In short
- Gloucester was a city from 1981 to 2001 and counted 150,012 residents in 2021, from Billings Bridge east to the Greenbelt and south to Leitrim.
- Blackburn Hamlet and Beacon Hill were built mostly in the 1960s and 1970s; Hunt Club began developing in the 1970s.
- Houses built before 2004 qualify by age for both City backwater valve rebates, up to $1,000 each.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bathroom, cosmetic refresh | $7,000–$12,000 | HomeStars Ottawa, 2026 |
| Bathroom, mid-range rebuild | $15,000–$30,000 | New tile, vanity, toilet and fixtures |
| Bathtub conversion, 50–100 sq ft | $10,000+ | HomeStars completed-jobs table |
| Moving plumbing | +$1,500–$5,000 | More with old cast-iron or copper pipe |
| City rebate: indoor storm backwater valve | up to $1,000 | Houses built before January 1, 2004 |
| Home Accessibility Tax Credit, eligible expenses | up to $20,000 a year | Per qualifying individual |
Sources. Seen 29.10.2026: HomeStars, Bathroom Renovation Cost Guide for Ottawa (updated 21/08/2026); City of Ottawa, Residential Protective Plumbing program; Canada Revenue Agency, Home accessibility expenses (line 31285); City of Ottawa, Submitting building permit applications and the issuance of building permits. Area facts (1792 township, 1981 city, 2001 amalgamation, 2021 population, Billings Bridge, Greenbelt, Mer Bleue): Wikipedia, Gloucester, Ontario. Blackburn Hamlet (1967 first residents, 1960s and 1970s homes, 2021 population, Greenbelt): Wikipedia, Blackburn Hamlet. Beacon Hill (1960s and 1970s, Green’s Creek ravine): Wikipedia, Beacon Hill, Ottawa. Hunt Club (development from the 1970s): Wikipedia, Hunt Club. Leitrim and Findlay Creek (growth, Line 2 extension opened 2025): Wikipedia, Leitrim, Ontario. All read 29.10.2026.
A name that covers the east and southeast
Gloucester was surveyed in 1792 as Township B, and the first settler, Braddish Billings, arrived in what is now Billings Bridge. The township took its name in 1850, became a city in 1981 and joined Ottawa in 2001. The 2021 census counted 150,012 people. The name still works as a map for the east and southeast: Billings Bridge, Beacon Hill, Blackburn Hamlet, Hunt Club, South Keys and Leitrim. Orléans, which was split between Gloucester and Cumberland, has its own page at Orléans.
Houses from the 1960s and 1970s
Blackburn Hamlet’s first residents moved in in 1967, and most of its homes were built in the 1960s and 1970s. Beacon Hill, split by Montreal Road, was built in the same decades. Hunt Club began to develop in the 1970s and was planned as a bedroom community. Further south, Leitrim and the Findlay Creek area are still growing, and the Line 2 extension to Leitrim opened in 2025.
For a renovation, the first group matters most. A house of that age may still have its original bathroom, with the tub, tile and vanity as old as the house. Say so in the request, with the year, and add a photo of the tub surround so the company can read the age of the walls and pipes. The photo also shows whether the shower can sit where the tub is now.
Tub-to-shower in an original bathroom
A tub replaced by a shower is the job this page follows. HomeStars’ completed-jobs table lists a bathtub conversion of 50 to 100 square feet at $10,000 or more, and a mid-range rebuild between $15,000 and $30,000. Keeping fixtures where they are is the biggest control on cost, as moving plumbing adds $1,500 to $5,000, more where old cast-iron or copper pipe is involved. See tub-to-shower and the bathroom renovation cost guide.
When the bathroom has to work for someone
Blackburn Hamlet’s 2016 census showed 20% of residents at retirement age. A shower with a low threshold, blocking inside the wall for grab bars and a bench are easiest to build when the wall is open. The accessible bathroom page covers the choices. Part of that cost can come back through the federal credit for accessibility work; the credit page explains who qualifies.
Valve money for a 1970s basement
Blackburn and Beacon Hill houses sit well inside the City’s age lines for both backwater valves. The City pays whichever is lower, the cap or what the valve actually cost. It wants a plumbing permit before anyone cuts the floor, and the rebate claim filed inside 18 months of that permit.
Getting to you
Gloucester is a wide area, from Billings Bridge in the west to the Greenbelt at Blackburn and Mer Bleue in the east, and south to Leitrim. Crews reach it along Innes Road, Blair Road, Bank Street and Hunt Club Road. The in-person Building Code counters nearest to you are Orléans at 255 Centrum Boulevard and City Hall at 110 Laurier Avenue West, both on weekday hours, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, and the same forms can be filed online in My ServiceOttawa.
Who takes the job
The Desk hands a Gloucester request to a single independent renovation firm. That firm phones you, comes to see the bathroom and puts its own name on the written quote. Price, dates and the crew are its call.
Questions to ask the company
- The house went up in [year]. Behind a tub surround that old, what do you tend to find?
- Can the new shower use the old tub's drain position, and what changes if the drain moves?
- If someone in the house needs a grab bar or a low threshold, how do you plan blocking in the wall?
- Should a backwater valve go in while the basement floor is open?
- Does your firm file the permit, and do I get a copy before demolition?
Have this ready for the call
- Postal code plus the closest big road: Innes, Blair, Bank or Hunt Club.
- Build year; a decade is enough for a 1960s or 1970s house.
- Photos of the bathroom from the door, the tub surround and the access panel or the room below.
- If the work is for accessibility, a note on who needs what, such as a seat, a bar or a step-free entry.
Questions people ask
What does Gloucester mean today?
Since 2001 it has been part of Ottawa, and the old city’s name stays in use for the east and southeast: Billings Bridge, Beacon Hill, Blackburn Hamlet, Hunt Club, South Keys and Leitrim. Give your postal code in the request, as the old boundary no longer applies.
My Beacon Hill house is from the 1970s. Which rebates apply?
Both, going by age alone. A 1970s house clears the 2012 line for the sanitary valve and the 2004 line for the storm valve, and each can bring back as much as $1,000. The plumbing permit has to be issued first, and fixing a valve that is already there earns nothing.
Is a tub-to-shower swap a good time to plan for accessibility?
Yes, because the wall is open. Wall blocking for grab bars and a low-threshold base are cheapest then. The federal accessibility credit lets each qualifying person claim as much as $20,000 in expenses per year. Ask a tax adviser how it fits your return.
Does Greenbelt land next to my street change a renovation?
Blackburn Hamlet is surrounded by National Capital Commission Greenbelt land. Work inside the house follows the City’s usual permit rules. For an addition or anything near the lot line, mention the Greenbelt in the request and ask the company to confirm the approvals.
