The Ultimate Ottawa Home Renovation Guide

The Ultimate Ottawa Home Renovation Guide

Want to renovate your home but aren’t sure where or how to start? This guide aims to help you get past all that and closer to your newly improved house.

It doesn’t matter if your renovation plans are modest or huge. There are practical steps to make the process more organized and stress-free, which this article aims to provide.

Hopefully, this guide can also give you an idea of the professionals to approach and other resources to make the entire experience a success.

Come Up with a Basic Planning List

Come Up with a Basic Planning List

Whether it’s to simply upgrade your kitchen cabinets or for an entire home renovation, you should consider what your house and the people (and pets) living there need. Merely having an inspiration pegboard of reno projects that catch your fancy just won’t cut it.

Your renovation goals have to be realistic, affordable, and organized. You’ll also need to break down the costs and come up with an appropriate timeline for obtaining permits prior to renovation. 

The following section shows some of the first few important steps you can take before your renovation project goes underway. 

1. Consult professionals and experts

If you’re directly inspired by a neighbour, friend, or relative who did some home renovation, don’t be afraid to ask them for tips, referrals, or suggestions. They might even be able to give you helpful advice on proper home maintenance after everything’s done.

They can point you in the direction of a renovation specialist who has the proper background, expertise, team, and tools to bring your vision to life. These professionals have different specializations that can suit any homeowner’s ideas (more on this in a bit).

Of course, a third-party home inspection should also be done. You’ll need to know if your house is in the right condition for a renovation and if potential problems need to be addressed first.

2. Start a renovation budget

Don’t go blindly into a renovation project without considering the costs involved. How you’ll be spending your money during a renovation will depend on your current financial resources and priorities.

If you don’t have funds for a full renovation yet, do the project in increments and stages. That way, you won’t be pressured into spending money you don’t have.

You can also consider reputable loan services in Ottawa if you need to extend your renovation budget a bit. But make sure the terms are something you can meet and won’t plunge you into further debt.

3. Obtain proper permits

Some renovation projects do not require a building permit as stated by the Ontario Building Code. Still, there are nuances that need to be observed. 

You can find the full exemption list on the Ottawa website. However, decks less than 24 inches above grade (except for the main entrance), fences that don’t enclose a pool, doors and windows replacement (for same size openings), and general painting and decorating don’t need permits.

But structural repairs or alterations, plumbing additions or extensions, structural foundation repairs, interior and exterior structural alterations, and changes from septic to sanitary sewer systems all require building permits. You can apply for them at the City of Ottawa Client Service Centres.

4. Do Renovation Costing

Do Renovation Costing

Before having a contractor tell you the potential cost of a renovation project, you’ll need to involve your entire household in the matter. There might be some cost-cutting or trimming the fat involved in other financial aspects of the house so everyone has to be informed and on the same page.

You can also take a closer look at substituting prime materials with those that aren’t as pricey but will still do a satisfactory job. A good contractor will not hesitate to give suggestions on alternative materials, processes, and approaches to renovation if it means being able to stick to your budget.

You could also approach some mortgage companies in Ottawa with competitive rates that offer renovation services. 

5. List Renovation Projects by Priority

Renovation projects aren’t one-size-fits-all activities. There are different types of renovations that suit different lifestyles, requirements, spaces, and other factors. 

You can define your renovation project once your entire household settles on what you want to prioritize. Will you be working first on your bathrooms, kitchen, basement, or making everything accessible to people with disabilities or special needs? 

Everything else will follow as soon as you agree on what to prioritize, including your choice of renovation specialist, your budget, the timeline for your permits, and the completion of the renovation project itself.

So don’t fret about spending some time on this particular stage of your renovation project. It’s an important one that shouldn’t be rushed or done half-heartedly. 

6. Choose the Best Renovation Contractor for the Job

Choose the Best Renovation Contractor for the Job

It’s a good idea to find a renovator who puts your interests and needs above all else. The best renovation contractors in Ottawa are those who are comfortable answering any question or concern you may have while being realistic about the work involved.

But as with renovation projects, there are different types of renovation specialists, too. Renovation contractors typically work on huge projects that include getting all permits, materials, working with architects and engineers, and hiring workers like carpenters and electricians, and generally taking care of the entire renovation process.

Specialty renovation contractors can work specifically on bathrooms, kitchens, window or door replacements, and parts of the home that can be more environmentally friendly. On the other hand, trade contractors can be hired directly to deal with such things as HVAC issues, electricity, plumbing, or roofing matters.

Of course, a full renovation specialist will be the costliest. But the expenses will taper off significantly once you focus on particular parts of your home first.

FAQs About Home Renovation in Ottawa

What kind of renovations can make my home more accessible to differently-abled people?

For starters, you can take away the barriers that limit mobility like walls, stairs, and narrow corridors or thresholds. You can also introduce handrails and hand grips near steps, bathroom walls, and other areas that need them.

Entryways can also be widened to accommodate wheelchairs and other types of mobility aid.

What are some common reasons for doing a home addition?

If you started working from home or recently put up a home-based business, you’d likely want a separate wing or area of your home that won’t easily be disturbed by daily goings-on in your main house.

Other common reasons include an expanding family or if you want to utilize previously unused space on your property.

Can a carpenter do renovations on my house instead of a renovation specialist?

Some carpenters have sufficient experience to work on complicated things like mouldings and decorative ceiling or door trimmings so you can hire them for those specific tasks. 

But carpenters typically work in conjunction with renovation contractors or a carpentry company that vets clients first. It’s easier to see a carpenter’s credentials this way, as well.

I want to widen my driveway. Do I need a building permit for this?

Yes, you do. You’ll need a Private Approach Permit whether it’s for a new driveway, driveway widening, or closing a driveway. This kind of permit is also available at Ottawa’s Client Service Centres.