Insulation

Insulation spends its whole working life out of sight, so the only chance to get it right is the short window when the walls are open. We insulate exterior walls, basements, ceilings and interior partitions in houses, rental units and commercial spaces across Toronto and the GTA. Most of it is one stage of a larger renovation, done for homeowners and contractors who want the layer between framing and drywall fitted carefully rather than in a hurry.

Hand-fitted insulation, and when to call a specialist

Our work is the insulation that is fitted by hand: fibreglass or mineral wool batts in walls and ceilings, rigid foam board on basement walls and rim joists, polyethylene vapour barrier with taped seams and sealed boxes, and acoustic batts between rooms and floors. After a flood or leak, wet insulation is stripped out and refitted as part of damage repair, once the source has been fixed. Spray foam and blown-in attic insulation are applied with dedicated equipment by specialist installers; when one of those suits your house better, we say so and plan our framing and drywall around their visit.

Before anything is added to an attic or an opened wall, look at what is already there. Loose, pebble-like insulation in grey-brown or silvery-gold is likely vermiculite, which may contain asbestos. It should be left undisturbed until it has been tested and, if necessary, removed by an abatement specialist.

Getting the basement wall assembly right

If you are finishing a basement, this is the layer that decides whether the new room stays dry. A foundation wall sits against cool, damp soil, and warm indoor air that reaches the concrete in summer can leave condensation behind the finished wall. The common approach is to put rigid insulation directly against the concrete, so moist indoor air meets a warmer surface instead of cold concrete, then build the stud wall in front, fill the cavities and add a vapour barrier where the design calls for one. Where the foundation already shows signs of water, such as efflorescence, damp patches or puddles along the base, that points to a drainage or waterproofing problem for a foundation specialist, and it has to be solved before insulation goes up, not hidden behind it.

Where insulation sits in the sequence

In Toronto, adding or replacing insulation does not need a building permit on its own. When it is part of a renovation that does, such as a basement gaining a bathroom or a floor plan with walls moved, it sits between two inspections, in this order:

1. Framing is completed, and licensed trades finish the electrical, plumbing and HVAC rough-ins.
2. Under a permit, an inspector checks the framing and rough-ins before any insulation goes in.
3. We cut batts to the width of each cavity and split them around wires and pipes, so nothing is compressed or left with voids.
4. Rim joists are insulated and sealed, and gaps at windows, doors and penetrations are filled with low-expansion foam or sealant.
5. The vapour barrier goes on the warm side, overlapped and taped at seams and sealed at the perimeter and around electrical boxes.
6. Under a permit, the insulation and vapour barrier are inspected before the drywall is hung.

Choices that shape comfort and cost

Fibreglass batts are the most common and economical choice for walls and ceilings. Mineral wool is usually priced higher, but it resists moisture, does not burn and dampens sound well, which makes it a popular pick for basements and interior walls. Rigid board comes in several foam types with different moisture and fire properties; exposed foam generally has to be covered with drywall or another approved finish. When a permit is involved, the drawings specify the insulation levels the building code requires, and we install to them.

The price moves with the area to be insulated, the depth of the cavities, how much air sealing the house needs, whether old or damaged insulation has to come out first, the material you choose and how easy the space is to reach. Tight knee walls and low ceilings take longer than an open basement. Insulating is rarely the slow stage of a renovation; the rough-in trades finishing their work and the inspections before and after it usually decide when it can start and when the drywall can follow.

Walls rarely stand open for long, so plan the insulation before the framing is finished. Ask us for a free, itemized estimate, and we will walk the space with you, look at what is behind the existing finishes where we can, and set out the layers we recommend.