What it costs to build, and how it gets framed
Hard costs and the framing system decide most of a multiplex budget. These guides break down the numbers and explain light steel framing.
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Construction
The Engineering Behind Cold-Formed Steel Framing on a Toronto Multiplex
Once a multiplex is framed in cold-formed steel, the questions change from whether to build in steel to how to sign off the shop drawings correctly. Here is the technical literacy a developer needs before that set goes to permit.
August 9, 2026
Construction
Light Steel Framing for Toronto Multiplexes: The Complete Guide
Light steel framing gets confused with heavy structural steel, but for a Toronto multiplex the real decision turns on OBC storey and area thresholds, insurance pricing, and panel lead times, not marketing copy.
July 26, 2026
Construction
What It Actually Costs to Build a Fourplex in Toronto
A line-item look at what a Toronto fourplex actually costs to build in 2026, from hard costs and development charges to permit fees and financing carry, benchmarked against real industry figures.
July 24, 2026
Land
What is construction management: roles, phases, and process
July 13, 2026
Common questions
How many units can you build on a residential lot in Toronto?
Up to four units are permitted as-of-right in low-rise neighbourhoods citywide. Since June 2025, up to six units are permitted as-of-right in nine wards: eight in the Toronto and East York district, plus Ward 23 in Scarborough North. Other wards can opt in. City Council chose not to go citywide and asked for a further report back in 2027.
What gauge or mil thickness of steel stud is used for load-bearing walls versus interior partitions?
Non-load-bearing partitions typically use 33 mil (20 ga) or 43 mil (18 ga) studs in 33 ksi steel. Load-bearing and exterior walls typically step up to 54 mil (16 ga), 68 mil (14 ga), or 97 mil (12 ga) studs in 50 ksi steel.
From: The Engineering Behind Cold-Formed Steel Framing on a Toronto Multiplex
What is light steel framing, and is it the same as structural steel?
No. Light steel framing (LSF) is cold-formed steel (CFS) framing, thin-gauge C-shaped studs and track roll-formed from sheet steel, used in place of wood studs. It is a distinct product from heavy structural steel, the hot-rolled beams and columns used for a building's primary structural frame in taller or larger buildings.
From: Light Steel Framing for Toronto Multiplexes: The Complete Guide
How much does it cost to build a fourplex in Toronto?
There's no single official figure, but CMHC publishes a useful benchmark. Its Housing Design Catalogue prices two Toronto-area fourplex designs at $302 to $425 per square foot in hard construction cost, or roughly $1.1 million to $1.5 million in total hard costs for a 3,300 to 3,900 square foot building, on Q1 2025 pricing. That figure excludes land, soft costs, development charges and HST, which push the all-in total higher still. Get a written quote from a licensed contractor before you budget a project.
How much does it cost per square foot to build a multiplex in Toronto?
Altus Group's 2025 Canadian Cost Guide put GTA hard costs at roughly $230 to $270 per square foot for a 3-storey stacked townhouse and $245 to $330 for a wood-framed apartment building up to six storeys. CMHC's Housing Design Catalogue prices small Toronto stacked-townhouse and fourplex designs higher, at $296 to $425 per square foot on early-2025 pricing, so treat the low end of any published range with caution on a small site. These are hard construction costs only. Land, city charges, taxes and design fees are extra. Altus released a 2026 edition in April 2026, so confirm current figures and get a contractor quote before you budget a project.
Are steel-stud connections screwed or welded on a Toronto multiplex?
Most Toronto-area crews default to screw-fastened connections. Field welding requires the contractor to hold CSA W47.1 certification through the Canadian Welding Bureau, with individual welders tested for the specific processes and positions of welding they use in production, a certification burden screws don't carry.
From: The Engineering Behind Cold-Formed Steel Framing on a Toronto Multiplex
From drawings to keys
TESA Development handles planning, design, approvals and construction on residential and commercial projects across the Greater Toronto Area. A feasibility study is where the budget starts.
Other topics
Zoning and what you can build
Toronto allows up to four homes on most residential lots, and up to six in nine wards. These guides set out what is as-of-right and how to check a specific lot.
4 guides
Garden and laneway suites
A second building at the back of the lot is often the simplest way to add a home. These guides cover which lots qualify and what a suite costs to build.
3 guides
Severance and approvals
Splitting a lot or asking for a variance means an application to the Committee of Adjustment. These guides explain the legal tests and what happens at the hearing.
2 guides
Feasibility and site analysis
Before any drawings, two questions decide a project: what can be built here, and does it pay. These guides show how to test a lot and a deal before you commit money.
5 guides
Financing and CMHC
How a project is financed decides how much equity it needs. These guides explain CMHC's MLI Select and construction financing.
5 guides
Partnerships and investors
Most multiplex projects are built with more than one person's money. These guides explain how general and limited partners share the risk and the return.
3 guides
Learning and house hacking
Some owners start by living in one unit and renting out the rest. Others want the full discipline first. These guides cover both routes.
5 guides