Washington Street | 03 Unit Conversion

Hamilton

Property Type: 4-Level Backsplit Single-Family Home

Project Overview:
Our client purchased this underutilized 4-level backsplit with the intention of maximizing rental income through strategic legal conversions. Originally zoned and used as a single-family residence, this property had strong potential for intensification—but required creative design work to remain compliant with Hamilton’s zoning and Ontario Building Code regulations.

Scope & Strategy:
We initiated a phased approach. Phase one involved converting the home into a legal duplex with fire-separated units, addressing the vertical split of the 4-level layout to ensure optimal livability and privacy between tenants.

Phase two includes the conversion of the attached garage into a fully independent third unit. This step required pre-planning for future services, separate entrances, and egress routes—laying the groundwork during phase one to avoid costly rework.

Challenges Solved:

• Navigated complex zoning rules for secondary and tertiary units on irregular split-level lots.

• Ensured compliance with spatial separation, exit distance, and fire safety requirements for each unit.

• Coordinated future infrastructure needs (e.g. plumbing rough-ins, electrical capacity) to make phase two plug-and-play ready.

Investor Benefits:

• Increased property value through legal unit addition.

• Potential tripling of rental income vs. original use.

• Designed with scalability in mind—enabling a smooth transition into multi-unit ownership.

Current Status:
Phase one (duplex conversion) is fully permitted and underway. Garage conversion (phase two) is scheduled pending occupancy and cash-flow stabilization of the first two units.