Kitchen renovation in Ottawa: same footprint or a new layout
Tell us the kitchen you have, what changes and the budget. One independent Ottawa renovation company gets the work order and calls to book a measure.
In short
- 01One Ottawa firm publishes $15,000–$25,000 for a small refresh, $25,000–$50,000 mid-range and $50,000–$75,000+ for a custom kitchen (May 2026).
- 02HomeStars' 2026 Canada guide: $15,000–$30,000 basic, $30,000–$60,000 mid-range, $80,000+ high-end.
- 03Each moved sink, range or gas line adds $1,000–$3,000, plus electrical if needed.
- 04A kitchen takes four to eight weeks on average (HomeStars Canada).
- 05Electrical work goes through a contractor with an ECRA/ESA licence, who files a notification with the ESA before starting.
Typical ranges
Source Seen 29.10.2026: Done Right Renovations, How Much Does a Kitchen Renovation Cost in Ottawa in 2026? (published 28 May 2026); HomeStars, How Much Does a Home Renovation Cost in Canada 2026 (updated 21/08/2026); City of Ottawa, Projects not requiring Building Permits; City of Ottawa, Building permit projects; Electrical Safety Authority, Hiring a contractor; City of Ottawa, Comprehensive Building Code Fee Schedule (January 1, 2026)
What to ask before you book
- Q1Which cabinet line is in the quote: stock, semi-custom or custom?
- Q2Is the counter priced per square foot, and in which material?
- Q3Does the sink, range or fridge move, and what does each move add?
- Q4What is your ECRA/ESA licence number, and who files the notification of work?
- Q5Which week do the counters go in, and on which day is the sink connected again?
Before the visit
- Wall lengths, ceiling height, and where the window and doors sit.
- Photos of each wall, the inside of the sink cabinet and the electrical panel.
- The appliances you keep, with their widths.
- Which room can serve as a temporary kitchen for a microwave and a kettle.
- Two or three photos of kitchens you like.
Same footprint or a new layout
Every kitchen quote starts from one question: does anything move? If the sink, range and fridge stay where they are, the plumbing and gas lines stay too, and the money goes into cabinets, counters and finishes. If the sink moves to an island or the range moves to another wall, HomeStars puts each relocation at $1,000–$3,000, plus electrical if the new spot needs a circuit.
Write the answer in the work order. “Same layout, new cabinets and quartz” and “sink into an island, wall to the dining room comes down” are two different jobs, with two different permit answers.
Where the kitchen money goes
HomeStars’ 2026 Canada guide breaks a kitchen into four big lines:
- Cabinets: $3,000 to $30,000 and more, for stock, semi-custom or custom.
- Counters: $20 to $155 per square foot installed, by material: laminate, quartz, granite or butcher block.
- Appliances: $8,000 to $40,000 for a full package.
- Moves: $1,000 to $3,000 for each relocated plumbing or gas connection.
One Ottawa renovation firm publishes its own bands: $15,000–$25,000 for a small refresh, $25,000–$50,000 for a mid-range renovation and $50,000–$75,000 and up for a high-end custom kitchen. Treat those as one company’s list: a local reference point, with your own quote still to come.
Weeks without a kitchen
Four to eight weeks is the Canada-wide average in the HomeStars guide. Ask the company for the order of work week by week, and where the waits fall, such as the counter measure and install. Meanwhile, set up a corner of another room with the fridge, a microwave and a kettle.
Electrical and permits
New circuits for an island, under-cabinet lights or an induction range are electrical work. The ESA requires that work to go through a business with an ECRA/ESA licence, which files a notification of work before starting. The 7-digit licence number appears on the company’s estimates and vehicles, and the ESA has a lookup on its site.
The City permit is a separate track. Same cabinet layout and same plumbing locations: exempt. A moved drain, a removed wall or a new window: permit, at $12.75 per $1,000 of construction value.
Who you are dealing with
Ottawa Reno Desk passes your kitchen work order to one independent local renovation company. They call, measure the kitchen and give you their own quote.
Questions
01How long will I be without a kitchen?
HomeStars’ 2026 Canada guide says a kitchen renovation takes four to eight weeks on average. Ask the company when the counters are measured and installed, and how many days pass after the cabinets go in.
02Why do Ottawa kitchen figures differ so much?
Each source draws the bands differently. One Ottawa firm puts mid-range at $25,000–$50,000; HomeStars’ Canada guide puts it at $30,000–$60,000. Both list cabinets and layout changes among the main cost drivers. Your quote comes from the company that measures your kitchen.
03Are appliances part of the renovation price?
Sometimes. HomeStars puts a full appliance package at $8,000–$40,000, which can be a big share of a kitchen budget. Say in the request if you keep yours, buy your own, or want them in the quote.
04Can the island have a sink?
Yes, and it turns the job into a layout change. HomeStars puts each relocated plumbing or gas connection at $1,000–$3,000, and the City counts altered or extended plumbing as permit work. Write “sink in the island” in the request so the first quote includes both.
05What does a new countertop cost?
HomeStars’ 2026 Canada guide puts installed counters at $20–$155 per square foot, depending on the material: laminate, quartz, granite or butcher block. Measure the counter run in feet and put it in the request with the material you like.