Guides
What renovation and building work costs, which permits and rules apply in your province, and how the common projects run, with the assumptions written down.
Costs
What renovation and building work costs in Canadian cities, with the assumptions written down and the date each figure was checked.
- Start hereHome Renovation Cost in Canada: Prices per Square FootWhat renovating a house costs in Canada in 2026: per-foot bands by scope, totals by house size, prices in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton and Ottawa, and the tax, permit and contingency lines. 16 min read
- Basement Renovation and Development Cost in CanadaWhat finishing or developing a basement costs in Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver in 2026: prices by size, add-ons, permit fees and the big-ticket scopes. 12 min read
- Bathroom Renovation Cost in Canada: Prices by Scope and RoomBathroom renovation prices by scope for Ontario and Calgary in 2026, fixture and tile prices, what moving a toilet or shower adds, and the tax and permit lines. 13 min read
- Cost to Build a House in Canada: Per Square Foot by ProvincePer-square-foot ranges by province and city, four house sizes worked out, and every cost that sits outside the per-foot price. 11 min read
- Kitchen Renovation Cost in Canada: Prices by Size and FinishKitchen renovation prices for Toronto, Ontario, Vancouver and Calgary in 2026, where the budget goes, what moving the sink or a wall adds, and the tax and permit lines. 14 min read
- Legal Basement Suite Cost in Canada: Build or LegalizeWhat a legal basement suite, second unit or basement apartment costs to build or legalize in Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and Vancouver in 2026, and which code items set the price. 11 min read
- General Contractor Fees in Canada: Markup and What It CoversWhat a general contractor's fee costs in Canada in 2026, what it pays for, why a 20% markup is not a 20% margin, and the sales tax charged on it. 9 min read
- Home Addition Cost in Canada: Prices by Addition TypeAddition prices by type, a 400 sq ft addition costed line by line, the soft costs and permit fees in Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton, and how long it takes. 10 min read
Permits and rules
Building permits, secondary suites, new home warranties and the rules that differ from province to province.
- Start hereDo I Need a Building Permit to Renovate? Rules by ProvinceWhich renovations need a building permit in Ontario, BC and Alberta, project by project, plus the trade permits, who applies, review times, 2026 fees and what skipping a permit costs. 11 min read
- Legal Basement Suite Requirements in Ontario, BC and AlbertaThe code and zoning rules a basement suite, second unit or basement apartment has to meet in Ontario, BC and Alberta: ceiling height, fire separation, alarms, exits, heating and how many units a lot can hold. 12 min read
- Do You Need a Permit to Finish a Basement? City by CityWhen finishing a basement needs a building permit in Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver, which trade permits sit beside it, and the egress window rules for basement bedrooms. 10 min read
- Construction Holdback: The 10% Rule Homeowners Must FollowWhat the 10% construction holdback is, how long Ontario, BC and Alberta make a homeowner keep it, when to release it, and what paying in full too early can cost. 9 min read
- Multigenerational Home Renovation Tax Credit: Who QualifiesWho qualifies for the federal multigenerational home renovation tax credit, what the secondary unit must include, which costs count, the 2026 rate and how to claim it on line 45355. 9 min read
- New Home Warranty in Canada: What Each Province CoversWhat Tarion in Ontario, BC's 2-5-10 and Alberta's 1-2-5-10 warranties cover, the payout limits, the claim deadlines, and what applies to a custom home built on your own lot. 13 min read
- WSIB and WCB Clearance: Check a Contractor Before WorkWhat a workers' compensation clearance proves, how to get one from WSIB, WorkSafeBC and WCB Alberta, and what each board says about a homeowner hiring for their own house. 6 min read
Project guides
How the common projects run: the options, the order of work, and where they usually go wrong.
- Start hereRenovating a House: The Order of Work, Step by StepThe order of work from scope and permits to the final inspection, who signs off each stage in Ontario, BC and Alberta, how long a full-home job takes, and when to move out. 15 min read
- Bathroom Renovation Timeline: Steps and How Long Each TakesThe order of a bathroom renovation with the days each step takes, the waterproofing and cure times that set the pace, permits and inspections by city, and the lead times for glass and fixtures. 15 min read
- Building a Custom Home in Canada: Steps and TimelineEvery stage of a custom home build in order, with the months each takes, the permits and inspections that gate it, how the builder is paid and the warranty rules in Ontario, BC and Alberta. 9 min read
- Renovate or Rebuild? Teardown and Renovation Costs ComparedPer-square-foot costs for a major renovation and a rebuild in Toronto and Vancouver, a worked example on one brief, the costs a rebuild quote leaves out, and timelines. 12 min read
- Second Storey Addition: Cost, Structure and What's InvolvedWhat a second storey costs by scope, whether the house can carry it, permits and zoning in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton, the stages from design to move-in, and the months living elsewhere. 10 min read
- Accessible Bathroom Renovation: Features, Cost, Tax CreditThe features that make a bathroom safe to use with age or a disability, the clearances designers work to, what it costs in 2026, and the federal and BC tax credits. 8 min read
- Basement Underpinning vs Bench Footing: Cost and ProcessHow underpinning and bench footing lower a basement floor, what each costs in 2026, the ceiling height a legal suite needs in Ontario, BC and Calgary, and the permit and engineer rules. 9 min read
- How Long Does a Kitchen Renovation Take? Timeline by ScopeWeeks by scope, the stage-by-stage order, cabinet and countertop lead times, permit and inspection waits in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver, and condo and strata approvals. 9 min read
- Load-Bearing Wall Removal: Permits, Engineers and CostWhat the structural work costs by beam and span, permit rules, fees and review times by city, what the wall hides, and the steps from engineer to final inspection. 10 min read
Hiring a contractor
Quotes, contracts, deposits and warranties: what to ask before anyone starts work.
- Start hereHow to Hire a Contractor in Canada: Checks Before You SignThe checks to run before you hire a contractor in Canada: quotes, references, insurance, licences, the contract and deposit, red flags, and the rules in Ontario, BC and Alberta. 16 min read
- Compare Contractor Quotes: What to Check, Line by LineHow many renovation quotes to get, how to make every contractor price the same job, estimate against quote in each province, and how to read three bids line by line. 10 min read
- Contractor Deposit: How Much Is Normal in Each Province?How much deposit a contractor can fairly ask for, the deposit rules in Ontario, BC and Alberta, when a bigger payment up front is justified, and how to get it back. 8 min read
- Cost-Plus vs Fixed-Price Contracts: Which Suits Your BuildHow fixed-price, cost-plus and construction management contracts work for a custom home or a large renovation, what the fee costs, and the fine print to ask for. 9 min read
- Renovation Contract Checklist: What It Must IncludeThe 14 clauses a renovation contract needs, what Ontario, BC and Alberta law requires in it, a sample payment schedule with the holdback, and how changes and estimates are priced. 9 min read
- How to Check a Builder's Licence in Ontario, BC and AlbertaWhere to look up a builder's licence in Ontario, BC and Alberta, what each registry status means, when a renovation or an owner-built home needs no licence, and what to do if a builder is missing. 10 min read
Contractors and home builders near you, ranked
Every list weighs Google rating, review count, the services a firm offers and its portfolio.