Older houses across Ontario, from Victorian brick in small-town cores to early-1900s homes near the old main streets, have details that cannot be bought new: thick trim, tall ceilings, solid wood doors and staircases. They also have a century of repairs, additions and shortcuts hidden in the walls. A good renovation plans for both.
Expect to Find Old Wiring
Many homes built before the 1950s were wired with knob-and-tube, and many still have some of it in service. It has no ground, its insulation becomes brittle with age, and it was never meant to be buried in insulation. Many insurers restrict coverage for homes that still have it. When walls and ceilings are open, replacing it with modern wiring by a licensed electrical contractor under an ESA permit is the sensible time to do it.
Plaster and Lath
Plaster on wood lath is durable and quiet, but it cracks, sags away from the lath and is slow to repair. Where it is sound, it can be repaired and kept. Where it is failing, or where walls are being opened for wiring and plumbing anyway, replacing it with drywall is usually the better path. Older plaster and textured finishes should be tested for asbestos before they are cut.
Balloon Framing and Fire Blocking
Many older two-storey homes are balloon-framed: the wall studs run continuously from the foundation to the roof, leaving open channels inside the walls. Fire can travel through those channels quickly. When walls are opened, fire blocking is added at each floor level.
Stone and Block Foundations
Stone, rubble and early block foundations were built to breathe. Insulating them like a modern poured wall can trap moisture against the stone. The right approach depends on the wall and how wet the basement is, and drainage outside the house matters as much as anything done inside. Low basement ceilings can be gained by underpinning or a bench footing, both of which need an engineer and a permit.
Plumbing and the Water Service
Galvanized steel supply pipes corrode from the inside and restrict flow; cast-iron drains crack and rust through. Some older homes also have a lead water service from the street, and many municipalities have programs to replace the public side of it. A renovation is the time to replace old piping inside the house.
Test Before You Demolish
Homes built before the 1990s can contain asbestos in plaster, textured ceilings, vinyl floor tile, vermiculite attic insulation and pipe wrap. Homes built before the 1960s commonly have lead paint. Testing suspect materials before demolition, and handling them properly if they are found, protects everyone in the house.
Heritage Rules
If the house is designated under the Ontario Heritage Act, or sits in a heritage conservation district, exterior changes such as additions, new windows, porches and cladding generally need heritage approval as well as a building permit. It is worth checking the property's status before design begins.
What to Keep
Original trim, doors, stairs, mantels and hardwood floors are worth protecting during the work and restoring at the end. They are what make the house worth renovating in the first place.
