Full Heritage Restoration in the Annex

A comprehensive heritage restoration of a Victorian semi-detached home in Toronto's Annex, meticulously preserving its historic character while modernizing essential systems.

Challenge

Navigating the City of Toronto heritage permit process for a designated property required extensive documentation and approvals. The delicate restoration of original lath and plaster walls, alongside preserving intricate Victorian trim throughout, presented significant technical challenges to maintain historical accuracy.

Solution

We employed traditional lime plaster techniques for the lath and plaster repair, carefully matching original textures. Existing trim was gently stripped and restored using Zinsser B-I-N Shellac-Base Primer to seal and prepare for heritage-appropriate paint finishes, ensuring durability and historical accuracy.

Result

The 14-week project delivered a fully restored heritage home that met all municipal conservation requirements without exceeding the estimated timeline. The careful preservation work significantly enhanced the property's historical value, leading to an estimated 25% increase in market appraisal post-renovation.

“The lath and plaster work turned out remarkably well, though the dust during the process was more extensive than we anticipated. We were particularly impressed with how they managed the heritage committee requirements, and the team successfully matched the original trim color we provided, which was a specific Farrow & Ball shade.”

— A. Patel, The Annex