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Ashton Renovations Review: Older Toronto Homes, Kitchen Remodeling and 4 Alternatives

Ashton Renovations Review: Older Toronto Homes, Kitchen Remodeling and 4 Alternatives

Key Takeaways

  • Ashton Renovations is a dependable pick for older Toronto homes, with roots back to 1995, a 4.9 HomeStars rating and published cost and timeline ranges.
  • Design, materials and construction under one contract make Easy Renovation best for full design and build service, with 4K 3D renders before demolition and a 2-year warranty.
  • MENATWORK Design Build won both BILD RenoMark kitchen categories in 2026.
  • renoWOW! suits accessible, aging-in-place kitchens, and Astaneh Construction focuses on layout changes and wall removals.
  • Older-home kitchens often need a building permit and an electrical notification, so plan for 4 to 6 months when walls come out or permits are needed.

Ashton Renovations is a strong, proven choice for remodelling a kitchen in an older Toronto home, as long as your budget starts near $55,000 and you can live with a longer schedule. The firm publishes honest cost and timeline ranges and holds 4.9 from 111 reviews on HomeStars.

Founder Mark Ashton holds kitchen design (AKBD) and living-in-place credentials. That depth matters most in century homes, where opening a wall usually exposes structural, HVAC, electrical and plumbing work that a newer condo rarely needs.

Price and pace are where Ashton asks the most of you. If either is a sticking point, MENATWORK Design Build, Easy Renovation, renoWOW! and Astaneh Construction each make the shortlist below for a different reason.

Who Is Ashton Renovations?

Ashton Renovations operates as a family-owned Toronto renovation firm founded in 1995. Its work covers kitchens, bathrooms, whole-house projects, basements and exteriors, with free virtual design and budget consultations.

Mark Ashton, the founder and CEO, is a Certified Living in Place Professional and has been an NKBA member since 2011. Clients receive a detailed budget spreadsheet early in the process.

Ashton says it holds a City of Toronto licence, is registered with WSIB and carries $5M liability insurance. Before signing, ask for its Building Renovator licence number, which Toronto’s renovator licensing office can confirm through 311, the City’s customer service line.

Renovating Older Toronto Homes: Permits, Knob-and-Tube and Timelines

Ashton regularly opens up kitchens in older Toronto homes. Those projects usually need a building permit, structural work and often HVAC, electrical and plumbing changes.

The City of Toronto requires a building permit for adding or removing walls and for installing or modifying plumbing or heating. Swapping cabinets alone needs no permit.

Knob-and-tube wiring is the other common surprise. The Electrical Safety Authority notes it was installed from the early 1900s to the 1940s, and some insurers require replacement.

The ESA also requires almost all electrical work to be reported through a notification of work, according to its homeowner guidance. A building permit does not cover that step, so ask any renovator who files each one.

Ashton estimates about 2 months for a same-layout kitchen with cabinets pre-ordered, and 4 to 6 months for older homes, wall removal or permits.

Kitchen Remodeling: Cabinet Tiers and Cost

Ashton prices kitchens from about $55,000, covering labour and materials. Projects can exceed $125,000.

Cabinet options range from IKEA installs to semi-stock to fully custom local cabinetry.

What Homeowners Say

Ashton’s review record is strong across two platforms. Its HomeStars profile shows 4.9 from 111 reviews, and its Houzz profile shows 4.9 from 63 reviews.

Houzz lists 13 Best of Houzz awards from 2014 to 2026. Ashton also won NKBA design awards: Best Small Bathroom first place in 2016, second place in 2019 and 2020, and Best Medium Bath first place in 2022.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

  • Three decades of Toronto work with NKBA design awards and 13 Best of Houzz badges.
  • Accredited designers with living-in-place credentials.
  • Published cost and timeline ranges, plus a budget spreadsheet early on.

Cons:

  • Higher entry price, starting near $55,000.
  • Older-home projects run 4 to 6 months by Ashton’s own estimate.
  • Showroom visits are by appointment only.

4 Alternatives to Ashton Renovations

Four GTA firms cover different needs if Ashton’s price or schedule does not fit.

1. MENATWORK Design Build – Best for BILD Award-Winning Kitchens

Paul Gallop and Sherret Nosanchuk founded MENATWORK in 1989, and the family still runs it from a studio at Weston Road and Eglinton. Design and construction management both stay in-house.

The BILD 2026 RenoMark Awards gave MENATWORK six wins, including Best Kitchen Renovation both under and over $100,000. It also won kitchen categories in 2023 and 2024.

Google feedback is more mixed. A 1-star Google review posted about a year ago described a project that stretched past a year and flagged slow follow-up on fixes:

★☆☆☆☆ “weak project management, quality control, attention to detail and communication (takes 3-4 emails to get a response from the project manager, especially when it relates to errors that need fixing)” (Google review)

Key Strengths:

  • Four BILD kitchen-category wins between 2023 and 2026.
  • In-house design and construction management for more than 35 years.
  • 5.0 from 24 reviews on Houzz and 5/5 from 28 on HomeStars.

Important Considerations:

  • Quote-only pricing.
  • No new HomeStars reviews since May 2024.

Ideal For: Homeowners who want an award-tested kitchen team and can request a quote, since no prices are published.

Contact:

Address: 1174 Weston Road, Toronto, ON M6M 4P4

Phone: (416) 763-0763

Instagram: instagram.com/menatworkdesignbuild/

2. Easy Renovation – Best for Full Design and Build Service

Easy Renovation’s in-house designers produce 4K 3D renders before any wall comes down. The same GTA team then builds kitchens, bathrooms, condos and whole homes, with 500+ completed renovation projects and trades averaging 30+ years of experience.

One fixed-price, itemized contract covers each project, with no hidden fees, a dedicated project manager and managed permits. Kitchen makeovers start from $19,900, and kitchens are ready in about 3 weeks once design and materials are settled.

The company carries $5M liability insurance, and its licensed, WSIB-insured trades handle the build. Every project includes a 2-year warranty plus daily photo updates through a project portal.

Easy Renovation’s credentials include:

  • HomeStars Best of the Best Award in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
  • Best of Houzz Service 2021 to 2024, with 5.0 from 116 reviews on Houzz.
  • BBB A+ rating as a BBB Accredited Business.
  • RenoMark Verified and BILD (GTA) member as Easy Home Renovations Inc.
  • NKBA membership.

On Google, the Etobicoke (The Queensway) location sits at 5.0 across 87 reviews as of October 2026 (Google listing). A condo kitchen client described the team behind the design and build:

“I had the pleasure of working with Eugene, Monique and Vlad. Everything was handled professionally from the initial presentation to the final day.” Zaminah G., in a Google review

A Streets of Toronto partner feature profiled the firm amid Toronto’s condo slump as a design-build option for kitchen, bathroom and condo remodels, starting with 4K 3D renderings. Toronto Sun and UrbanToronto have also covered the company.

Key Strengths:

  • One fixed-price, itemized contract with a dedicated project manager.
  • 4K 3D renders and permit management before work begins.
  • Kitchens ready in about 3 weeks once design and materials are settled.

Important Considerations:

  • Design-studio visits need an appointment.
  • Additions on the scale of a second storey sit better with a builder-architect team.

Ideal For: Owners of older GTA homes who want the new layout settled in 3D and the permit process handled before demolition starts.

Contact:

Address: 68 Jutland Rd, Unit 9, Etobicoke, ON M8Z 0G7

Phone: 416-323-3419

Facebook: facebook.com/easyrenovationcanada

3. renoWOW! – Best for Accessible, Aging-in-Place Kitchens

renoWOW!, owned by Sam Beninato, has worked in Toronto since 1993. Kitchens lead its work, including cabinetry, counters and layout changes, with bath, basement, condo and laundry projects alongside.

Its Qualified Adaptiv Home Specialist credential appears on its RenoMark listing, alongside RenoMark verification and BILD GTA membership. Houzz notes that it takes on one project at a time.

Key Strengths:

  • Qualified Adaptiv Home Specialist designation for mobility-friendly kitchens.
  • More than three decades in Toronto.
  • 5/5 from 160 reviews on HomeStars.

Important Considerations:

  • The one-project-at-a-time model can mean a wait to start.
  • Ten Houzz reviews and no public price guide.

Ideal For: Older homeowners or families planning a kitchen that supports mobility needs over the long term.

Contact:

Address: 99 Yorkville Ave, Suite 200, Toronto, ON M5R 3K5

Phone: 866-352-1251

Instagram: instagram.com/renowow.ca

4. Astaneh Construction – Best for Kitchen Layout Changes and Wall Removals

Astaneh Construction has worked across Toronto and the GTA since 2013 under founder Hamed Astaneh. Its kitchen work covers L-shape, U-shape, straight and peninsula layouts, plus moving walls and relocating plumbing and electrical.

Astaneh publishes kitchen costs of about $30,000 to over $150,000.

Key Strengths:

  • Its site lists what a wall removal adds ($10,000-$15,000+), which helps you budget.
  • One contact manages drawings and permit filings.
  • 5.0 from 30 reviews on Houzz and about 4.7 from 144 Google reviews, per Birdeye (October 2026).

Important Considerations:

  • No HomeStars reviews after November 2023.
  • Recent marketing leans toward custom homes and additions, with kitchens starting near $30,000.

Ideal For: Homeowners who want to remove a wall and rethink the kitchen footprint.

Contact:

Address: 3080 Yonge St, Suite 6060, Toronto, ON M4N 3N1

Phone: (416) 312-8015

Instagram: instagram.com/astanehconstruction

Ashton vs. Alternatives at a Glance

This table compares Ashton with its four alternatives on founding year and HomeStars standing.

Company Founded HomeStars Best fit
Ashton Renovations 1995 4.9 (111 reviews) Best for Older Toronto Homes
MENATWORK Design Build 1989 5/5 (28 reviews) Best for BILD Award-Winning Kitchens
Easy Renovation Not stated Best of the Best 2022-2025 Best for Full Design and Build Service
renoWOW! 1993 5/5 (160 reviews) Best for Accessible, Aging-in-Place Kitchens
Astaneh Construction 2013 5.0 (25 reviews) Best for Kitchen Layout Changes and Wall Removals

Older-Home Kitchen Renovation Questions

Which kitchen changes in an older Toronto home need a permit?

Removing or adding walls and installing or modifying plumbing or heating need a City of Toronto building permit. Replacing cabinets on the same layout does not, though electrical work still needs a separate ESA notification.

Should I replace knob-and-tube wiring during a kitchen renovation?

Knob-and-tube wiring, installed from the early 1900s to the 1940s, is worth addressing while walls are open, since some insurers require replacement. The ESA recommends an assessment by a Licensed Electrical Contractor.

How long does an older-home kitchen renovation take?

Ashton estimates about 2 months for a same-layout kitchen and 4 to 6 months when walls, permits or older-home conditions are involved.

How much does a kitchen renovation cost in an older Toronto home?

An older-home kitchen with Ashton starts around $55,000 and can exceed $125,000. Structural, wiring and plumbing changes push costs higher, so ask for an itemized quote.

Are Ashton Renovations’ reviews reliable?

Ashton holds 4.9 from 111 HomeStars reviews and 4.9 from 63 Houzz reviews.

The Bottom Line

Ashton Renovations is a strong fit for older Toronto homes if you value deep experience and can budget for a longer schedule.

MENATWORK brings award-winning kitchen design, renoWOW! brings accessibility expertise and Astaneh handles wall removals. Easy Renovation suits owners who want the layout fixed in 3D, one itemized price and a 2-year warranty from a single team.

Whichever firm you choose, confirm who files the building permit and the ESA notification, and have any knob-and-tube wiring assessed before the walls close.