Selected Projects — Vince DeMasi · Toronto Construction Portfolio

Case Study — 01

— Residential / Forest Hill

Forest Hill Residence: a heritage home, modernized.

— TypeCustom Renovation

— Scope5,800 sq.ft.

— Duration14 Months

— Year2024

— RoleLead & PM

— 01 / Project Overview

A 1920s detached home, completely reimagined.

The owners had purchased a heritage residence on a deep Forest Hill lot and wanted to preserve its street presence while opening up the interior for a young family. The scope included a rear extension, full mechanical and structural upgrades, and a complete interior refit including kitchen, primary suite, and lower level.

— 02 / Challenges

Heritage details, modern performance.

The home's exterior was protected, which constrained any enlargement to the rear. Original framing was inconsistent with current code and had to be re-engineered without disturbing the front facade. Working windows of access were narrow, and the project required tight coordination with the city, the architect, and a structural engineer.

— 03 / Vince's Role

Lead & project manager.

Vince acted as the single point of accountability — running scheduling, budget, all trade procurement, and weekly walk-throughs with the owners and design team. He coordinated directly with the architect on drawing revisions and managed inspector relationships throughout.

— 04 / Execution Strategy

Sequenced for the structural reality.

The build was phased so that structural and mechanical work was completed before the rear extension was framed — protecting the finished envelope from future system access. Long-lead millwork and window orders were placed in week one, and trades were sequenced to eliminate idle days on site.

— 05 / Outcome

Delivered on schedule, on budget.

The project closed within fourteen months and inside the original budget envelope. The owners moved in on the agreed date with a completed punch list and a documented warranty package. The home was subsequently featured in two design publications.

Case Study — 02

— Commercial / King West

King West Studio: an agency office, built around its team.

— TypeOffice Fit-out

— Scope8,200 sq.ft.

— Duration11 Weeks

— Year2024

— RoleConstruction Lead

— 01 / Project Overview

A creative agency's second home.

A growing creative agency needed a permanent office on King West that could accommodate hybrid work, frequent client presentations, and a studio space for in-house production. The build covered an entire floor, including reception, open-plan workstations, three meeting rooms, a podcast studio, and a full kitchen.

— 02 / Challenges

Construction without operational disruption.

The agency had ongoing client work throughout the build, which meant the project had to deliver on a tight commercial schedule with phased access and after-hours noise restrictions imposed by the landlord. Custom millwork and acoustic treatment were on long lead times and had to be released for production inside week one.

— 03 / Vince's Role

Construction lead & landlord liaison.

Vince ran day-to-day construction, trade scheduling, and site supervision — and also served as the agency's primary interface with the landlord and base building team. Weekly reporting included progress photos, a live three-week look-ahead, and a budget tracker tied to procurement.

— 04 / Execution Strategy

Phased to protect the team's working time.

Demolition and rough-in were performed after hours and on weekends. Drywall and finishing were sequenced to keep at least 60% of the floor usable at any given time. The podcast studio was delivered last, allowing acoustic millwork to be installed without finish handling damage.

— 05 / Outcome

Open in eleven weeks.

The space opened on the agreed date with no missed client deliverables for the agency throughout the build. Final cost came in two percent below budget, with savings returned to the client.

Case Study — 03

— Residential / Leaside

Leaside Family Home: opening up a closed plan.

— TypeRenovation

— Scope2,400 sq.ft.

— Duration7 Months

— Year2023

— RolePM & Lead

— 01 / Project Overview

Main-floor reconfiguration, custom kitchen.

A young family had outgrown the original layout of their Leaside home. The scope included removing two load-bearing walls, reconfiguring the main floor for open living, building a new custom kitchen, and refreshing the principal bathroom upstairs.

— 02 / Challenges

Structural work in a lived-in house.

The owners stayed in the home for the first half of the project. The structural work required a temporary load path and careful dust/noise management. The kitchen had a tight envelope which required custom millwork to land within fractions of an inch.

— 03 / Vince's Role

Project manager & lead on site.

Vince coordinated the structural engineer, framers, electricians, plumbers, drywall, tile, millwork, and finishers across the project. He led weekly walk-throughs with the owners and was on site during all critical structural work.

— 04 / Execution Strategy

Two-phase build, upstairs last.

The structural and main-floor work was completed first, allowing the family to return to a usable kitchen and living space. The bathroom was renovated in a second phase with the family living downstairs, minimizing time out of their primary suite.

— 05 / Outcome

A home they didn't have to leave.

Project closed on schedule with a clean punch list and no claims against contingency. The family remained in residence throughout — something that had not seemed possible when the project was scoped.

Case Study — 04

— Consulting / Yorkville

Yorkville Mixed-Use: rescuing a stalled build.

— TypeConsulting Engagement

— Scope12,000 sq.ft.

— Duration5 Months

— Year2023

— RoleOwner's Representative

— 01 / Project Overview

A mixed-use build that had lost its centre.

An investor group had taken over a partially-built mixed-use property in Yorkville with a contractor whose schedule had slipped repeatedly and whose change orders were escalating. Vince was retained as the owner's representative to assess the project and bring it to close.

— 02 / Challenges

An honest diagnosis first.

The first task was distinguishing recoverable from unrecoverable issues. The schedule had to be re-baselined honestly, the trade contracts re-examined, and a number of partially-installed systems assessed for whether to retain, repair, or replace.

— 03 / Vince's Role

Owner's representative.

Vince represented the investor group on site weekly, reviewed all incoming change orders, validated trade billing, and re-issued a working master schedule. He served as the single voice between the ownership group and the existing contractor.

— 04 / Execution Strategy

Stop the bleeding, then close it out.

Vince first stopped further changes from being approved without owner sign-off, then renegotiated the remaining scope with the contractor on fixed-price terms. Critical-path items were re-prioritized to release leasing-critical floors first.

— 05 / Outcome

Closed out, tenants in.

The project closed five months after Vince's engagement began. Remaining cost overrun was contained to a single-digit percentage, and the leasing-critical floors were occupied within the original target quarter.

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