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Carpentry Costs in Ottawa: The Paid Steps

Too few prices for carpentry in Ottawa are published to give you fair ranges, so these pages do something else. Each one breaks a job into the steps a quote pays for, in the order the work happens, with the line to ask for on a written quote and the rule behind each step. Where the City lists the work as permit work, the page lets you work out the permit fee from your own estimate.

Reviewed 2026-10-01 · Why these pages have no ranges

Eight jobs, step by step

  1. Wall removal and beams Design, permit, temporary support, the beam and posts, inspection and patching, in the order the work happens. 8 paid steps On the City permit list
  2. Interior stair replacement Layout to the Code's rise and run, tear-out, stringers, treads and risers, the rail and the patching around it. 7 paid steps Not listed: ask the City
  3. Handrails and guards Measuring to the Code heights, blocking in the wall, the rail, the infill and the finish. 6 paid steps Not listed: ask the City
  4. Interior doors and frames Measuring, the old door out, door and hardware, casing, and framing plus a permit only if the opening changes. 6 paid steps Permit fee if the opening changes
  5. Trim, baseboard and crown Measuring the runs, old trim off, the material, fitting, filling and paint, and clean-up. 6 paid steps Not listed: ask the City
  6. Built-ins and shelving The drawing, materials, shop or site building, setting it into a wall, installation and finish. 7 paid steps Not listed: ask the City
  7. Rot and framing repair Opening up, the moisture source, design where needed, permit, temporary support, new framing, inspection and close-up. 9 paid steps On the City permit list
  8. Renovation framing The plan, permit, studs and plates, framing labour, openings, other trades' holes and the framing inspection. 8 paid steps On the City permit list

How the City's permit fee works

For alterations, renovations, installations and repairs to existing buildings, the City of Ottawa's fee is $12.75 per $1,000 or part thereof of the assessed valuation of the work, with a minimum fee of $117.

Valuation is the total value of all materials, labour, overhead and professional fees for the project, so the design and the carpenter's labour both count.

"Or part thereof" means a part of a thousand dollars is charged as a full thousand, so the calculators on the job pages round your valuation up to the next thousand before multiplying.

Fees are due when you submit the application. The schedule we used is dated January 1, 2026, and the City says fees may change without notice.

Estimate only; the City sets the valuation.

Who may design a beam

Under the Building Code Act, s.15.11(5), no one prepares a design submitted with a permit application unless they have the qualifications the Building Code sets for a designer and are registered.

In practice that means a qualified, registered designer (BCIN), engineer or architect, or you, for a house you own (Div. C 3.2.5.1.(3)(b)). ottawa.ca says the Code allows a homeowner to take design responsibility for the construction or alteration of the house they own.

We found no City rule requiring an engineer's stamp for a beam. Ask the City what it will accept for your job.

Before you sign any carpentry quote

  1. A direct agreement under the Consumer Protection Act, 2002 is in writing when the total exceeds $50, and is signed by you and the contractor.

    CPA 2002 ss.41(1), 42(1); O. Reg. 17/05 ss.34, 35(1)

  2. You may cancel a direct agreement for any reason until 10 days after you receive the written copy.

    CPA 2002 s.43(1)

  3. If the agreement includes an estimate, the final charge may not exceed it by more than 10 per cent.

    CPA 2002 s.10(1)

  4. Under the Construction Act, each payer keeps a holdback equal to 10 per cent of the price of the services or materials as they are supplied, and liens expire after the 60-day period the Act sets.

    Construction Act ss.22(1), 31

  5. WSIB: a householder who directly hires a contractor for exempt home renovation work on the home they occupy is not required to get a clearance certificate, though you can still ask for one. The exemption does not cover rentals.

    WSIB OPM 14-02-19; 12-01-06

  6. Skilled Trades Ontario lists General Carpenter as a non-compulsory trade, and we found no City of Ottawa carpenter licence. Ask about the work itself and for references.

    O. Reg. 876/21 s.2; Skilled Trades Ontario

Nothing on these pages is a quote. Ottawa Carpenters is a matching service: it sends your job to local carpenters, who quote you directly. Describe your job

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