Plaster and drywall repair, basements and renovations for High Park's older homes, with a crew that knows what's behind the walls
Serving High Park
High Park takes its name from the 400-acre park at its centre, and the streets around it hold some of Toronto’s older family housing. Much of it was built from the late 1800s through the 1920s: Victorian and Edwardian semis, brick foursquares, Arts and Crafts and Tudor-style detached homes, with low-rise apartment buildings along the main roads. The area north of Bloor was once part of the Town of West Toronto Junction, annexed by Toronto in 1909, and nearby Roncesvalles, Bloor West Village and Swansea share much of the same building stock.
That age changes what drywall work involves. Many walls are still original lath and plaster, framing is rarely square, and one renovation can touch century-old plaster, a 1970s drywall patch and brand-new board in the same room. Getting those surfaces to read as one flat wall is a finishing problem as much as an installation one, and it is the kind of job that shows the difference between a fast crew and a careful one.
Express Drywall Services is a Canadian-owned, Toronto-based contractor with more than 20 years of residential and commercial drywall experience. For the wider city, see our drywall services across Toronto.
Residential and Commercial
From a single plaster repair in a Howard Park semi to a full gut renovation or a storefront on Bloor Street West, the full range of drywall services is available in High Park.
Working in Older Homes
Most High Park jobs happen in lived-in houses with narrow halls, tight stairs and woodwork worth protecting. We cover floors and stairs, seal off the work area, contain dust and clean up at the end of each day. Twelve-foot sheets often will not make the turn on a century-home staircase, so we plan board sizes and seam locations before anything is delivered.
Before we quote, we look at how the existing walls are built. Sound plaster can often stay, while loose or sagging sections are better cut back to framing or lath and rebuilt. Where old and new surfaces meet, we feather joints wide and check them with a work light held at a low angle, because that is how daylight from a tall old window will show them later.
Clients describe the same things we aim for:
“Very helpful crew. Got all my work done in a timely and professional manner. Cleaned up after themselves. Very pleased”
Alexander Barsky, Google review
Common High Park Projects
Plaster or drywall? Hairline cracks and small failures in solid plaster can usually be repaired. Bulging sections, plaster pulling away from the lath, or walls already opened for new wiring and plumbing are usually better replaced. Our guide to plaster vs. drywall explains the trade-offs, and our taping and mudding crews in Toronto handle the blend between old and new.
Soundproofing shared walls in semis. Many High Park homes share a party wall with a neighbour. Adding insulation, resilient channel and a second layer of board is one of the most effective upgrades in a semi. Sound finds gaps, so sealing the perimeter and around electrical boxes matters as much as the materials. See fire and sound separation in Toronto.
Basements with low ceilings. Older basements often have limited headroom, ductwork and old stone or block foundations. We work out where bulkheads go before framing, use moisture-resistant board in bathrooms and laundry rooms, and can finish with drywall or an accessible drop ceiling.
Second suites, laneway and garden suites. Adding a unit brings fire-separation requirements under the Ontario Building Code. We build the fire-rated walls and ceilings shown on your permit drawings, including Type X board and sealed penetrations. The City’s building permit office confirms what your property needs, and it also publishes certified plans for laneway and garden suites.
Dated ceilings. Stipple and popcorn ceilings added during mid-century renovations are common here. Have older texture tested for asbestos before any scraping; our popcorn ceiling removal guide covers testing, cost and the process.
Shops and offices. Along Bloor Street West and Roncesvalles Avenue we handle storefront partitions, office repairs and commercial drywall installation, scheduled around business hours where possible.
Opening walls in a house of this age rarely goes exactly as drawn, so it helps to know what to expect. Exterior walls are often solid or double brick with plaster applied over wood strapping, which leaves little or no room for insulation. Adding insulation usually means furring the wall inward and giving up a little floor space, so we talk through that trade-off before framing starts.
Older framing can also leave open cavities running from the basement to the attic. Where walls are opened, those are worth closing off with proper fire blocking before new board goes on. Old wiring and plumbing often come to light at this stage as well, so we leave walls open until your electrician, plumber and any required inspections are finished. Closing up too early is the most expensive mistake on a renovation.
Timing matters too. Plaster repairs and skim coats need drying time between coats, and old walls can take longer in damp weather. Our guide on how long drywall installation takes gives realistic timelines for each stage, and drywall installation cost in the GTA helps you budget for it.
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