder located in Toronto. We provide home renovation and building services for major home renovations (kitchen renovations, bathroom renovations, basement renovations, full interior renovations, home additions, lot severances, and new home construction). Our goal is to help guide our clients through the process of renovating their home, from concept to completion.

Further than providing General Contracting and Project Management for major home renovations, we also offer value-added services such as renovation financing, renovation rebate consultations and services, building permit and design services, smart home installation services, and real estate investor services.

To learn more about our offering by visiting our services page.
August 3, 2022
Home Renovation Spotlight: Prairie Drive
Prairie Drive Home Renovation

Interior Renovations

In 2019, BVM Contracting was employed as a general contractor for the full interior renovation and legal basement apartment project located in Toronto (specifically Scarborough). Below is the story of our client’s renovation journey, which includes the purchase of their first property and tips and advice for others who are looking to buy a fixer-upper or renovate their current home.

Meet the clients (Ryan and Kerry)

Introduction to the Property

On April 15th, 2019 Ryan Meagher (Business Development at BVM Contracting) and Kerry Readwin took over ownership of Prairie Drive, a semi-detached bungalow located in the Oakridge Neighbourhood of Scarborough (Danforth Road & Danforth Avenue). Ryan and Kerry undertook the process of renovating both the main floor and unfinished basement, making the main floor more open-concept and adding a basement apartment to help subsidize the mortgage.

The plan to buy and renovate a home in Toronto wasn’t always their first choice when looking at the different real estate options available (condo v.s. move-in ready v.s. townhome). It took a little bit of research, a lot of help from knowledgeable professionals, and even more patience to wait for the right opportunity to arrive, which ended up happening with 93 Prairie Drive.

Working with a Real Estate Agent

The process of looking for a place of their own was inspired by wanting to move out of the basement apartment they had been renting for two years. At this point in time, Ryan and Kerry had saved up enough money to afford a down-payment with the first time home buyers program. Ryan and Kerry decided to reach out to a real estate agent that worked with one of Kerry’s work colleagues to get the house hunting process started.

It took about 3 months, 12 house tours, and 3 offers before Ryan and Kerry were able to lock in a successful offer at 93 Prairie Drive in January of 2019. The house next door (the one attached to the left of 93 Prairie Drive) was the house that brought them into the Oakridge neighbourhood. The home at 95 Prairie Drive was a two bedroom plus one bedroom basement apartment. Very eager to find a place with a basement apartment, Ryan and Kerry were ready to put an offer in right after seeing the house. To their dismay, there was already a conditional offer for the property which ended up going through.

Luckily, the same listing agent was also selling the property beside 95 Prairie Drive, 93 Prairie Drive. Since there was a mix-up about the status of 95 Prairie Drive from the listing agent, Ryan and Kerry’s agent was able to negotiate getting them an offer on 93 Prairie before it went on the market. After two walk-throughs, one with the real estate agent and one with Vince Meagher from BVM Contracting, Ryan and Kerry put an offer in under asking due to the damages and deficiencies cited in the home inspection report.

Getting a Mortgage

Once the offer was finalized, the real work started with getting the mortgage set-up for the property. Since Ryan and Kerry were using the first time home buyers incentive, which lowers the cost of the down-payment substantially for first time home buyers, their options were limited. Fortunately, their real estate agent put them in contact with an experienced mortgage broker that helped them get the best mortgage possible.

As an added benefit, the broker they worked with mentioned that some lenders offer “Purchase + Improvement” mortgages that add the cost of renovations to the mortgage amount. Ryan and Kerry were approved for $45 000 worth of renovations to the basement apartment they were hoping to create. Not to mention, since they were using the first time home buyers incentive Ryan and Kerry had to take out mortgage insurance through Canadian Mortgage & Housing Corporation (CMHC), which is required when you cannot come up with 20 percent (or more) down payment for your home purchase.

The following equation can be used to calculate what a final mortgage amount will come to:

Total Mortgage Amount = Property Cost – Down-payment + CMHC Insurance + Improvement Costs

The total mortgage amount ended up coming to around $580 000.

Quick Aside: Get pre-qualified with your bank or mortgage broker BEFORE or while you search for homes!

It is important to note that Ryan and Kerry reached out to their mortgage agent concurrently while looking for properties. The benefit of doing this is that you will know exactly what you can afford by completing a pre-qualification. How much you get pre-qualified for is based on your income and debt, and also differs depending on who you deal with (banks versus mortgage brokers).

Doing this is beneficial because it gives you a clear idea about the type of property you can afford (condo vs townhome vs freehold) so you don’t stretch too far and become house poor!
Remember the Closing Costs!

One thing that Ryan and Kerry underestimated during the process of closing on the property was the closing costs, which included the following:
- Land Transfer Tax
- Title Insurance Fees
- Legal Fees
- Home insurance
This list is not exhaustive, and can include home inspection fees, property valuation fees, moving costs and other smaller items.

Overall the total cost of closing on 93 Prairie Drive is summarized below, plus the ongoing cost of home insurance which is $170 per month. The main cost of closing on a home is the land transfer tax, which is a percentage based on the purchase price of the home. If you are a first time home buyer, you get a subsidy on the amount paid ($8450 in 2019). This subsidy is already included below.
Renovation Preparation for your Fixer-Upper

Once you solidify an agreement to purchase a property, obtain a mortgage for the cost of the property (plus any improvements), and pay all of the closing costs, your prep work is almost complete!

The last question you will want to ask yourself is, “is the house I just bought in good enough shape to rent out or live in?”. If your answer is yes then you can likely hold off on renovations for a bit, but if the answer is no then you might as well rip the renovation band-aid off and get the renovation’s done to maximize rental income or overall affinity to living in the house. That is what Ryan and Kerry did!

The goal for Ryan and Kerry was to create legal basement apartment that helped subsidize the cost of the mortgage. In order to start the renovation process, it is best to contact a reputable renovation company in your given geography. Contact BVM Contracting Here if you live in the Greater Toronto Area and we would be happy to help! BVM Contracting helped Ryan and Kerry during the purchase plus improvement process by providing the necessary quote needed for the cost of creating a legal basement apartment in their home.

It is important to note that, depending on the extent on the renovations, you will likely have to get a building permit in order to complete most renovations in a property. If you are unsure if you need a building permit, visit the City of Toronto website here that outlines when you need to get one. If you do need a permit you will have to work, at the very least, with who they call a BCIN designer. If you are doing a smaller renovation and want to keep costs low it is recommended to use a BCIN Designer since architects will almost always cost more to work with. A BCIN Designer is qualified to submit permits to the city and create plans for your proposed renovations.

Fortunately, BVM Contracting has strategic partnerships with BCIN designers and architects and can properly refer you to the company that best fits your needs. In the case of these smaller renovations we almost always recommend a BCIN designer, but if you are looking to complete a much more elaborate design with a home addition or new home we can make other recommendations. Contact us as soon as you know you are renovating so you can start working out timelines and budget costs for your home renovation project!

Access Credit before you lock into your mortgage!

Another smart decision that was made just before renovations started was Ryan and Kerry took out lines of credit (both personal and joint). Kerry and Ryan would not have been approved for this after they had a mortgage, but because they opened them before they got the mortgage they were able to use them during the renovations. The lines of credit totaled $42 000 and helped keep the project on track by allowing the clients to stay liquid.

the Renovation Process

Ryan and Kerry got possession of the home starting April 15th, 2019, and started renovations the next day. The permits were ready two weeks prior to closing because they were able to start the process over a month and a half before they took possession.

Once the renovations started, BVM Contracting took the reigns and guided them through the process. Not only did Ryan and Kerry complete the basement apartment but they also updated the main floor, which is where they ended up moving into. Knowing that they needed to finish the basement before getting the $45 000 for the improvement part of the mortgage, BVM Contracting focused on finishing the basement, which took about 2.5 months.

Since the floor had to be lowered in the basement and everything was being replaced/upgraded (new furnace/AC, upgrading to natural gas from oil, new windows, etc.) the timeline of the renovation was a little longer. It is recommended to upgrade everything the first time (even if you have to stretch) because it is a lot less costly to do everything at the same time, rather than upgrading in the future.

Once the funds were secured for the finished basement, the focus shifted to the top floor, where all of the walls/ceilings/floors were removed. In order to get the open concept feel that Ryan and Kerry desired the existing furnace exhaust (which went up into the roof) was removed. Additionally, the wall separating the dining room from the existing kitchen was removed as well. Since this wall was load-bearing, BVM Contracting had to install LVL’s and work with a Structural Engineer to approve the installation.

The kitchen was to be relocated to the side wall, which meant that the existing window would have to be replaced with a smaller window in order to allow the counter-tops to not encroach on the opening.

Since the home had not been renovated previously, and was constructed in the 1950’s, there was no insulation in the walls and minimal insulation in the attic. The insulation was upgraded with spray foam in the walls and extra blown-in for the attic to get the required R-value.

Additional to all of these upgrades, Ryan and Kerry elected to refinish their bathroom, add vinyl throughout the home, and add a natural gas fireplace. In order to save some money on appliances, Ryan and Kerry elected to buy scratch and dent appliances that saved them 15-20% and also installed an IKEA Kitchen (which save them around $7.5 K).

Once the interior was completed the focus shifted to finishing the exterior, which can be seen below. The ugly yellow brick was covered with a beautiful white exterior paint, the eavestroughs, soffit, fascia, and downspouts were redone, and the front and back gables were refinished with a vinyl siding.

The final product

Introducing the new and improved 93 Prairie Drive! After about 4 months of work on the home it was finally deemed move-in ready, which was great news for the newly engaged couple. All of the hard work put in and the guidance from BVM Contracting made for a smooth renovation experience. The success of any renovator isn’t based on how many hiccups are encountered, but how many of those hiccups are addressed and solved. In any renovation there will be challenges that will need to be addressed and solved, and it is the job of your renovation company (and the client) to work together to come up with the best path forward!

We are very proud of Ryan and Kerry for taking the leap of faith and trusting BVM Contracting to help guide them through the process and build the home of their dreams.

Accessed Rebates

Ryan and Kerry recovered the HST Rebate (GST191), which renovations are eligible for if it can be proved that 90% of the home was substantially renovated. They were able to obtain around $6 300 with this rebate with the help of BVM Contracting, which has helped pay off the debt from the renovations.

Additionally, since Ryan and Kerry installed a back water valve and sump pump, they also applied for the Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program. This will give them back around $1 800 in subsidies from the City of Toronto.

Basement Apartment Rental Amount

Kerry and Ryan successfully found a tenant by using a tenent screening service to lock down the right tenant for their apartment. They were able to find a tenant with good credit paying market rent at $1 500 per month, which is more than half of the couple’s monthly mortgage!

property Appraisal

Ryan and Kerry were able to appraise their home in order to refinance their mortgage to utilize the equity gained from the renovations. Find out more about the new value of their home, what they bought the home for, and how much the renovations costed by clicking here.

ABOUT BVM CONTRACTING

BVM Contracting is a full-service General Contractor or Home Builder located in Toronto. We provide home renovation and building services for major home renovations (kitchen renovations, bathroom renovations, basement renovations, full interior renovations, home additions, and new home construction). Our goal is to help guide our clients through the process of renovating their home, from concept to completion.

Further than providing General Contracting and Project Management for major home renovations, we also offer value-added services such as renovation financing, renovation rebate consultations and services, building permit and design services, smart home installation services, and real estate investor services.

To learn more about our offering by visiting our services page.
July 11, 2022
Budgeting Process for New Home Build In Toronto

Blog RSS

Learn About The Way That BVM Contracting Help Clients Understand The Total Cost to Build A New Home In Toronto

If you are reading this article chances are you have already been thrown a multitude of numbers estimating the cost of a new home build in Toronto, many of which were costs per square foot. The problem with getting a cost per square foot for a new home build is people are mislead about the number of square feet this accounts for and the cost per square foot is usually underestimated to lure people into getting the process started.

This article breaks down the process BVM Contracting uses to accurately give people the total cost of building a new home in Toronto so that you can answer the question, “how much does it cost to build a new home in Toronto?” with certainty before investing time and money into a project you might not be able to afford.

THE REALISTIC COST OF BUILDING A NEW HOME IN TORONTO

When we are on our discovery calls with clients we inevitably always get asked the question, “how much does a new home build cost”? Sometimes they expect us to give them an accurate amount without them telling us about anything to do with finishes, square footage, or anything else important about the project/new home build. Instead of throwing numbers out of thin air, we employ a very simple process that allows us to understand in more detail what our potential new home building clients are looking for with their project, which allows us to put a representative cost estimate together. This is our alternative strategy to spitting out meaningless costs per square foot and non-representative home building costs. Every new home build project follows the same steps, but that does not mean that they all cost the same amount!

Step 1: Ask the clients 10-20 specific questions about their project

This is our favourite part of our estimation process because this separates the people who have actually done their research from the people just window shopping. If you are seriously considering building a new home in Toronto you already have an idea of the approximate size, finishes, and general process but need some more specific guidance on where the costs might come in. This is where an experienced General Contractor or Home Building Company in Toronto can help extract some key information about your proposed project to see if they have done a similar project in the past that can help form a representative scope of work (and eventually budget) for the project.

Step 2: Review and match Client’s scope of work to recently estimated (or previously completed) new home build project to estimate cost

Once the key information is understood about your property, size of the new home construction project, and potential finishes it is time for your prospective home builder to match your scope of work with a past project that they have estimated or completed. BVM Contracting has a database of over 30 new home building projects in Toronto (specifically denoted as residential infill construction projects by The City of Toronto) from the past 5 years that serves as our foundation for estimating preliminary project budgets for potential home building clients. No matter the size of your new home construction project we are able to provide a representative budget that will help you in your decision-making process. Even better – we can tell you the best areas to save money and get the best value for your dollar. That is the value of working with a General Contractor that is experienced with custom home building and new home construction in Toronto, we give people no-nonsense information that will actually allow them to budget properly.

Step 3: We Supply you with The estimated cost for your new home building project

Once a thorough review is completed of all of the details provided, as well as past projects, we provide you with an estimated cost for your project. If your scope of work is very similar to a project we are working on or have recently quoted we can also supply you with plans and a full scope of work/budget breakdown to understand how the costs are split up. At BVM Contracting we pride ourselves on itemizing the costs of every step of the home building process. This allows the client to understand what they are paying for AND allows us to find alternative solutions to help bring costs down if certain project line items are more expensive than what the client wants to pay. We believe that transparency is key to understanding the home building process, and to establish a level of trust that is needed to make a new home construction project a success.

Conclusion

It is important to understand the total cost of building a new home in Toronto instead of costs per square foot. Any Home Builder in Toronto that isn’t willing to learn more about what you are looking for is not worth your time. It is important to do the work upfront to understand how much it costs to build a new home in Toronto before investing a lot of time and effort in designs, permits, and discussions just to find out that you cannot afford to build. BVM Contracting aims to give accurate and representative project budgets so that we can give people a realistic projection of costs before they move any further in their process. Designing your own new home is fun and exciting, but it is even better knowing that you will be able to afford it.

And better yet, if you are looking for a cost estimate we now have a new home building cost calculator that you can use for free!

About BVM COntracting

BVM Contracting is a full-service General Contractor or Home Builder located in Toronto. We provide home renovation and building services for major home renovations and custom home builds (full interior renovations, home additions, lot severances, new home construction, and laneway suites). Our goal is to help guide our clients through the process of building their home, from concept to completion.

Further than providing General Contracting and Project Management for major home renovations, we also offer value-added services such as renovation financing, renovation rebate consultations and services, building permit and design services, smart home installation services, and real estate investor services.

To learn more about our offering by visiting our services page.

June 27, 2022
Cliffside – A Gorgeous Neighbourhood to Live and Grow in Scarborough
The Cliffside Neighbourhood is a Hidden Gem in the Scarborough Bluffs

From the lovely Cliffside Village that boasts a ton of different amenities (including Starbucks!) to the beautifully crafted road South of Kingston Road that boast some of the nicest properties in Scarborough, Cliffside is a great place to live, grow, and also build your dream home!

In this Blog we dive into a brief history of Cliffside, some of the attractions and amenities in the area, as well as some of the projects that we have completed over the years.
The Cliffside neighbourhood was originally called Mortlake, which was named after a small village outside of London, England. The neighbourhood consists of homes built from the 1920’s all the way to the 1950’s when the neighbourhood grew substantially after World War 2. This variation in decades between new housing starts can be found as you stroll through the Southern areas of Cliffside, with Tudor, Craftsman, Cape Cod, Elizabethan style homes sprinkled throughout!

We would be lying to you if we said we haven’t gone on a few drives to check out the beautiful architecture still existing in the neighbourhood!
Cliffside is the perfect mix of suburban living mixed with plenty of greenery and outdoor activities. These are some of the must-see areas of the neighbourhood:
- Scarborough Heights and Scarborough Crescent Parks
- Cliffside Village (stretches from Kennedy Road to Midland Avenue along Kingston Road.
- The Scarborough Bluffs Tennis Club calls Cliffside their home
- St. Augustine Seminary, which boasts a ton of open fields and beautiful architecture overlooking Lake Ontario
The amentities are awesome as well! With a Shopper’s Drug Mart, No Frills, Starbucks, Tim Hortons, and many other small businesses in between, you do not have to go far to get what you need for you and your family!
For being residents of the adjacent Cliffcrest neighbourhood we actually haven’t completed too many New Home Construction or Home Addition projects in the Cliffside neighbourhood. Though that is about to change, we are working on getting two separate projects in this area started in 2022! The most notable project that we completed is below:

35 Fishleigh Drive (Home Addition) – Link Here

Located with a waterfront view on the amazingly posh Fishleigh Drive, this was one of the first larger home addition projects completed on the street back in 2015. The house was converted from a 1000 square foot bungalow to a 4000 square foot home addition.

The house was recently bought by a couple that reached out to us to marvel at the quality workmanship, they even gave us a Google Review because they were so happy with the house!

About BVM COntracting

BVM Contracting is a full-service General Contractor or Home Builder located in Toronto. We provide home renovation and building services for major home renovations (kitchen renovations, bathroom renovations, basement renovations, full interior renovations, home additions, lot severances, and new home construction). Our goal is to help guide our clients through the process of renovating their home, from concept to completion.

Further than providing General Contracting and Project Management for major home renovations, we also offer value-added services such as renovation financing, renovation rebate consultations and services, building permit and design services, smart home installation services, and real estate investor services.

To learn more about our offering by visiting our services page.
April 16, 2021
Lumber Prices and How They Affect Home Additions and New Home Construction
Everything you need to know about the elusive “lumber” line item!

In the last year alone, many material costs in the residential construction world have increased anywhere from 20 to 30 percent (including drywall, insulation, and concrete), but none of these increases even compare to what has been seen year-over-year with the lumber costs. The combination of COVID-19, mill closures, and the increase in demand in the DIY/new housing starts markets has swung the once-stable supply and demand curve way out of wack. This is not the first time that lumber has seen high prices, but it is certainly a shock to the consumer market that lumber is seeing record highs for the first time in a long time.

This article aims to educate home owners about the state of the lumber market and how it affects the residential construction market and affordability.
1. A COMPARISON OF YEAR OVER YEAR LUMBER PRICING
2. HOW LUMBER PRICING AFFECTS RESIDENTIAL INFILL CONSTRUCTION
3. HOW LUMBER PRICING AFFECTS HOME ADDITION AND RENOVATION PROJECTS
4. WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PROPERLY PREPARE FOR RECORD-HIGH MATERIAL COSTS
Jumping right into the numbers, you can see in the graph where the 2021 lumber pricing is at currently, based on 2×4 #2&BTR SPF lumber. How they are calculating the monetary value in the y-axis is arbitrary due to the number of years shown on the graph.

As you can see, the different between March 2021 and March 2020 is 2.3 times the price. This means that the cost of your lumber package between now and this time last year is over twice the cost, which represents over a 100 % increase in lumber material costs.

To put this into perspective of square footage, for doing a 2500 square foot new home you would have been able to get the lumber package between $40 000 to $50 000. Now that same package will cost you around $100 000 or more. That is a difference of over $50 000!!!

Year over year comparison of lumber pricing to Toronto
The short answer to this question is that the increase in lumber prices affect new construction the most of any other type of residential construction project. When you think of the anatomy of lumber a home building project you can break it down into:
- Main floor package
- Main floor walls
- Second floor package
- Second floor walls
- Roof package (trusses or joists for flat roof)
- Exterior sheathing/plywood
With a new home build the entire home is completely new, all the way down to the foundation. This means that everything from the main floor lumber package and up is new as well, which adds a lot to the lumber material cost.

As stated in the previous section, it is the difference between $40-50 K and $100 K + for a 2500 square foot new home right now, in just the material alone!
A home addition (or renovation as defined by the City of Toronto) is classified as leaving 51% of the existing above-grade walls. This means that you are utilizing more of the existing floors/joists/walls and leads to a lower price tag for the overall lumber package. For a 2500 above-grade home addition (assuming the existing main floor package is being used) you can expect to pay around $60 000 to $70 000 for the lumber package (depending on how much lumber is needed for the main floor)

There is a simple answer to this, do your due diligence! You have already completed the first step in reading this blog but now it is time to put some real numbers in place.

BVM Contracting offers no-obligation consultations of construction costs using our database of previously-quoted projects. We are able to account for the material changes by referencing when the project was quoted to current pricing of all commodities. This will give you the most transparency when you are determining if you will be able to afford your renovation or new home construction project.

Reach out to use here or you can email contact@bvmcontracting.com to start the conversation!

About BVM COntracting

BVM Contracting is a full-service General Contractor or Home Builder located in Toronto. We provide home renovation and building services for major home renovations (kitchen renovations, bathroom renovations, basement renovations, full interior renovations, home additions, lot severances, and new home construction). Our goal is to help guide our clients through the process of renovating their home, from concept to completion.

Further than providing General Contracting and Project Management for major home renovations, we also offer value-added services such as renovation financing, renovation rebate consultations and services, building permit and design services, smart home installation services, and real estate investor services.

To learn more about our offering by visiting our services page.
March 24, 2021
BVM Contracting + Willful Estate Planning and Power of Attorney Partnership
Take the Stress Out of Dying! Get Your Will Through Willful

With Ryan Meagher Mortgages, BVM Contracting has partnered with Willful to help our past, present, and future clients create one of the most undervalued documents you will ever make – a Will!

In this article we explain:
Together with Willful, BVM Contracting and Ryan Meagher Mortgages is now able to offer 15% off on Willful wills. Use MEAGHERMORTGAGES to save 15% on your order through Willful.

Plans for creating a will through Willful start at $99, and you can edit and change the will as you progress through your adventure you call life!

Some great benefits of using Willful are:
- The process of creating your will is secure
- You only pay once you are ready to print and sign your documents
- All plans through Willful come with unlimited changes to you will at no additional cost!
- You can save your application at any time and come back to it when you are ready to sign all of the documents!
Creating a will has never been easier!
You need a will because you are smart and understand that everyone dies at some point. The best way to leave a legacy is to make sure it is written down for your loved ones to understand in black and white. A will spells out how you would like to divide your assets so you can both protect and provide for your family and/or friends after you pass on.

Your will also helps the people closest to you make decisions on your behalf when you are medically unable to do so, and helps make sure that the right people make the right decisions on your behalf when you pass away.

The process of dying is already stressful enough, so why burden your loved ones with an estate that has no clear direction or division?

To keep things simple, Willful uses powerful, secure technology with built-in logic to create legally binding and error-proof documents that are lawyer approved for each province. It is a very elegant solution for a notoriously clunky estate-planning industry!

This partnership is very exciting for both Ryan Meagher Mortgages and BVM Contracting because we exclusively work with home owners (or soon to be home owners). The last thing we want is for our clients to miss out on creating such a simple document that can save themselves and their loved ones a lot of time, stress, and heart ache.

This is why both BVM Contracting and Ryan Meagher Mortgages are offering our clients a free will from Willful when they build with us or use us to get a mortgage for their property!

With the help of Willful, BVM Contracting and Ryan Meagher Mortgages have created a helpful checklist for people looking to understand the estate planning process.

Estate Planning Checklist (PDF)

About BVM COntracting

BVM Contracting is a full-service General Contractor or Home Builder located in Toronto. We provide home renovation and building services for major home renovations (kitchen renovations, bathroom renovations, basement renovations, full interior renovations, home additions, lot severances, and new home construction). Our goal is to help guide our clients through the process of renovating their home, from concept to completion.

Further than providing General Contracting and Project Management for major home renovations, we also offer value-added services such as renovation financing, renovation rebate consultations and services, building permit and design services, smart home installation services, and real estate investor services.

To learn more about our offering by visiting our services page.
February 18, 2021
Must Have Plumbing Upgrades For Luxury Home Builds
Make Sure You Include These Plumbing Upgrades For Your New Home Construction Project in Toronto

BVM Contracting has built custom home additions, new homes, and luxury homes in Toronto over the last decade, and have found that some of our clients didn’t understand how much they needed certain plumbing upgrades until it was too late. This article aims to educate home owners looking to complete a custom home project about all of the different options they have for their plumbing in their custom home. See the below list of upgrades and ideas to help make the water flow beautifully in your amazing new home!
1. Installing a Plumbing Manifold
2. Hot Water recirculation system
3. Radiant In-floor heating
  
  4. Pot-Fillers
  
  5. Frost-free Hydrants/Hose Bibs
  
  6. Bidets
Plumbing manifolds allow for isolation of domestic cold/hot/recirculated hot water in different zones of the house in the event of service/emergencies etc. without interrupting the entire system. This allows you to be able to shower while your laundry is being serviced for example!

This feature gives you rapid hot water at all fixtures (within 5-8 seconds) at all times at any fixture in your home. The way this is completed is by use of a recirculating pump that constantly circulates the hot water from the furthest points back to the hot water source. It is a highly recommended and excellent feature to have in any large custom home build.

Usually installed in basements, radiant in-floor heating provides a warm surface for normally cold surfaces like basement floors and tiled areas by use of recirculating hot water. This system is different from the hot water recirculation system because it is a closed, temperature-controlled system.

Once you feel the heat from a radiant floor you will be sold! Come visit one of our project sites to find out how a radiant floor feels!

Pot-fillers are an absolute must in any home, and they can look amazing! We recommend pot-fillers to all of our clients for the ease of use and aesthetics alike.

Frost-free hydrants/hose bibs are exterior water line terminations that prevent your water lines from freezing. These hydrants/hose bibs come as a cold water connection or can also come with a hot/cold connection.

The epitome of luxury, the bidet is the final recommendation for any luxury home plumbing fixture list. The functionality, comfort, and ease of using bidets makes it a front runner for any bathroom!

Are you looking for other ways to heat up your plumbing system in your custom home addition or new home build in Toronto? Reach out to us for a consultation to learn about more options for your home!

About BVM COntracting

BVM Contracting is a full-service General Contractor or Home Builder located in Toronto. We provide home renovation and building services for major home renovations (kitchen renovations, bathroom renovations, basement renovations, full interior renovations, home additions, lot severances, and new home construction). Our goal is to help guide our clients through the process of renovating their home, from concept to completion.

Further than providing General Contracting and Project Management for major home renovations, we also offer value-added services such as renovation financing, renovation rebate consultations and services, building permit and design services, smart home installation services, and real estate investor services.

To learn more about our offering by visiting our services page.
February 3, 2021
Evaluating a “Fixer-Upper” Home in Toronto
Evaluating a Fixer-upper Home in Toronto
A Guide for First-Time Home Buyers and Real Estate Investors Alike to Evaluating a Property Before You Buy it

BVM Contracting is a general contractor that specializes in new home construction, custom home building, Home Additions, full interior renovations, and creating legal multi-unit properties in Toronto.

This article is meant to give anyone trying to buy a home that is in need of renovation the tools to evaluate the property (or properties) of interest. This method should be used anytime you are looking to avoid overspending and being put into a position where the cost of the home renovations were way higher than what you expected.

A large portion of this article will center around how BVM Contracting can help add value to Real Estate Agents and the buyers they work with to create a win-win for the transaction of buying a fixer-upper. We will go over the following topics in this blog:
Although this guide can be used by many different parties, we have seen a lot of traction from the following groups of people:
- Real Estate Agents (Buyer’s Agents specifically)
- First-time Home Buyers in Toronto
- Real Estate Investors in Toronto and the surrounding regions
- Buyers who would like to utilize the purchase plus improvement mortgage for financing their home
The fact of the matter is that if you want to live or invest in Toronto, you have to understand that the value of the homes is mostly based off land value now-in-days, so when you are paying $700 K, $800 K, $900 K, or even over a million dollars and the house is still in need of renovations this guide will help you in properly evaluating the investment.
Another realization that people need to make about the real estate market in Toronto is that it is competitive and the likelihood of a multiple offer scenario on less expensive homes (i.e. fixer-uppers) is very high. This means that as a Real Estate Agent or Buyer you have to waive certain “key” conditions if you want your offer to be competitive, one of which being a home inspection. Many times with the more run down houses in Toronto the seller will not have a home inspection at the risk that it comes back with a huge list of issues that detract people from putting in their best offers.

Just because you usually can’t get access home inspection doesn’t mean that you cannot inspect the house yourself and ask the right questions! Here are the list of some key considerations when completing your site visit:
- Determine when the house was built, your real estate agent should have access to that info.
- Determine if any HVAC equipment is rented or outright owned. This is usually included in the description of the listing but should be checked in the mechanical room if it is not obvious.
- What type of electrical is currently in place? Take a picture of the electrical panel and reference after your site visit to determine. If it is knob and tube it will need to be upgraded with any renovations
- What is the size of the water meter? To avoid water pressure issues you can usually find the water meter at the front foundation wall of the home in the basement (usually concealed in the wall)
- How old is the furnace/AC units? Try to find a model number on the units themselves and reference after the site visit. If the units are getting closer to 10 years old you will want to budget in the cost of new equipment.
- Take advantage of asking the seller questions if possible. If there is no indication of when the roof was replaced see if you can get your agent to ask about it. Same with any other questions about the property.
- See if the current seller has a survey of the property
- Determine if the walls/ceilings have insulation if possible (sometimes this isn’t possible and should be accounted as a cost until proven otherwise)
- If there is exposed foundation, determine if it is block or poured concrete and the thickness of the wall (try to get the measurement through a window opening)
- Run the taps to see how the water pressure is
- Check the furance/air handler to see if there is a duct cleaning sticker and see how long it has been since the last one
- Check to see if there is a back flow preventer and/or sump pump installed in the basement
- Determine if the basement is waterproofed, if there is a sump pump you can assume that it is but you can also check the exterior walls for a black plastic covering against the walls to confirm. The black covering is usually dimpled.
- Are there smoke/fire detectors installed? Are they hardwired?
- Check for exterior hose bib shut offs in the basement if the hose bibs are not frost-free hose bibs.
- See if you can determine the age of the windows in the house. Depending on the age they may need to be upgraded.
These are just some examples of questions, and the list can go on for a very long time. It also takes a lot of experience to look for all of these items so depending on your home/renovation acumen you may want to get outside help and complete a renovation consultation
With the amount of experience we have gathered over the years walking through fixer-upper homes, we have created a great procedure and value-added service for real estate agents and property buyers that allows you to gather a representative idea of the cost of renovations before making one of the largest investments of your life.

With our renovation consultation service, you can book us in to walk-through the site during your scheduled site visit, which allows you to not waste time in your decision-making on a home. We are able to turn-around estimates within 24 hours and will be able to work with you and your ideas to effectively build your wish-list for any property and give you a budget for the renovation work that is accurate and based on real numbers.

Please note that this consultation service is not meant to replace a home inspection, we take the perspective of a general contractor/project manager who would be bidding on the project and put pricing together that way so you know the actual renovation costs.

With the gap in the marketplace with this service, and with the speed/flexibility we have in doing these visits we are able to charge for this service. Although, since we are also able to offer home financing services through Ryan Meagher Mortgages, if you or your client works with us on the financing side we will be able to complete up to two visits at no charge to add value to the process of buying a home. The regular cost of this consultation service varies depending on the size of the home, but the range is between $250-$400 + HST.

We believe that the cost of doing these consultations is well worth it for buyers because it allows them to feel confident in making purchases on homes. Would you rather force your client to spend the maximum amount of money on a worn out home and be house poor, or would you like to give them to opportunity to do their due diligence and feel good about every submitting every offer? If you have built your real estate business based on value and referrals your answer is the latter every time!

Further than doing this consultation service for fixer-uppers and worn down homes, sometimes there are houses that are in decent shape but the client still wants to complete some renovations. This is where a purchase plus improvements mortgage comes in. You can add up to $45 000 to your mortgage to help with the cost of renovations to your home. BVM Contracting’s renovation consultation service can help people with getting the necessary estimate required by the lender to complete this work, which allows you to qualify for the purchase plus improvements mortgage. We still charge for this service (whether it is the real estate agent or buyer paying) but with the speed we are able to estimate you will find no better option in estimating cost for your home purchase!

To get access to our thorough guide to completing a property evaluation of a fixer-upper please enter your information below and we will send you our site-walk through checklist so you can better evaluate your properties of interest. Further, if you are interested in our renovation consultation service please enter your property address and additional info (i.e. MLS listings, etc.) for the property below and we will contact you about pricing for your property.

About BVM COntracting

BVM Contracting is a full-service General Contractor or Home Builder located in Toronto. We provide home renovation and building services for major home renovations (kitchen renovations, bathroom renovations, basement renovations, full interior renovations, home additions, lot severances, and new home construction). Our goal is to help guide our clients through the process of renovating their home, from concept to completion.

Further than providing General Contracting and Project Management for major home renovations, we also offer value-added services such as renovation financing, renovation rebate consultations and services, building permit and design services, smart home installation services, and real estate investor services.

To learn more about our offering by visiting our services page.
December 18, 2020
Welcome to BVM Contracting

Learn More About BVM Contracting

BVM Contracting is a full-service home builder located in Toronto. We are a family company with humble roots, and we aim to provide the Greater Toronto Area with honest and transparent advice about the process of building your home. Whether you are looking to do a completely new home, or if you want to use your existing home to serve as the foundation for a home addition or home extension, we are the ones to call!

Learn more about BVM Contracting below and how we have become one of the premier home builders to Toronto.

Welcome to BVM Contracting!

Meet the Meaghers!

BVM Contracting is a family-run General Contracting and Home Building Company located in Eastern Toronto. We service Scarborough, East York, The Beaches, Old Toronto, and Eastern areas of North York.

From left to right you have Ryan Meagher (the eldest Son), B. Vince Meagher (Owner, Father of two), Tyler Meagher (the younger Son), and Gizmo Meagher (the family dog, Toy Manchester Terrier). Not pictured is Colleen Meagher (Vince’s Wife, Mother of two) who just so happened to be taking the photo!

From Humble Beginnings

BVM Contracting was started in 1997, after B. Vince Meagher (BVM) got his start in the renovation industry in East York by completing tedious termite remediation work for Aetna Pest Control. This experience in renovating homes that had been destroyed by termites was where he honed his craft of Project Management, Home Renovations, and ultimately building homes in Toronto.

With More Experience Came Larger Projects

By the turn of the century, B. Vince Meagher gained a rapport among past clients for his strong project management and renovation experience. Completing smaller renovation jobs such as bathrooms, kitchens, and basement renovations, Vince quickly created a strong referral business that sustained him for the first 10 years of the company’s existence. Not to forget, and very important for BVM Contracting being alive today, Colleen Meagher was brought on after a successful career in Printing Sales in 2000 to help with accounting, administration, and marketing/sales.

By 2008 Vince was presented with an opportunity to work on his first second storey home addition project located in Scarborough. With his tool-belt of skilled employees and strong relationships with sub-contractors/specialty trades he was able to complete the home addition on time and on budget for the project. This project jump-started our journey into substantial renovation projects, which is the foundation of our business today. Jumping to 2020, BVM Contracting has carved out a niche for being one of the best General Contractors in Toronto, and carries a massive amount home building expertise through over 60 successfully completed home addition and residential infill construction projects.

The Next Generation of BVM

In 2015, BVM Contracting brought on Ryan and Tyler Meagher, the two children of Vince and Colleen Meagher. Ryan is now working as a Business Development Manager and Tyler is a Lead Hand and Project Manager for our renovation, home addition, and new home construction projects. BVM Contracting also has a young and energetic crew of employees that help to deliver on every project and make them go as smoothly as possible.

With the second generation of the company starting to take on more responsibility within the company, BVM Contracting is excited for the next 25 years of quality home building and the best-in-class value-added home building services that will help us remain one of the best residential builders in Toronto!

About BVM COntracting

BVM Contracting is a full-service General Contractor or Home Builder located in Toronto. We provide home renovation and building services for major home renovations and custom home builds (full interior renovations, home additions, lot severances, new home construction, and laneway suites). Our goal is to help guide our clients through the process of building their home, from concept to completion.

Further than providing General Contracting and Project Management for major home renovations, we also offer value-added services such as renovation financing, renovation rebate consultations and services, building permit and design services, smart home installation services, and real estate investor services.

To learn more about our offering by visiting our services page.

October 26, 2020
East York New Home Construction – Finished Home Tour
New Infill Residential Construction in the Heart of Danforth Village in East York

BVM Contracting was the General Contractor and Project Manager for this new home construction project in East York, which was completed by a growing family that was looking for more space and a completely new home.

Our new custom home located on Orley Avenue in East York was completed in from Spring to Fall 2019, taking BVM Contracting about 7 months to complete from demolition to occupancy. The success of this project was achieved by the client working closely with the BVM Contracting team to ensure that there were no bottlenecks in the project, which ultimately lead to a new home build being completed in Toronto in record time!

Check out our progress photos and final showcase video that outlines the key areas of the build and the final product, which is a beautiful two-storey new home.

EAST YORK NEW HOME BUILD Progress Photos
About the New Home Build in East York

This home was started in April 2019 and finished up in November 2019. The forming of the foundation was delayed due to the soil conditions for the home coming back unfavourable and causing BVM Contracting to have to shore the West side of the property as per our Engineer’s guidelines. This allowed the integrity of the neighbouring property’s foundation to remain intact and allowed us to move forward with the build.

Once the foundation was created we had to make up on lost time and were able to complete the remainder of the project in record time! This didn’t happen without the help of our amazing client, who always had her finishes ready for installation and kept on track with her client-managed items.

Some of the key features of this home includes:
- Vaulted or cathedral ceilings in the master bedroom
- Skylight installed for second floor hallway to bring in copious amounts of light
- A 5-piece master bathroom with a stand-alone bathtub, shower, and double vanity
- Front foyer with walk-in powder room and closet area
- Custom kitchen with island
- Built-in fireplace for living room
- 3 + 1 bedrooms
- 3.5 bathrooms
- Garage was finished in the same colour stucco as the exterior of the home
- New rear deck
- New front porch with overhang
FeatureS Video for Orley Avenue New Home Construction
<br />

About BVM COntracting

BVM Contracting is a full-service General Contractor or Home Builder located in Toronto. We provide home renovation and building services for major home renovations and custom home builds (full interior renovations, home additions, lot severances, new home construction, and laneway suites). Our goal is to help guide our clients through the process of building their home, from concept to completion.

Further than providing General Contracting and Project Management for major home renovations, we also offer value-added services such as renovation financing, renovation rebate consultations and services, building permit and design services, smart home installation services, and real estate investor services.

To learn more about our offering by visiting our services page.
October 16, 2020