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A finished Harmony walkout basement: the stacked-stone TV wall, the rustic barn door and the sectional

Harmony Basements · Design-build · Hamilton, Ontario

Basement Renovation Hamilton

Expect the absolute best

Custom basement finishing in Hamilton

Book a free in-home design session · no obligation · 905-669-9039

Vaughan design centre · 156 Chrislea Road, Unit 4, Woodbridge ON

A real, finished Harmony basement, captured room by room — drag to look around, click the floor to walk.

Hamilton · Golden Horseshoe

Basement renovations and finishing across Hamilton

From the century homes of Durand and Westdale to the newer streets of Ancaster, Waterdown and Binbrook, one design-build renovation company draws, prices and builds the basement — and one team stays accountable for it.

Hamilton’s older lower-city homes have basements built for coal and storage — stone foundations, low beams, a step down at the door — and the design has to earn its headroom, light and dryness before anything is drawn. On the Mountain and in Ancaster, Waterdown and Stoney Creek, the poured basements of the last thirty years take a family room, a home office, a proper bathroom or a self-contained suite without a fight.

Whatever the street, the order never changes: a detailed AutoCAD floor plan with the electrical and HVAC laid out, a 3D model and a 360° VR walkthrough before you sign; an itemized quote written against that drawing; the permit drawings prepared in-house; and four to six weeks on site.

Nearby, the same team works in Burlington, Oakville and Milton. Our Vaughan design centre is where the design session can happen, or we come to you.

Where we work in Hamilton

AncasterDundasStoney CreekWaterdownWestdaleAinslie WoodDurandKirkendallCorktownStrathconaRosedaleMeadowlandsBinbrookWinona

In writing, on every Hamilton project

  • LifetimeWorkmanship warrantyIf something we built fails, we come back and fix it.
  • $250.00For every day we are lateWe’re serious about scheduling: 6 weeks, not 3 months.
  • $0.00Building permit drawingsPrepared and submitted in-house, for a smooth process.
  • $5MLiability insuredFull coverage on every site, for your peace of mind.
  • 2012EstablishedOne practice and one Vaughan design centre ever since.
  • 6×HomeStars Best of AwardWinner 2021–2026, and Best of the Best 2025.

Budget guide

Your basement, roughly priced

How much does it cost to finish a basement in Hamilton? A 1,000 sq ft basement, before HST, priced line by line at our 2026 rates:

  • $53,500Finished living spaceAn open family room, pot lights and luxury vinyl plank over a subfloor system. No bathroom.
  • $89,200Full renovationA bedroom, a three-piece bathroom, a wet bar and laundry hook-ups.
  • $123,500Legal basement apartmentA bedroom, a three-piece bathroom, a full kitchen and laundry hook-ups, plus fire separation, alarms, an egress window and the existing entrance.
1,000
Don't know your square footage? Measure two walls →

Basement without a garage

Wall A ft
Wall B ft
≈ — sq ft

Basement with a garage

Wall A ftWall B ft
Garage C ftGarage D ft
≈ — sq ft
What are you building?

An honest note about per-square-foot pricing: We’re not fans of it. No two basements — or families — are alike, so treat this as a bracket, not a quote. Your itemized quote comes from a free 90-minute design visit at your home: we draw every layout your basement can have, you pick one, and you have its price before we leave.

Priced by design · Hamilton, 2026

Drawn to the last detail

Proposed basement floor plan of the Ancaster, Hamilton project: walls, doors, the bathroom, the bar rough-in, lighting and the electrical layout, drawn by Harmony Basements
Drawing 1: proposed basement floor plan, scale one-half inch to one foot
Proposed layout · Ancaster, Hamilton
Drawn by Diego Botia · B.Arch

360° design render

Design render · walkthrough

Drag to look around

The basement designed in 3D-VR during the free 90-minute in-home design consultation — the design this quote was priced from. Walk through it, or turn the 360.

Basement permit drawing in Hamilton: sheet A100, the existing basement layout, drawn by Harmony Basements Finished basement permit drawing in Hamilton: sheet A101, the proposed basement layout, drawn by Harmony Basements

A100 · As it was

A101 · As designed

The permit drawings: the basement as it was, and the layout we designed for it. Drag to compare.

Finished basement wet bar in Ancaster, Hamilton: arched niche and bar fridge; cabinetry by the homeowner, plumbing rough-in by Harmony Basements
Basement renovation in Hamilton: the open recreation room looking towards the stairs, finished by Harmony BasementsFinishing a basement in Hamilton: the family room with engineered vinyl plank flooring, a bulkhead and a glass-panel door, by Harmony Basements
Basement finishing in Hamilton: the home gym area of an Ancaster basement, by Harmony BasementsBasement bathroom renovation in Hamilton: custom tiled shower with a sliding glass enclosure and a shampoo niche, by Harmony Basements
Finished basement bathroom in Hamilton: the vanity with a black faucet and an arched mirror, by Harmony BasementsBasement remodeling in Hamilton: the hallway with three-panel shaker doors and new baseboards, by Harmony Basements

As built · photographed after handover

Three more real projects, priced line by line, in our basement finishing cost guide

Three more real projects, priced line by line, in our basement finishing cost guide

Diego Botia with Nancy Peterson, founder of HomeStars, holding a HomeStars Best of Award at the Harmony Basements design centre in Vaughan At Our Showroom
With Nancy Peterson, founder of HomeStars · Best of Award six years running, Best of the Best 2025.

Let’s meet

Not a sales pitch A real design session

I’m Diego Botia, Architectural Designer, B.Arch.

In about ninety minutes at your home, I read the space: what should move, what can be concealed, and how every square foot can work better. Then, live on screen, I draw every possible layout in 3D-VR and walk you through it; you pick one, and you have its line-by-line price before I leave. Within 24 hours of your go-ahead, that same drawing becomes part of the permit package we prepare and submit, at $0.00. Next, in two to three hours at our Vaughan design centre, you choose your finishes with our interior designer, and one accountable team builds your basement in 6 weeks, not 3 months.

Book a free in-home design session

Your turn

I designed it. You test-drive it

This is the Harmony architectural model of the basement priced above. Spin it, zoom in and explore every corner. Your basement gets the same treatment — designed with you first, then built from the design.

The 3D design model of a Harmony basement in Hamilton, seen from above: the game room, the bar, the bathroom, the gym and the stair

Explore the dollhouse 👆

A real Harmony project · Ancaster, Hamilton

A finished basement in Ancaster, Hamilton: 960 sq ft in six weeks

An unfinished 960 sq ft basement in Ancaster, turned into an open recreation area, an exercise gym, a wet bar and a three-piece bathroom in six weeks. A real Harmony project, finished in 2026: photographed after handover, unstaged. Its permit drawings, its itemized quote and its photographs are together above, in Priced by design.

It started as an unfinished basement. The homeowners wanted the whole space to read as open the moment anyone came down the stairs, so the plan gives the house an open recreation area and a big exercise gym.

We removed the old insulation, inspected the foundation and repaired its cracks, then framed, plumbed, ran the HVAC and electrical, and conducted the rough-in inspections; the electrician handled the ESA inspection. We drew the permit set and filled out every application form at no cost. With the City’s portal down at the time, the homeowners submitted in person and paid the City’s fee.

The finishes are large-format tile, a custom-tiled and waterproofed shower rather than an acrylic base, with a shampoo niche, and a mould-proof, waterproof subfloor under Torlys engineered vinyl. For the wet bar we did the plumbing rough-in only. The homeowners sourced the cabinetry and countertop separately and had them installed by their own supplier, a flexibility we are glad to give, and we planned the walls, plumbing and electrical around that choice.

Built
Open recreation area, exercise gym, wet bar (plumbing rough-in), three-piece bathroom
Size
960 sq ft
Investment
$84,475 before HST
On site
Six weeks
Finished
2026
Where
Ancaster, Hamilton, Ontario

Our project was completed on time and on budget. […] Instead of providing a vague range, Diego gave us a clear, itemized quote with detailed pricing. […] We initially had some hesitation since Harmony Basements is based out of Vaughan. […] His team showed up every day, on time, and worked efficiently throughout the entire project. Every trade brought in was clearly an expert in their field, and they were consistently polite, tidy and respectful of our home.

Magda K., the homeowner · Google review, May 2026

What a basement like this costs in Hamilton

From our 2025–2026 projects, a basement renovation runs from $75,000 to $135,000. The simple case sits near $75,000: an unfinished basement and one bathroom. The number climbs with the age of the house and with what it needs before any finish goes in: new insulation to meet the Building Code, a slab to level, foundation repairs, ducting and HVAC changes, and how far we trench for a bathroom, kitchen or wet bar. The level of finish in those rooms makes a big difference.

Photographed on site after handover, unstaged — no stock imagery. See the whole project, room by room

In their own words

What our basement renovation clients say

A Harmony client's video testimonial, filmed in their finished basement

Testimonial from a completed basement renovation.

  • Best of the BestHomeStars 2025
  • Best of AwardsWinner, six times
  • Verifiedby HomeStars

See the award-winning basement, room by room

Google review

We moved into a new house during the pandemic that had an unfinished basement. It was a difficult time but Harmony Basements managed to turn it into a wonderful legal basement apartment as quickly as possible. Every part of it is done perfectly. From the lovely flooring, the gorgeous stone wall and fireplace, to the beautiful kitchen and bathroom with glass shower and tiling. All was done with safety in mind even down to the foundation check and we passed inspection with flying colours. I am now enjoying living in my very own private apartment!

Sheila W., Vaughan

5/5

Google review

From the very first meeting with Diego, we felt confident. He came to our unfinished basement, listened to our ideas, and surprised us by quickly preparing a detailed architectural 3D rendering walkthrough of what the finished space could look like, along with a clear price and timeline. Once we moved forward, everything fell into place seamlessly. The process was very organized and the communication was always clear. […] Diego had promised the work would be done in six weeks, and they actually finished two days ahead of schedule.

Rajni R., Toronto

5/5

Google review

In 2024, they renovated our 2,000 sq. ft. space into a beautiful suite with a bedroom, walk-in closet, full bath, studio/gym, large storage, living-dining area, laundry, and direct garage access — all within six weeks, as promised. […] He spent hours designing our layout, offered smart advice on function and budget, and delivered a 3D design that fit our lifestyle. […] The entire crew was respectful, timely, tidy, and efficient. They cleaned up daily, and even hired professional cleaners for the final day — something other companies don’t provide.

Katherine G., Richmond Hill

5/5

Google review

This is the second basement project completed with Harmony Basements and we are thrilled with the results. Diego and his team were professional, courteous, friendly and consulted us through the project. Workmanship and details were excellent. Diego helped us navigate through some material supply shortages, common these days, to deliver a top notch design that was on time and budget! Looking forward to enjoying our basement for many years to come. Thanks again!

Dan M., Aurora

5/5

Google review

From the moment I sat down with Diego, I knew that he was passionate about what he does and that my basement reno was in good hands. […] Where other companies were requiring that I take care of the permits, Diego put my fears at ease and handled it all, so that I wouldn’t have to. From moving ducts around so that I may have a cleaner ceiling look to extending my accent wall so that the tv does not cover it all, Diego really makes sure that you will be completely satisfied with the finished product.

Demetrios B., Markham

5/5

Google review

Our requirements were strict: we needed a family room, a kitchen, a 3-piece bathroom, and three bedrooms. […] Almost all of them said that fitting a 3-piece bath and a family room was possible, but having three bedrooms as well was “virtually impossible.” That was until we met Diego from Harmony Basements. […] That very same night, he sat down and designed a scaled layout complete with a virtual 3D walkthrough that showed us exactly what we had envisioned and more. […] Diego, Roy, and the talented crew completed everything exactly on schedule, no delays and no excuses.

James J., Newmarket

5/5

HomeStars review

This was our first renovation experience and did not have anything to compare to. However our designer Diego has shown all the experience needed to create and accomplish what we had in mind. In terms of selections it was simple as all the options were available and shown in the decor studio. […] The project itself turned out amazing. Our family enjoy it very much. We have recommended Harmony to others for their quality work done to our basement and customer service provided when needed.

Jamie, Milton

5/5

Google review

Diego spent approximately 3 hours working on the quote at our home, which resulted in a 3D walkthrough and 3 different layout options of what the finished product would look like. […] Add to that, that we had a very tight timeline of exactly 6 weeks, his team of specialized contractors put in the extra hours and weekends to ensure that the project was completed with time to SPARE […] There were issues with getting the permit and later some electrical issues, which Diego and his team addressed promptly without having to chase them which was very refreshing to see.

Ryan D., Hamilton

5/5

Every review on our Google Business Profile · and on HomeStars

1 of 8 · swipe

Every review on our Google Business Profile · and on HomeStars

Our work

More finished basements you can walk through

Photographs, walkthrough films and tours of real projects by our basement renovation company across Hamilton and the GTA.

See all our work

Move the lamp across the prints · click one to step insideTap a print to step inside

Permits in Hamilton

Your City of Hamilton building permit, handled

Most basement projects in Hamilton need a building permit — new rooms, a bathroom, heating changes, windows, an entrance or a second unit — and electrical work has its own ESA permit. We draw it, file it and see every inspection through. You pay only the municipality’s own fee.

Permit drawings and every application: $0.00 — a $2,825.00+ professional value, included in the project. Every contractor working in Hamilton must hold a City Trade and Contractor Licence, and the permit application carries its number. The City of Hamilton’s own permit fee is separate and paid by the homeowner. Its permit-fee schedule for finishing a basement: $4.06 per square metre (By-law 15-058), with a $291 minimum. We tell you the exact figure before you sign anything.

Second suites

Legal basement apartments in Hamilton

Hamilton has permitted additional dwelling units since May 2021 (Zoning By-law 05-200): an internal unit in an existing house needs a building permit at a flat City fee and its own municipal address, and there is no registration program. A legal suite is designed to the Building Code and the City’s zoning from the first drawing.

A second unit must be fully self-contained: its own kitchen and bathroom, space to live and sleep (a studio layout works), and access to laundry, which can be shared. Start with our legal basement requirements guide and the basement suite page.

Before you decide

Before you choose a basement contractor in Hamilton

Before you choose between basement renovation contractors in Hamilton: if you invite us into your home we’ll start with the space — how you want to use it, what the house will allow, and what we think is actually worth doing. Once we agree on the design, we’ll keep it intact through pricing, permits, construction and the final walkthrough. That session takes about ninety minutes, and what comes out of it is a design drawn to permit standard — not a sketch for someone else to resolve on site. The drawings, the 3D model and the 360° VR walkthrough are how we show you that before anything is signed, and twenty years of basements are behind every line of it.

— Diego Botia, Architectural Designer, B.Arch.

Six things to ask before you hire anyone

  • Who designs it?Drawn in-house by Diego Botia, Architectural Designer, B.Arch, and built from that drawing by our team. No commissioned sales rep.
  • Can I see it first?A custom AutoCAD set, a 3D model and a 360° VR walkthrough — before you sign.
  • What exactly is priced?Every line itemized against the drawing. Fixed and transparent, no surprise add-ons.
  • Who handles the permit?Drawings and applications prepared in-house at $0.00. You pay only your municipality’s fee.
  • When do I choose finishes?At our Vaughan design centre, from curated selections, before construction starts.
  • Who stays accountable?One team from start to finish, and a lifetime workmanship warranty in writing.

The questions Hamilton homeowners have before they call

How much does a basement renovation cost in Hamilton?

From our 2025–2026 projects, a basement renovation runs from $75,000 to $135,000. An unfinished basement with one bathroom sits closer to $75,000. An old finished basement to demolish, new insulation, foundation or slab work, HVAC changes, long plumbing trenches and a higher level of finish in the bathroom, wet bar or kitchen move it up. The investment in the 960 sq ft Ancaster project on this page was $84,475 before HST, and its itemized quote is above, line by line. Price your own in our basement cost calculator, or see the breakdown in the basement finishing cost guide.

Who handles the building permit for a basement in Hamilton?

We do. The permit drawings are stamped and signed by our in-house architectural department, and we fill out every application form, at no cost to you; normally we file on your behalf through the City’s Customer Portal at my.hamilton.ca, the front door of Hamilton’s new Planning, Permitting, Licensing & By-law system. On the Ancaster project the City’s portal was down after the February 2024 cyberattack, so the homeowners took our drawings and submitted in person. Either way, the City’s own permit fee is separate and paid by the homeowner. Its permit fee for finishing a basement: $4.06 per square metre (By-law 15-058), with a $291 minimum. See our permit service.

How long does a basement renovation take in Hamilton?

Six weeks on site for the 960 sq ft Ancaster project on this page: removal of the old insulation, foundation crack repairs, framing, plumbing, HVAC, electrical, the inspections, boarding and taping, tile, subfloor and flooring, carpentry, doors and painting. Most Harmony basements are finished in four to six weeks on site; design and the permit come before that, and the completion date is fixed in the contract — if we run past it we pay you $250.00 for every day we are late.

Can my Hamilton basement become a legal apartment?

In most cases, yes. Hamilton has permitted additional dwelling units since May 2021 (Zoning By-law 05-200): an internal unit in an existing house needs a building permit at a flat City fee and its own municipal address, and there is no registration program. A suite needs a building permit and the municipality’s zoning sign-off, 1.95 m of ceiling height, a compliant egress window or door, fire separation between the units and interconnected smoke and carbon-monoxide alarms. There is no separate registration program in Hamilton; the closed permit is your proof. Start with legal basement requirements in Ontario.

Harmony is based in Vaughan. Does the drive to Hamilton matter?

No. Our head office and design centre are in Vaughan, and time-wise the drive to Hamilton is the same as the drive to Toronto. The homeowners of the Ancaster project had that hesitation at first; their review on this page is the answer: the team showed up every day, on time.

Which parts of Hamilton do you work in?

All of them: Ancaster, Dundas, Stoney Creek, Waterdown, Westdale, Ainslie Wood, Durand, Kirkendall, Corktown, Strathcona, Rosedale, Meadowlands, Binbrook, Winona — and Burlington, Oakville and Milton next door. The design session happens at your home or at our Vaughan design centre.

Can I see the basement design before I commit?

Yes — that is the whole point of how we work. We come to you first: in a free 90-minute design session at your home, we assess the space and design your basement with you on screen — the floor plan, a 3D model you can orbit and 360° renderings — before anything is built. Then you visit our Vaughan design centre to walk through it in VR and choose your finishes in person with our décor selections coordinator. Prefer to start at the design centre? That works too. There is no obligation. Book a session through our contact page or call 905-669-9039.

Do you offer financing for a basement renovation in Hamilton?

Yes. Financing is available for Harmony basement renovations in Hamilton and across the GTA — ask about it at your free design session, before you sign anything. How financing works.

Tell us about your basement

No obligation. We reply with design-session times that suit your area.

Book a design session

Ninety minutes with the person who will draw your Hamilton basement

Free, in your Hamilton home — or at our Vaughan design centre if you prefer. No obligation, and no commissioned sales rep. The person who designs your basement also prices it and prepares the permit drawings, so nothing gets lost between people.

Book a design session Call 905-669-9039
  1. 01

    We call you

    At a time that suits you, to set the session and hear what you have in mind.

  2. 02

    We measure and listen

    We measure the basement and see what the house will allow; you tell us how you want to use it. Then we draw every layout it can have, and you pick one.

  3. 03

    You have the price before we leave

    Before the visit ends, you have a line-by-line price for the layout you picked, written against a detailed drawing, electrical and HVAC included. The 3D model and the 360° VR walkthrough let you see it before you sign. Within 24 hours of your go-ahead, that same drawing becomes part of the permit package we prepare and submit.

Vaughan design centre

156 Chrislea Road, Unit 4
Woodbridge, Ontario
(City of Vaughan)

Telephone & WhatsApp

905-669-9039
WhatsApp, 24/7

Hamilton and area

Design sessions at your home or at our design centre, whichever suits you.

Not ready to talk yet?

Price your Hamilton basement first — line by line

The most comprehensive basement cost calculator in Canada, built on the same rates as our quotes — and the best design–price–build process behind it: drawn, then priced, then built.

Open the cost calculator

More of our work across Toronto and the GTA

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