Raising the Roof: A Second-Floor Addition to a North York Bungalow

Many of the post-war bungalows across North York and the rest of Toronto share the same story: a solid house on a generous, tree-lined lot that no longer fits the family inside it. Our Spring Garden project is one of these. Rather than tearing down, the plan is a second-floor addition — keeping what already works (the footprint, the mature landscaping, the connection to the street) and building up instead of out.

The Existing Bungalow

The existing home is a single-storey bungalow with a broad side-gabled roof, stucco and brick exterior, and an attached single-car garage. The bones are good: a centred entry, a strong horizontal line, and a raised front garden that frames the house well. What it lacks is space, particularly bedrooms and bathrooms on a proper upper floor.

Why a Second-Floor Addition Instead of a Rebuild

A second-storey addition keeps the existing foundation, main-floor walls and front entry in place, which usually means a simpler approval path and a lower construction budget than a full rebuild. It also avoids disturbing the mature trees and landscaping that give a lot like this its character. The new upper level rises within a reshaped roofline, so the house reads as a well-proportioned two-storey home rather than a box sitting on top of a bungalow. The garage is also widened to a double to match the scale of the new house.

We developed three exterior directions so the owners can pick the one that fits them best.

Option 1 — Modern Panel

A flat-roofed centre volume with large-format panel cladding, framed by warm wood-tone fascia. Deep window openings and a full-height glazed entry give the house a clean, contemporary look, while the stone base keeps it grounded.

Option 2 — Modern Farmhouse

A strong central front gable in white board-and-batten, dark window frames and a charcoal entry surround. It's crisp and high-contrast, and the gable gives the upper floor a clear focal point from the street.

Option 3 — Transitional Craftsman

Soft cream stucco, gabled dormers, and bronze-framed windows with prairie-style grilles. A decorative glass entry door and lantern sconces make this the warmest, most traditional of the three, and the one closest in spirit to the original house.

Common to All Three

Across all three options we kept a few constants: a natural stone base along the main floor, the existing front steps and raised planting beds, larger and better-placed windows for more daylight, and a roof pitch that ties the old and new portions together.

Zoning and Permits for a Second Storey in Toronto

Adding a storey changes a house's height, floor area and, often, its side-yard relationship with the neighbours, so every second-floor addition starts with a zoning review. We check the lot against the zoning by-law's limits on building height, main-wall height, floor space index and setbacks. Where the design goes beyond those limits, the project may need minor variances from the Committee of Adjustment before a building permit can be issued.

The existing structure also has to be checked. A structural engineer confirms whether the foundation and main-floor walls can carry the new storey, or what reinforcement they need, and the heating and ventilation design is updated for the larger house. All of this goes into the drawing set for the building permit. You can read more about how we handle this on our home addition permit and North York building permit pages.

What's Next

Spring Garden is currently in design. Once the owners choose an exterior direction, we'll develop the floor plans and move the project through zoning review and the building permit application. We'll share updates as the house takes shape. For another bungalow we're taking up a storey, see our Invermay second-floor addition and basement unit.

Thinking about adding a second storey to your bungalow? Contact Cadaxx Design to talk about what your lot allows.