Kitchen renovations in Markham, including a second cooking kitchen
Many Markham families ask for two kitchens: the open one the guests see, and a small closed room for wok and high-heat cooking. We plan both together from our office at 113 Jaimie Rd in Thornhill, about 13 km away.
What each kitchen needs
| Main kitchen | Second kitchen | |
|---|---|---|
| Used for | Reheating, baking, a pot on the back burner, family meals | Frying, steaming and wok cooking behind a closed door |
| Hood | Ducted outside where the route allows | Always ducted outside, on the shortest straight run |
| Gas | Existing line, or induction | A line extended by a TSSA-registered gas contractor |
| Power | Island and counter circuits | Its own circuits for hood, fridge and counter, under an ESA permit |
| Surfaces | Quartz, slab or tile chosen for looks | Porcelain, slab or quartz that takes hot oil and a hard scrub |
The duct route comes before the cabinets
Here the slab is already up, and the square cut at the top is where the hood duct and its wire pass. That spot was fixed before a single cabinet box went on the wall, because moving it later means cutting finished stone.
For a second kitchen we trace the path from the cooktop to the outside on the first visit: through the exterior wall, up into a joist space or along a bulkhead. A long run with several bends weakens even a strong hood, so the room often follows the duct. How the counters and cooktop sit is the next decision, and our guide on planning a kitchen layout around how you cook walks through it.
Markham permits for a two-kitchen plan
- Building Standards
A second sink, a moved wall or a new hole in an outside wall generally needs a building permit from the City of Markham. See the city's building permit process.
- ePLAN portal
Applications go in online, with drawings to scale and fully dimensioned. We prepare and file them.
- Heritage districts
Thornhill, Markham Village, Unionville and Buttonville are heritage conservation districts. A new outside vent there needs a heritage permit before the building permit.
Two kitchens, one schedule
- Visit and route checkWe measure both rooms, find the gas line and the panel, and settle where the duct leaves the house.
- Drawings and approvalsBoth layouts, then the city permit, and the heritage permit first where it applies.
- Rough-in while walls are openDuct, gas, circuits and drains for both rooms, so nothing is cut twice.
- InspectionsThe city inspector and the ESA see the work before drywall.
- Second kitchen firstThe family cooks there while the main room is still a site.
- Main kitchen and walkthroughCabinets, counters templated on the installed boxes, tile and lights. Our kitchen renovations page covers this part in detail.
From our Google reviews
"The quality of the work shows in the details, from the kitchen to the finishing touches throughout the condo."
Catherine Morrissey, full condo renovation
"This year we renovated the second floor, replacing hardwood, full bathroom, and repainting all the walls."
Rassul, second floor renovation
Rated 5.0 from 13 Google reviews. Read them on Google.
Markham second kitchen questions
- Does a second kitchen in my Markham house need a permit?
- Usually, because it adds plumbing for a sink and often a new opening in an outside wall for the hood. Both of those normally need a building permit from the City of Markham. The wiring is permitted separately through the ESA. We list which approvals your plan needs after the first visit.
- Can the hood in the second kitchen just recirculate?
- For light cooking a recirculating hood can be enough, but a wok room produces grease and smoke that a filter cannot hold. We plan a hood ducted to the outside and choose the shortest route, so the hood keeps pulling well years later.
- My house is in Unionville. Does that change anything?
- Inside the house, very little. Outside, a new vent or window on a house in one of Markham's four heritage districts needs a heritage permit before the building permit. We check your address against the district maps before the layout is drawn.
- Can we keep cooking during the renovation?
- Usually yes, if both kitchens are being built. We finish the second kitchen first, so the household cooks there while the main kitchen is torn out, then move on. With a single kitchen we help you set up a temporary station instead.
Plan your Markham kitchens with us
Tell us where the second kitchen would go and send a photo of the room as it is. We come out, trace the hood route and send a written scope for both rooms.
Send us a message
We reply within 24 hours — free, no-obligation consultation.