How is the City of Ottawa permit fee worked out for a wall removal?

The City of Ottawa calculates the permit fee for a wall removal at $12.75 per $1,000 of construction value, with a minimum fee of $117. The construction value is defined as the total value of all materials, labour, overhead and professional fees for the work.

So if the City sets the construction value at $10,000, the fee works out to $127.50. That figure is an estimate until the City sets the valuation; the City determines the construction value, not the applicant.

The permit itself falls under the City's "interior and exterior structural alterations" category, which covers adding or removing walls. Ottawa.ca lists this as permit work regardless of whether the wall is load-bearing or a partition, so confirm with the City before any wall comes out. Applications go through My ServiceOttawa, and inspections are booked at least 48 hours in advance.

The permit fee is one line in the overall cost of the job. A written quote for a wall removal should also itemise design (a qualified, registered designer with a BCIN, an engineer or an architect, or you for a house you own), temporary support while the beam goes in, materials, labour, patching and finishing, and disposal. On a home built before 1960, lead or asbestos testing belongs in the quote as well, because Health Canada notes that older paint and plaster may contain both.

One thing worth doing before you accept either of two quotes: lay them side by side and check that each one names the same scope in writing, says clearly who is responsible for the design and who will apply for the permit, lists the same materials, and spells out what patching and clean-up are included, because those details are where quotes that look similar on price can differ considerably in what you actually get.