BVM Contracting breaks down the process of designing a second floor layout that allows you to maximize the floor space while keeping the existing walls on the main floor as-is.
How to increase your basement ceiling height without Underpinning
With our fair share of home addition, home extension, and full interior renovation projects we have seen and devised many alternative strategies to avoid having to underpin a basement to increase the ceiling height. Sometimes it is unavoidable to underpin but at least you will know your other options to make an informed decision for your next renovation project!
How to Build Your New Home In Record Time in Toronto
Toronto Home Building Glossary
When you are in the pre-construction process and trying to understand how to navigate the confusing home building process in Toronto, it is helpful to understand some important terms and phrases that are used in the industry to better equip yourself for having meaningful conversations with architects, designers, and home builders. In this article we aim to provide definitions for all of the commonly used words for building homes in Toronto to help home owners and investors have an easier time navigating the home addition, renovation, and new home construction processes.
BVM Contracting Floor Plan Measuring Services
How to know if your Toronto home is a good candidate for a home addition
When you are planning to add additional levels to an existing home it is important to follow the right steps in order to prevent yourself from wasting money on a project that might be too costly for you to complete. Turning unknowns into knowns is an important step in making sure that there are as few items that pop up during your home addition project as possible. BVM Contracting has compiled a list of three very important items that you can complete for around $3000 that can give you absolute certainty that your existing home is well-suited for a second or third storey addition in Toronto.
How to Complete a Lot Severance in Toronto
Toronto Laneway Suites
What is a laneway suite? Where can you build a laneway suite in Toronto? Is my property eligible to build a laneway suite? What incentives are there to build a laneway suite? How do you build a laneway suite? And what is the approximate cost to build a laneway suite? BVM Contracting is here to answer all of these questions and more!
Toronto Epoxy Floor Installation
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.
A brief history and geography of Cliffside
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 Amenities and Attractions
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!
BVM Contracting's Cliffside Projects
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!
“We are not the original purchasers of a BVM built home as the home was built approx 3 years ago. However, despite that, the home is beautifully constructed, the quality and thought put into the details and workmanship are wonderful. Having a few questions, we contacted BVM through their website and they responded! We are very impressed with their continued customer service on the homes they build!”
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.
Cliffcrest - Our Beautiful Scarborough Bluffs Neighbourhood
The Cliffcrest Neighbourhood is the Perfect Place to build your Forever Home - We did!
From Bluffer’s Park to the lovely amenities at the Cliffcrest Plaza, Cliffcrest is a thriving community of great folks who love their neighbourhood and are here to stay and enjoy their little known gem of a neighbourhood!
In this Blog we dive into a brief history of Cliffcrest, some of the attractions and amenities in the area, as well as some of the projects that we have completed over the years (including our own at 21 Scarborough Heights Blvd.!)
A brief history and geography of Cliffcrest
The Cliffcrest neighbourhood was established in the 1940’s and 1950’s as the transition from streetcar to automobiles was being made. The cliff reference in Cliffcrest was City Planning’s nod to the beautiful geological wonder that is the Scarborough Bluffs. The entire southern border of Cliffcrest is encapsulated by the Scarborough Bluffs, and there are some beautiful parks for people to check the sky-high view of Lake Ontario in the neighbourhood.
The Scarborough Bluffs attribute the name to a visit by Elizabeth Simcoe, John Graves Simcoe’s Wife, who marveled at the resemblance of these bluffs to the ones in Scarborough, England. After that point the name obviously stuck, and made way for the municipality of Scarborough!
The Cliffcrest Neighbourhood is bordered by Bellamy Road on the East, the CN Railway tracks on the North, Midland Road/Brimley Road on the West and Lake Ontario on the South. See the Map below. Cliffcrest borders the Cliffside and Guildwood neighbourhoods, which are equally as amazing neighbourhoods in Scarborough.
Cliffcrest Amenities and Attractions
This area has no shortage of parks and greenery. These are some of the must-see areas of the neighbourhood:
Bluffer’s Park (at the bottom of Brimley)
Cathedral Bluffs Park (the backyard of Fairmount Public School basically). This park offers a panoramic view of Lake Ontario and you can also see Bluffer’s Park from up there!
Cudia Park - this is a little known gem of a park located in one of the areas of Cliffcrest with the nicest houses in my opinion. If you have a chance to walk around the streets in this area you will not be disappointed!
McCowan District Park - This park offers skating in the winter, soccer in the summer. Located at the top of Cliffcrest before the tracks (just South of The Home Depot)
There is also no shortage of great schools (public and catholic), great local shops, grocery stores, and we also had an LCBO built up at the Cliffcrest Plaza a couple of years ago (Woohoo!).
The Home Depot just North of the neighbourhood is very helpful, the Dairy Queen at Kingston Road and St. Clair Avenue is rarely unguarded by local folks trying to cool off during a hot summer day, and there is a highly-frequented Tim Hortons across the street from the Cliffcrest Plaza.
Having grown up in Cliffcrest it is great to see the evolution and development of the amenities surrounding the community, and I think is a great place to raise a family!
BVM Contracting's Cliffcrest Projects
Being residents of the amazing Cliffcrest Neighbourhood always comes with pride when people in our community reach out to us to help them build the home of their dreams. We have completed numerous projects in the area and have a few projects in our schedule for future work. See the list of local projects we have completed, as well as current projects that we are working on:
21 Scarborough Heights Blvd. (BVM Family home) - Link Here
This is a new home build that was completed on Vince (Owner of BVM Contracting) and Colleen Meagher’s property
4 Harewood Avenue
Not shown on our website as it was completed in 2012, but you can still drive by it to check it out nonetheless!
151 Phyllis Avenue - Link Here
Recently completed new home build featured on our website. Take a look through our Matterport Scan of the home to see the interior finishes!
87 Scarborough Heights Blvd. (Current) - Link Here
This is another new home construction project that started April 2021. It is being built for a local family as their primary residence. It is going to be a modern farmhouse style build.
125 & 127 Brooklawn Avenue
We were the Project Manager for these two homes way back in the day (late 2000’s). There are not very many high quality pictures from then of the progress but be sure to check them out while you drive through the neighbourhood!
40 Gradwell Drive
Completed at while back in the early 2010’s, but nonetheless another one of our home addition projects in the neighbourhood. These early projects gave us a solid foundation to sit on for completing all of the amazing projects we have completed to this day!
We are extremely humbled to have the opportunity to be able to work in our own neighbourhood and are looking forward to adding to this list in the coming years! BVM Contracting is here to stay in the Cliffcrest community and can’t wait to learn more about your home addition or new home build aspirations!
70 Minerva Avenue - Link here
Located at Midland Avenue and St. Clair on the North-West border of Cliffcrest, we worked with Mark and Heather to help them add an additional level to their side split home. The neighbourhood was impressed with the fast completion of the work and so were the clients!
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.
Lumber Prices and How They Affect Home Additions and New Home Construction
Everything You Need To Know About Residential Hydronic Heating
BVM Contracting + Willful Estate Planning and Power of Attorney Partnership
Must Have Plumbing Upgrades For Luxury Home Builds
Evaluating a "Fixer-Upper" Home 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 before overspending on the home and being put into a position where the cost of the renovations were way higher than what was expected. BVM will be able to help get you realistic numbers quickly and efficiently so you can make the best buying decision possible!
Project Case Study: East York Second Storey Home Addition
What started out as an innocent site meeting to make sure that they were keeping their chosen General Contractor honest lead to working with BVM Contracting after Alex and Katherine learned more about our honest and transparent building approach. Learn more about their project and how we helped them build the home addition of their dreams in East York!
Use 50 % Less Water with Nebia Shower Fixtures
Welcome to BVM Contracting
Meet the family behind BVM Contracting and how we have become one of best home builders on the East End of Toronto! From humble beginnings, we have grown this company from a remediation company into a new and custom home construction company, serving Scarborough, East York, The Beaches, Old Toronto, and the surrounding areas!
Scarborough New Home Build - Finished Home Tour
As a local home builder in Scarborough, BVM Contracting was very excited to work so close to home and build such a beautiful home for one of our real estate investors in Toronto. BVM Contracting specializes in new home construction in the East End of the Greater Toronto Area, including East York, Scarborough, The Beaches, Old Toronto, and North York.