In short
- Stittsville began as a post village in 1854 and had 40,889 residents in its City ward in 2021, about 20 km west of downtown.
- On a septic system, adding fixtures, bedrooms or more than 15% finished floor area needs a conservation authority approval before the work.
- Heritage-designated buildings and Heritage District Overlay areas get no exemptions from the City's building permit rules.
- In HomeStars' 2026 Ottawa figures, a moved drain or supply line adds $1,500–$5,000 to a bathroom of any size.
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 |
| Moving plumbing | +$1,500–$5,000 | Added to the project; more with old pipe |
| Basement bathroom | $8,000–$30,000 | Ottawa-wide figure |
| City permit fee, renovation | $12.75 per $1,000 | Minimum $117 |
Sources. Seen 29.10.2026: HomeStars, Bathroom Renovation Cost Guide for Ottawa (updated 21/08/2026); HomeStars, 2026 Basement Renovation Cost Guide for Ottawa (updated 21/08/2026); City of Ottawa, Comprehensive Building Code Fee Schedule; City of Ottawa, Projects not requiring Building Permits; City of Ottawa, Submitting building permit applications and the issuance of building permits; Rideau Valley Conservation Authority, Septic Approvals and Septic FAQs and Resources. Area facts (1854 founding, 1870 fire, rail line closed 1990, 2021 ward population, 20 km, historic buildings, 2001 amalgamation): Wikipedia, Stittsville, read 29.10.2026.
A village that outgrew its main street
Stittsville was founded in 1854 when its first post office opened, with Jackson Stitt as postmaster. The first village grew where Carp Road meets Hazeldean Road, and locals now call that core Old Stittsville. In 1870 the Carleton County fire destroyed almost all of it. The people rebuilt along the new railway, and the line closed to passengers in January 1990. Its bed is now part of the Trans-Canada Trail.
The village sat in Goulbourn Township until 2001, when the township joined the City of Ottawa. Stittsville ward counted 40,889 residents in 2021. It lies about 20 km west of downtown, just southwest of Kanata, which makes for an uneven map: century-old village buildings, subdivisions beyond them and rural lots at the edges.
Heritage and old buildings
Some buildings in Old Stittsville are heritage-designated, among them the Bradley barn and farmhouse at 590 Hazeldean Road and the former hotel at 1510 Stittsville Main Street. The City’s permit page is blunt on this point: nothing on its exemption list applies to a designated heritage building or to one inside a Heritage District Overlay, and the owner is told to contact a Building Client Service Centre representative. A cabinet swap that needs nothing elsewhere may need more here. Say in the request if you know of a designation.
Walk-in showers and bathrooms
A walk-in shower replacing a tub is the job with the most variables. Tile, glass, a linear or centre drain and a waterproofing system all move the price. Keep the drain where the tub had it and you avoid the extra HomeStars adds for moved plumbing; its mid-range Ottawa bathroom band runs $15,000 to $30,000. The walk-in shower and tub-to-shower pages cover the options. The bathroom cost guide shows the price drivers.
Septic systems and extra bathrooms
If your property has a septic system, an extra bathroom raises a question that city lots never face. The Rideau Valley and Mississippi Valley Conservation Authorities check septic designs, issue approvals and inspect work for the City of Ottawa under Part 8 of the Ontario Building Code. Their FAQ says renovations that add fixture units, add bedrooms or increase finished floor area by more than 15% of the current footprint need an approval. Adding a secondary dwelling does too. A finished basement with a new bedroom and bath can reach all three lines.
Ask the company to raise the septic question before it prices, since an approval can add time.
Permit counters on the west side
The City charges $12.75 for every $1,000 of construction value, with $117 as the floor, and $117 flat for a plumbing-only application. A $15,000 bathroom with a plumbing change thus carries a $191.25 fee if it needs a full permit. The nearest in-person counters are West Carleton, 5670 Carp Road, open Wednesdays, and Nepean, 101 Centrepointe Drive, open Monday to Friday. The permit guide covers who needs one.
Winter in the west end
HomeStars describes December to March as a quieter stretch for contractors in Ottawa. A basement bathroom, in the $8,000 to $30,000 band, is a winter-friendly project because the work happens indoors. Nearby: Kanata and Barrhaven.
Who picks it up
A Stittsville request goes to one independent renovation company. The company phones, visits the house, asks the septic and heritage questions in person and sends a written quote under its own name.
Questions to ask the company
- My house is in the old village, built in [year]. What do you expect behind the bathroom walls at that age?
- My property has a septic system. Does adding a bathroom or bedroom need an approval, and who applies for it?
- Is my house heritage-designated or in a heritage district, and what does that change for the permit?
- If the shower drain shifts away from where the tub drained, how much does that add?
- When will the building permit be posted, and who books the inspections?
Have this ready for the call
- Address, and whether it sits in the old village or a newer subdivision off Hazeldean.
- Sewer or septic, plus the build year.
- If you know of a heritage designation, the by-law number or a copy of the notice.
- Photos of the bathroom, the plumbing access and the room below it.
- Room for a bin: driveway, lane or street.
Questions people ask
Is Stittsville on septic systems or City sewers?
It depends on the lot. A septic system falls under Part 8 of the Ontario Building Code, and the answer changes what a bathroom addition needs. Check your property records and write it in the request; the company will ask.
Which septic-lot renovations need an approval first?
Per the conservation authority, renovations that add fixture units, add bedrooms or raise finished floor area by more than 15% of the current footprint need an approval, and so does a secondary dwelling. The authority handles septic approvals and inspections for the City of Ottawa, so ask the company to raise it before pricing.
What is Old Stittsville and why does it matter?
The name covers the 1854 village core near Neil Avenue and the corner of Carp and Hazeldean. Some of its buildings are heritage-designated, and the City applies no permit exemptions to designated buildings, so even a cabinet swap needs a conversation.
Which permit counter is closest?
West Carleton, at 5670 Carp Road, takes walk-ins on Wednesdays from 8:30 am to 4 pm. The Nepean counter at 101 Centrepointe Drive is open Monday to Friday. Applications also go online through My ServiceOttawa.
Is Stittsville the same as Kanata?
They are neighbours. Stittsville lies just southwest of Kanata and sat in Goulbourn Township until 2001, while Kanata was its own city. Both follow the same City permit and fee rules today, but the housing and the service-area lines differ.
