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Replacing an Interior Staircase in Ottawa: The Paid Steps

Published prices for rebuilding a staircase inside an Ottawa house are too few to quote a range: the figures we found came from outside Ottawa or from a page we could not rely on. This page lists what you pay for instead, in order, with the Building Code number behind each step. Interior stairs are on neither of the City's permit lists, so there is no fee to work out here; ask the City first.

Price rangeToo few published prices to quote

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

Paid steps

Interior stair replacement: what a quote pays for, in order

  1. Measuring and stair layout

    What it is
    Measuring floor to floor and laying out every riser and tread before anything is cut.
    On the bill because
    A private stair inside a house is held to a rise of 125 to 200 mm and a run of 255 to 355 mm, with risers within 5 mm of their neighbours and 10 mm across the flight.
    Ask for it itemized
    The layout written on the quote: rise, run and number of risers, so quotes compare like with like.

    OBC 2024 Table 9.8.4.1.; 9.8.4.4.(1)

  2. Width and headroom

    What it is
    Checking the stairwell opening against the new stair.
    On the bill because
    At least one stair between floors in a dwelling unit is not less than 860 mm wide, and the clear height over a stair serving a single dwelling unit is not less than 1 950 mm. If the existing opening falls short, changing it is framing work.
    Ask for it itemized
    Whether the quote assumes the stairwell opening stays exactly as it is.

    OBC 9.8.2.1.(4); 9.8.2.2.(3)

  3. Taking out the old stair

    What it is
    Removing the old treads, risers, stringers and rail, and hauling them away.
    On the bill because
    It is labour and disposal before any new wood goes in, and the floors above and below lose their stair link while it happens.
    Ask for it itemized
    Disposal on its own line, and how many days the house is without a usable stair.

  4. Stringers

    What it is
    The sloped members that carry the treads.
    On the bill because
    Wood stringers for a stair serving one dwelling unit have a minimum effective depth of 90 mm and an overall depth of not less than 235 mm, spaced not more than 900 mm apart.
    Ask for it itemized
    Stringer material and count, priced apart from labour.

    OBC 9.8.9.4.(1)

  5. Treads and risers

    What it is
    The treads and risers as part of the structure, cut and fixed to the stringers.
    On the bill because
    Treads of lumber, plywood or O-2 OSB within a dwelling unit are not less than 25 mm actual thickness, and the stair is designed for a load of 1.9 kPa. Carpet, runners and refinishing are flooring work, not part of this page.
    Ask for it itemized
    The tread and riser material and thickness the price assumes.

    OBC 9.8.9.5.(1); 9.8.9.1.(1)(a)

  6. Handrail and guard

    What it is
    The handrail, and a guard on any open side.
    On the bill because
    Inside a dwelling unit, a stair narrower than 1 100 mm needs a handrail on one side, and an open side with a drop of more than 600 mm needs a guard. The handrail and guard steps
    Ask for it itemized
    The rail and guard as their own line, not folded into the stair price.

    OBC Table 9.8.7.1.; 9.8.8.1.(1)

  7. Patching the stairwell

    What it is
    Making good the walls and ceiling around the new stair.
    On the bill because
    Taking a stair out disturbs the wall and ceiling finishes beside it, and those finishes are a separate piece of work from the stair.
    Ask for it itemized
    Which patching and painting the quote includes.

Totalon your written quote

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City permit lists

Not listed: ask the City

Interior stairs appear on neither the City's list of permit projects nor its list of exempt projects. Ask the City before work starts. If the stair moves or the floor opening changes size, ask whether that counts as a structural alteration.

On a designated heritage building or in a Heritage District Overlay, the City's permit exemptions do not apply: contact the City first.

No fee calculator on this page. Where a job does need a permit, this is how the City's fee is worked out.

Ask before you sign

  • Whether the price is for a straight flight or includes winders or a landing.
  • Who asks the City whether a permit is needed, and what answer came back.
  • What the quote assumes about the stairwell opening and the walls beside it.

The contract, cancellation, estimate and holdback rules that apply to every carpentry quote: before you sign any carpentry quote.

More on this work: Interior Stairs

Carpentry IQ answers on this job

Quick answers

Does replacing interior stairs need a permit in Ottawa?

The City's lists do not mention interior stairs either way. Ask the City before you start, and say so if the stair moves or the floor opening changes size.

How tall can each step be?

For a private stair inside a house, the 2024 Ontario Building Code allows a rise of 125 to 200 mm and a run of 255 to 355 mm (Table 9.8.4.1.).

Is refinishing the treads part of this job?

No. Refinishing or covering a stair is flooring work. This page covers rebuilding the stair itself.

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