Additions / Second storey addition
Second storey additions.
Adding a second floor to a one-storey or one-and-a-half-storey home. Structural reinforcement, set-back review, integrated rooflines, and a phased schedule that protects the existing first floor through construction.
A second storey is the most ambitious addition Leman undertakes. The existing first floor must support the new load, the roof comes off, and the family typically vacates for the duration.
The decision to add a second storey turns on three things: the existing structure, the lot's zoning envelope, and the homeowner's appetite for the disruption. Leman walks through all three in the discovery phase before any drawings are produced.
What is included
What a Leman second storey addition includes.
Discovery and design
Site visit, scope discussion, design partnership with your architect or ours, structural assessment where applicable, fixed-price contract once design is finalized.
Construction
Daily site supervision by an owner or partner, weekly photo updates, fixed milestone schedule, transparent change-order process, fully insured and WSIB-compliant trades.
Closing
Pre-handover walk-through, deficiency resolution before keys change hands, final cleaning, one-year warranty work, twelve-month check-in visit.
Typical timeline
Six to nine months
Typical scope
Full second storey plus interior tie-ins
Specifics
Toronto's zoning by-law sets maximum height and rear-yard setback rules that bind the second-storey envelope. A second storey on a one-storey home often pushes the building height past the by-law limit and requires a Committee of Adjustment minor variance. Leman files and represents the variance application.
Structural reinforcement of the existing first floor and foundation is almost always required. The discovery phase includes a structural assessment by a licensed engineer; the resulting beam, column, and footing details get priced in the fixed-price contract.
Recent work
Second storey addition projects.
Ready to add a second storey?
Book a thirty-minute consultation. We will discuss the scope, the neighbourhood, and whether Leman is the right fit. There is no obligation.