Region of Waterloo · Service area
General Contractor in Cambridge
Basement units, kitchens, additions, backyard suites and clinic fit-outs across Galt, Preston and Hespeler, from stone houses by the Grand River to Fiddlesticks.
Galt, Preston and Hespeler were separate towns until 1973, and each core still has its own main street, mills and housing. In Cambridge that history sets the foundation type, the GRCA’s role and any heritage review. Since 3 February 2026, most residential lots also follow the new Zoning By-law 26-007.
Renovating in Cambridge
What’s different in Cambridge
| Permit office | City of Cambridge Building Services Division (official site, opens in a new tab) |
|---|---|
| Zoning by-law | By-law 26-007, first phase in effect 3 February 2026. Deferred lands stay under By-law 150-85. |
| Extra units | Up to 3 units: all in the house, or two inside and one detached. Rules in Section 4.19. |
| Charges and grant | No City or Regional development charges on ARUs. City grant up to $10,000 since 1 November 2024. |
| Heritage districts | Main Street Galt (1984), Blair Village (2002), Dickson Hill (2005). A Galt Core plan is under review. |
| Floodplain | Galt Floodplain Special Policy Area (Official Plan Map 12), checked against the regulatory flood elevation. |
| Conservation authority | Grand River Conservation Authority along the Grand and Speed rivers, their creeks, valley slopes and wetlands. |
Housing stock
Stone Galt, mill-town Preston and Hespeler, post-401 subdivisions
Galt was settled largely by Scots. West Galt and East Galt hold one of Ontario’s larger collections of 19th-century stone houses, built from local dolomite rubble and fieldstone. Walls run 45–60 cm (18–24 in) thick over low rubble or fieldstone basements. Preston and Hespeler grew around mills, with brick workers’ cottages and storey-and-a-half houses on narrow lots. After the war, and again once Highway 401 cut through the city, Preston Heights and Silver Heights filled with bungalows, backsplits and 1970s–80s two-storeys. Those are the houses we see most for basement units and opened-up main floors. Newer growth went to Fiddlesticks, River Mill and the streets around Franklin Boulevard and Saginaw Parkway, with full-height basements left unfinished.
Neighbourhoods we work in: West Galt · East Galt · Hespeler Village · Preston Heights · Fiddlesticks · Blair
Services in Cambridge
Nine services, each with its own local page
Frequently asked questions
Renovating in Cambridge: local questions
Most residential lots now fall under Zoning By-law 26-007, whose first phase took effect on 3 February 2026. It brought form-based residential zones with new rules for height, setbacks, accessory buildings, parking and landscaping. Lands deferred from that phase, and non-residential lands, still follow By-law 150-85. Setbacks and coverage differ between the two, so we confirm your zone from the City’s mapping first.
Usually yes, with conditions. Interior work that adds no living space below the flood line is straightforward. New basement bedrooms, extra units, additions and grading changes are checked against the regulatory flood elevation the GRCA set for the Galt city centre. They may need a GRCA permit and flood-proofing, such as raised electrical panels, sealed openings or habitable floors above a set height.
That the walls work differently. Rubble and fieldstone walls in Galt and Hespeler are set in lime mortar and dry out through the masonry. Sealing them inside with poly or closed-cell foam can trap moisture in the mortar joints. Repointing should use a lime mortar softer than the stone, never hard Portland cement. New openings need a proper lintel and often an engineer’s review.
Reviews from CarpentryBoys clients near Cambridge
03 / In our clients’ words
“Very professional, hard working they know their job very well. They built our legal basement, we are totally satisfied with their work. Highly recommended.”
Rated 5.0 out of 5 across 13 customer reviews on Bark.com
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