How We Made a 560 Sq. Ft. Vaughan Basement Feel Much Bigger

Drawings and 3D views let us compare door positions, fixture placement and the space left for furniture. We then taped the proposed layout onto the basement floor to check it at full size.

A stackable washer and dryer share the bathroom with the shower, toilet and vanity. The closet sits back-to-back with that room, keeping the enclosed spaces along one side of the basement.

We incorporated the existing structural posts into the bathroom walls. That kept them out of the open living area without moving them.

There was no room for a separate utility sink. We built a custom vanity and countertop around an undermount basin that could serve both bathroom use and occasional laundry tasks.

From the foot of the stairs, the main room stays open beside the bathroom and closet. Grouping those enclosed spaces left room for furniture and a clear way through the basement.

The windows remained the same size. Wider trim gives them more presence on the finished walls, without changing the openings or the amount of daylight coming in.

Recessed pot lights avoid hanging fixtures below the low ceiling. Vinyl flooring runs through the finished rooms, with Benjamin Moore paint on the walls and trim.

A comparable 560 sq. ft. project in 2026 would reasonably require a budget of approximately $55,000–$70,000 plus HST, with about $65,000 representing a realistic midpoint for this level of scope.

This is current-value guidance for a comparable project, not the historical contract price for this specific renovation.

Actual pricing depends on plumbing locations, electrical requirements, ceiling conditions, structural work, bathroom specifications, access, waterproofing needs and the condition of the existing basement.

A small footprint does not make every major component proportionally cheaper. Bathrooms, plumbing, electrical work, stairs, cabinetry and custom finishing carry many of the same fixed costs whether the basement is 560 or 1,000 square feet.

The original rooms held storage and furnishings among exposed framing and mechanical equipment. These fixed features shaped the new plan.

The drawings show alternative door arrangements before the final layout was taped onto the floor.

New partitions enclosed the bathroom and storage, following the layout marked on the floor.

The finished basement has an open main room beside a bathroom, laundry and closet. The oak stairs, new flooring and painted trim carry through the smaller spaces.