This three-storey century home was renovated and expanded to create two separate living quarters, adapting the existing house for multi-family living while improving its comfort, efficiency and connection to natural light.

A new rear addition extends the basement and supports a second-storey deck, adding valuable living space without abandoning the home’s existing structure. Bringing daylight into the lower level was an important part of the design. The basement was opened to the stair landing, allowing natural light to reach the bedroom and two office spaces, while open stair risers help carry daylight deeper into the floor plan.

The addition was designed with careful attention to the building envelope and energy performance. Double-glazed, argon-filled fibreglass windows, spray-foam insulation and Cascadia Clips were incorporated to reduce heat loss through the exterior assembly. A high-efficiency boiler supplies the radiant heating system, complemented by LED lighting and ENERGY STAR-certified appliances.

Material selection was equally considered. The project incorporated FSC-certified framing lumber, Quebec-sourced FSC engineered flooring, FSC-certified NAUF maple plywood, recycled-content drywall and zero-VOC paints and finishes. Locally sourced Eastern white cedar was used alongside durable fibre-cement exterior cladding, while the new basement concrete incorporated supplementary cementing materials to reduce its reliance on conventional cement.

The result is a century home adapted for a different way of living—creating greater flexibility for multiple households while improving daylight, energy performance and material choices throughout the renovated spaces.

Project highlights: Century-home renovation · Rear addition · Multi-family living · Basement expansion · Natural daylighting · Radiant heating · High-performance windows · Thermal-bridge reduction · FSC-certified wood · Locally sourced materials · Recycled-content materials · Zero-VOC finishes