Durham is not a city, it is eight municipalities with quite different housing and eight separate building departments. Pickering and Ajax read like an extension of the eastern GTA, Whitby and Oshawa have real downtowns with century houses in them, and north of Highway 7 it turns rural fast. Which one you are in changes who issues the permit and, on the rural properties, what the job even involves.
What the housing stock means for the work
Pickering, Ajax and north Whitby — Brooklin especially — are largely 1990s onward subdivisions. Standard construction, full basements, and now at the age for kitchens, bathrooms and basement finishing.
Downtown Oshawa and old Whitby hold pre-war and early post-war houses, some of them very good and most of them needing electrical, insulation and window work alongside anything cosmetic.
Uxbridge, Scugog, Brock and rural Clarington bring septic systems, wells and sometimes conservation authority regulation into the picture. A bathroom addition on a septic system is a different conversation from one on municipal services, and it is better had at the start.
Permits in Durham
This is the part people get wrong: the Region of Durham does not issue building permits. Your local municipality does — Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, Clarington, Uxbridge, Scugog or Brock. The Region handles water and sewer servicing, regional roads and, on rural properties, septic approvals. Work is to the Ontario Building Code throughout. Properties near a watercourse or valley may also need clearance from the relevant conservation authority. We confirm which authorities apply to your address before pricing the job.
The jobs that come up most in Durham
- Kitchen renovation
- Bathroom renovation
- Basement finishing
- Home extensions & additions
- Deck & fence repair
- Insulation & energy efficiency upgrades
- Roof repair
- Flooring installation
That is not the whole list — see all services for everything we cover.
Where in Durham
Pickering, Ajax, Whitby, Brooklin, Oshawa, Courtice, Bowmanville, Newcastle, Port Perry, Uxbridge, Beaverton, Cannington, and everywhere in between.
What we need to give you a price
The address, what you want done, and photographs of the space if you have them. If it is a bigger job we will want to see it in person before quoting, because a price given without looking is a price that changes later. You get the quote in writing, with materials shown separately from labour, so you can compare it against anyone else’s.
Request a quote for Durham Region
Other areas we cover
Toronto, Scarborough, Mississauga, Brampton, Markham, Vaughan.