In short
- One Ottawa firm (May 2026): $15,000–$25,000 for a small refresh, $25,000–$50,000 mid-range, $50,000–$75,000+ for a custom kitchen.
- HomeStars' Canada-wide guide (21.08.2026): $15,000–$30,000 basic, $30,000–$60,000 mid-range, $80,000+ high-end.
- Labour is 30–50% of a renovation budget; a general contractor adds 10–20%; HomeStars advises a 10–15% contingency.
- The City permit is $12.75 per $1,000 of work, $117 minimum; same-place cabinet swaps need none.
- A written estimate can end up at most 10% higher, and Ontario advises a deposit of no more than 10%.
Typical prices in Ottawa
| Job | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Small refresh | $15,000–$25,000 | One Ottawa firm, May 2026 |
| Mid-range renovation | $25,000–$50,000 | Same firm |
| High-end custom kitchen | $50,000–$75,000+ | Same firm |
| Basic update / mid-range / high-end | $15,000–$30,000 / $30,000–$60,000 / $80,000+ | HomeStars, Canada-wide |
| Cabinets / counters / appliances | $3,000–$30,000+ / $20–$155 per sq ft / $8,000–$40,000 | HomeStars, Canada-wide |
| Moved plumbing or gas connection, each | $1,000–$3,000 | HomeStars |
| Trades, per hour | $80–$150 | HomeStars |
Sources. Seen 29.10.2026: Done Right Renovations, How Much Does a Kitchen Renovation Cost in Ottawa in 2026? (28 May 2026) (one firm’s list); HomeStars, How Much Does a Home Renovation Cost in Canada 2026 (updated 21/08/2026); NorthCo Services, Cost of a Kitchen Renovation in Ottawa (7 July 2020); City of Ottawa, Comprehensive Building Code Fee Schedule; City of Ottawa, Projects not requiring Building Permits; Ontario, Your rights when starting home renovations or repairs
Two lists, three tiers
The kitchen tiers appear on two current lists. One Ottawa renovation firm publishes $15,000–$25,000 for a small refresh, $25,000–$50,000 for mid-range and $50,000–$75,000 and more for a custom kitchen, and says the average in Ottawa runs $20,000 to $75,000 and up. HomeStars’ Canada-wide guide gives $15,000–$30,000, $30,000–$60,000 and $80,000 and up. They overlap in the middle.
Room-by-room comparisons with the bathroom and basement are on renovation cost in Ottawa. A smaller room is on small kitchen renovation.
The lines behind the number
HomeStars splits a kitchen into the lines below. A quote that shows them lets you compare it with another.
| Line | Published range | What moves it |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinets | $3,000–$30,000+ | Stock, semi-custom or custom |
| Countertops, installed | $20–$155 per sq ft | Material and run length |
| Appliances | $8,000–$40,000 | Standard to professional grade |
| Plumbing or gas move | $1,000–$3,000 each | Sink to an island, range to another wall |
| Labour | 30–50% of the budget | Trades bill $80–$150 an hour |
| General contractor | 10–20% of the project | Coordination of the trades |
The cabinet and counter lines are explained on cabinets and countertops.
A worked $40,000 kitchen
This is plain arithmetic on the published rates, to show how the lines stack up. Suppose the work is valued at $40,000 and includes a removed wall. The City permit is $12.75 for each $1,000, so $510. A 10–15% contingency is $4,000 to $6,000. If a general contractor’s 10–20% sits on top of trades and materials, that is $4,000 to $8,000 more. Cabinets, counters and appliances come out of the $40,000 itself. Ask each company to show the permit, contingency and management fee as separate lines.
Permit and electrical lines
The City exempts replacing kitchen cabinets when plumbing fixtures stay in the same place. Moved plumbing and removed walls need a permit, and starting before the permit is issued adds 50% to the fee. Wiring belongs to an electrical contractor holding an ECRA/ESA licence, and that contractor files the notification of work. Both rules are on the permits page.
Reading the contract
Ontario requires a written contract for jobs over $50, with start and finish dates and a payment schedule. Keep the deposit to a minimum, at most 10%. If the estimate is in the contract, the final price can be at most 10% above it. The contract checklist lists the remaining clauses.
Whose number you sign
The Desk passes your kitchen request to one independent company, which calls, measures and quotes. The ranges above describe the market. The figure on the page you sign belongs to that company.
Questions to ask the company
- Which lines in the quote are fixed prices and which are allowances?
- Is the general contractor's fee a separate line or inside the others?
- How much contingency would you hold for a house this old, and where is it written?
- Does the price include the permit, delivery and disposal of the old kitchen?
- Is my estimate written into the contract, with start and finish dates?
Have this ready for the call
- A ceiling for the whole project, with tax, permit and contingency inside it.
- Wall lengths in feet and photos of each wall.
- A list split into must-have, nice-to-have and can-wait.
- The year the house was built and any known electrical or plumbing problems.
- Appliances you keep, with widths, and any you plan to buy yourself.
Questions people ask
How current are older Ottawa kitchen prices I find online?
Check the date first. One Ottawa renovation firm’s cost article carries a 7 July 2020 date and quotes new counters at $70 to $200 per square foot. The bands above are from May and August 2026. A figure older than a year or two should be treated as history.
What does a kitchen renovation return at resale?
HomeStars’ Canada-wide guide says kitchen renovations typically return 75 to 100 per cent of their cost. It puts minor kitchen updates around 96 per cent and a major remodel around 38 per cent. Replacing surfaces, fixtures and hardware tends to return more than structural changes.
Is $40,000 enough for a kitchen in Ottawa?
It sits in the mid-range on both current lists: $25,000–$50,000 on one Ottawa firm’s and $30,000–$60,000 in HomeStars’ Canada guide. Whether it holds depends on layout moves at $1,000–$3,000 each and on the appliances, which alone run $8,000–$40,000. The worked budget below shows where the money goes.
What is an allowance in a kitchen quote?
A placeholder amount for something not chosen yet, such as counters or a faucet. If your pick costs more, the difference lands on you. Ask for each allowance to be listed with its amount, and choose the finish before the contract is signed.
Which lines should I trim first if the quote runs high?
HomeStars points to three: premium materials that can double the material budget, layout changes at $1,000–$3,000 per moved connection, and appliance grade ($8,000–$40,000). Keeping the layout and choosing mid-range finishes brings most quotes down.
