Can I hire a carpenter to finish what a previous one left in Orléans?

Yes, you can hire a different carpenter to pick up where the first one left off. We found no Ontario rule that ties a job to the original contractor, and a new carpenter can assess what has been done, decide what stays, and carry the work forward.

A few things shape how smoothly that handoff goes.

The incoming carpenter will want to look at the work before quoting. What was completed, what materials are on site, whether any permits were opened and whether inspections were passed all affect the scope they are pricing. If a permit was pulled for the original work, ask the first contractor or check with the City of Ottawa (Building Code Services) through My ServiceOttawa to find out whether it is still open and what inspections remain. Ask Building Code Services what it needs from you when the contractor on an open permit changes.

On the contract side, get the new agreement in writing. Under the Consumer Protection Act, 2002, a direct agreement over $50 must be in writing, signed and delivered to you, and you have 10 days after receiving your copy to cancel without reason. Make sure the written quote spells out what the carpenter is taking on and what they are not, so there is no dispute later about what the previous work left behind.

A fair quote for a continuation job should itemise, as separate lines:

• an assessment of the existing work and what carries forward
• materials needed to complete
• labour for the remaining scope
• any patching and finishing
• disposal of leftover or removed material

If the job involves structural work, ask who is responsible for design and whether any permit steps are still open. If the original carpenter left materials on site, clarify in writing who owns them before the new work begins.

The most useful question to put to a carpenter before they start: ask them to walk you through exactly where they consider the job to begin, so you both agree in writing on what the previous work covered and what they are taking responsibility for.

The request form on this site goes directly to carpenters listed in the Ottawa Construction Network directory, for jobs anywhere in the City of Ottawa.