● Legal second units & building permits across the Greater Toronto Area
Call (647) 741 4552 · Mon to Fri, 9 to 6
Legal Second Units · GTA

Turn your basement into a legal second unit.

A finished, code-compliant second suite adds a rentable home to your property. We handle the whole path for you: zoning, drawings, city submission and the permit, across the Greater Toronto Area.

Get a free estimate See permits we've pulled
★★★★★ Real homeowners, real reviews Permits issued in 4 cities
A bright, finished living space inside a legal second unit
Status
Permit issued
Legal 2nd unit
Rental ready
Annotated architectural design drawing by Nesta Design Your drawings, OBC-ready
The proof is in the paperwork, not the promises.
0
GTA municipalities we file permits in
0days
Typical city review once we submit
$0
Extra charge for city-requested revisions
0
Cities where our permits are already issued
The receipts

Real permits. Really issued.

Not renderings, not mock-ups. These are building permits issued to Nesta Design clients by four different GTA municipalities.

City of Toronto building permit issued for a second suite Issued
Toronto
2-Unit Detached, Second Suite (New)
17 234738 BLD 00 SR · North York District
City of Brampton building permit issued for a two unit dwelling Issued
Brampton
Two Unit Dwelling, Change of Use
17 156527 P01 00 RS · Flower City
City of Mississauga building permit for a residential second unit in basement Issued
Mississauga
Residential Second Unit in Basement
17-8559 SU · City of Mississauga
City of Barrie building permit issued for a change of use second suite Issued
Barrie
Change of Use, Second Suite
PMT17-02495 · City of Barrie

Addresses are withheld for our clients' privacy. Every permit above was drawn, submitted and issued by Nesta Design.

What we do

From first sketch to stamped permit.

A coordinated, professional team of building-permit consultants for residential and commercial projects, old buildings and new.

01

Building Permits

A wide range of permits for residential and commercial properties. We make sure you comply with every condition attached to the permit.

Residential + Commercial
02

Drafting

Home and building design drafting, drawn to local code. Site plans, floor plans, elevations and sections that turn your project into reality.

Site · Floor · Elevation · Section
03

Structural Design

Extensive experience across project types. We use the latest modelling software and years of practice for safe, economical designs.

Safe + cost-effective
04

Basement & Legal 2nd Unit

Finished-basement and legal second-unit permits (accessory apartment or second suite). We check zoning, feasibility and egress, then design the most cost-effective layout.

Rental-ready when legal
05

Commercial Permits

Permits and drawings for commercial properties, change-of-use projects and tenant fit-outs. We coordinate the full package the city needs to issue.

Change of use + fit-outs

Not sure what you need?

Tell us about the space. We'll check your property against the zoning bylaw and tell you exactly which permit applies, for free.

Ask us free
How it works

Seven steps to a permit in hand.

01

Free consultation

We collect your property information, review it with your area's zoning bylaw, and tell you how to legalize the space and whether a legal second unit is permitted where you are.

02

Zoning & feasibility

We confirm your property complies with second-unit requirements. If it doesn't, we check whether it can be made to comply, or whether a finished-basement route is right.

03

Site visit & measurements

We book a site visit to measure the basement and house, about one to two hours. We'll need the builder's drawing and the property survey plan.

≈ 1 to 2 hours on site
04

Design & drawings

We draw the space in full: living, dining, kitchen, bedrooms, washrooms, window sizes, fire separations and egress per the building code. Site plan, floor plans, elevations and sections.

05

Submission to the city

Drawings are typically ready in about a week. We submit to the city; you provide the city fees and part of our fee before submission.

≈ 1 week to prepare
06

Review & revisions

Most cities take about 15 business days. If they ask for changes, we revise and resubmit at no extra charge. Meanwhile you can gather construction quotes.

≈ 15 business days, revisions free
07

Permit issued

The city issues your permit and construction can begin. We keep you in the loop the whole way, every step covered.

Permit in hand
Brampton · HQ
Toronto
Mississauga
Oakville
Milton
Barrie
Newmarket
Ajax
Where we work

Twelve municipalities, one team.

Based in Brampton, we file permits across the Greater Toronto Area and beyond. If your city isn't on the list, just ask.

TorontoScarboroughBrampton MississaugaMiltonOakville BurlingtonAjaxBarrie NewmarketHamiltonOshawa
Google reviews

Homeowners who got their permit.

A 4.9 star rating across 42 real Google reviews.

4.9
★★★★★

Across 42 real Google reviews, verifiable on Google Maps.

G
Google
Verified · 42 reviews
★★★★★

Created my beautiful banquet hall with the full support of Nesta Design. Him and his team are fully experienced and won't let you down. Don't hesitate to contact them!

A
Amed
Local Guide · Google
★★★★★

I gave Nesta Design a sketch for a taphouse I wanted to build in our backyard. They completed the technical drawings and submitted them to the city. The plans were approved and I contracted the job out. The results were great. Easy to deal with and took care of all the permits for the city. Thank you.

M
Michael Young
Google review
★★★★★

Excellent consulting experience. Highly recommended!

P
Perrii Muthuraman
Local Guide · 197 reviews
The Nesta Design team at work over blueprints
A note from Nesta Design
We bring a coordinated, professional approach and many years of experience to every project. When it comes to performance solutions, we use our expertise to get you a positive outcome, with fast turnaround and practical advice for old buildings and new. We're here every step of the way.
I
Ismetullah
Principal · Nesta Design
Free estimate & advice

Tell us about your space.

Send a few details and we'll come back with a plain-language answer on which permit you need and what it takes. No charge for the conversation.

Phone(647) 741 4552 Emailpermits@nestadesign.ca
Studio48 Covebank Crescent, Brampton, ON L6P 2Y1
HoursMonday to Friday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Get a free estimate

We usually reply the same business day.

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