How to Plan a Renovation
Step-by-Step (Ottawa Edition)

Most Ottawa homeowners I meet are doing their first big renovation. They don't know what they don't know. They have a number, an idea, and a vague sense that "we should probably get a permit." Then they call a contractor, hear three different prices, and freeze for six months.

The freeze is reasonable. The renovation industry does a poor job of explaining how a project actually moves from your kitchen table to a finished kitchen. After 20 years of building from Westboro to Manotick, here is the seven-phase sequence that turns an idea into a working renovation, in the order it actually happens.

Phase 1: Brief and Budget (Weeks 1-2)

Before you call a contractor, write a one-page brief. Plain language, no jargon. What you have, what you want, what bugs you about the current setup, what you cannot live without in the new one.

The brief answers four questions:

1. What rooms are in scope? Just the kitchen? Kitchen and main floor? Kitchen, main floor, and a basement suite? Each layer doubles the project complexity.
2. What is your number? Comfortable, stretch, hard ceiling. Three numbers, not one.
3. When do you need to be done? Anchored to a real event (school year, baby due date, retirement) or just "this year"?
4. What is your day-to-day non-negotiable? Can you live without a kitchen for 8 weeks? Without a primary bathroom? Without the laundry room? Pick what stays, even if it costs more.

If you cannot answer all four, you are not ready to call a contractor yet. Spend another week thinking. The clearer the brief, the better every quote you receive will be.

The biggest predictor of a smooth renovation is not the contractor's skill. It is the homeowner's clarity on day one. Vague briefs produce vague quotes, which produce expensive surprises.

Phase 2: Design and BCIN Drawings (Weeks 3-8)

Now you bring in design talent. Two paths in Ottawa: independent designer or design-build firm.

An independent designer or BCIN-qualified drafter produces:

• Existing-condition floor plans (measured drawings of your current home).
• Proposed floor plans with new layout.
• Elevations of cabinetry, vanities, built-ins.
• Electrical and lighting plan.
• Plumbing plan if fixtures are moving.
• Stamped construction drawings if a permit is needed (Ontario Building Code §9.36, §9.10, §9.9.10 compliance shown).

Design fees in Ottawa scale with scope: a kitchen and main-floor reno carries a smaller design fee than a full-home reno or addition. Stamped construction drawings for permit submission are a separate add-on if they aren't already included in the design package. Ask for the design fee as a written line item so you know exactly what you're paying for.

If your project is structural (beam removal, addition, second-storey, basement legalization), you also need a structural engineer for stamped beam calcs, which is a separate professional fee. Read more on our structural engineering page.

Phase 2 ends when you have approved drawings ready to submit for permit, ready to send to a cabinet shop, and ready to send out to bid (if going traditional) or to your design-build firm (for pricing).

Phase 3: Permit Submission (Weeks 9-14)

Permit applications go through MyServiceOttawa, the City's online portal. The City permit fee starts at a $117 minimum and scales with the value of the work, so larger renovations and additions carry higher City fees. The fee is set by the City, not the contractor, and is paid online at submission.

What City of Ottawa requires for a typical renovation permit:

• BCIN-stamped construction drawings (architectural).
• Stamped structural drawings if applicable (engineer's seal).
• Site plan if building envelope is changing.
• Heat-loss / heat-gain calculation for HVAC scope (OBC §9.36).
• Owner authorization form if a designer/contractor is submitting on your behalf.
• Permit fee paid online at submission.

Review timeline: 4-8 weeks from submission to permit-issued for a residential renovation. Additions take 8-14 weeks. Plans examiners often come back with revisions, which adds 1-3 weeks per round. Two revision rounds is normal. Three is a sign your drawings were not ready.

Use this time well: order long-lead-time materials (cabinets, windows, custom doors) while the permit is in review. Many cabinet shops in Ottawa run 8-14 weeks lead time, so a parallel-tracked permit and cabinet order saves a month off the project end-date.

Phase 4: Quote and Contract (Weeks 13-15)

If you went the design-build route, your contractor has been pricing in parallel and you should have a fixed-price quote ready when permits issue. If you went traditional, send your stamped drawings to two or three contractors and give them three weeks to respond.

What a complete renovation quote contains:

• Itemized scope of work, room by room.
• Materials list with brand and SKU where it matters (cabinet line, counter material, plumbing fixtures, hardware).
• Labour breakdown by trade.
• Allowances clearly named (the dollars set aside for things you have not chosen yet).
• Exclusions in writing.
• Schedule with milestones.
• Payment schedule tied to milestones, not calendar dates.
• Warranty terms.
• Insurance certificates (two-million-dollar liability, WSIB clearance).

The fixed-price contract is the gold standard. It puts the cost of mistakes on the contractor. Cost-plus and time-and-materials contracts put the cost on you. Get fixed-price unless you have a specific reason not to.

Deposit: 10-15% to start. Progress draws tied to milestones (cabinets delivered, plumbing rough-in inspected, drywall complete, etc.). Final 10-15% holdback until punch list is complete and you have signed off. Anyone asking for 50% upfront is a red flag.

Phase 5: Prep and Demo (Weeks 16-17)

The week before demo: containment, route protection, utilities mapping, HVAC return shutoff, pet and kid plan, alternate kitchen and laundry, valuables relocated, full prep walkthrough with the lead carpenter.

Demo week itself runs 3-7 days depending on scope. A kitchen-only is 3-4 days. A full main-floor with structural changes is 5-8 days. The crew is loud, dusty, and necessary, and then they are gone.

What demo finds (and why your contingency matters):

• Aluminum wiring (1965-1975 Ottawa homes).
• Knob-and-tube (pre-1955).
• Galvanized supply lines.
• Cast-iron drains (some still serviceable, some shot).
• Asbestos vermiculite in attic insulation (handle by a certified abater, not your crew).
• Rotted subfloors under bathrooms and dishwashers.
• Insufficient floor joists for a load you are about to add.

None of these are deal-breakers. All of them are budget hits. This is what your 10-15% contingency is for.

Phase 6: Build (Weeks 17-26)

The build phase is the longest. A typical mid-range Ottawa kitchen runs 6-9 weeks of on-site work. A main-floor reno with structural changes runs 9-13 weeks. A full home or addition runs 4-7 months.

Sequence on a typical kitchen and main-floor renovation:

1. Framing changes (wall removal, structural beam install, new openings).
2. Mechanical rough-ins (plumbing, electrical, HVAC, gas).
3. City inspections at framing and rough-in.
4. Insulation and vapour barrier.
5. Insulation inspection.
6. Drywall, taping, sanding.
7. Primer and first coat of paint.
8. Cabinet installation.
9. Counter template (digital or laser, after cabinets are in).
10. Counter installation (10-14 days after template).
11. Backsplash, plumbing trim, electrical trim.
12. Flooring (depending on scope, may be earlier).
13. Final paint coat.
14. Appliance install.
15. Final inspection by the City.
16. Punch list.

Expect at least one delay. Cabinet delivery slipping 2 weeks. Counter slab availability. A back-ordered fixture. A plumber sick day. Your contractor builds 5-10% schedule float into the timeline. Use it; do not panic when you need it.

Phase 7: Close-out and Warranty (Weeks 27-29)

The renovation is not done when the crew leaves. Close-out includes:

• Final punch list walk-through. You and the project manager identify every remaining touch-up. Two-week deadline to fix.
• Final inspection sign-off from City of Ottawa. No occupancy on permitted scope without it.
• Holdback release. Paid only when punch list is complete and city inspection is signed.
• Warranty documentation. Manufacturer warranties on appliances, cabinets, counters, fixtures filed in one folder. Contractor warranty terms in writing. At Dream Touch Renovations: 1-year contractor warranty, 25-year manufacturer on cabinet finishes, 10-year structural.
• As-built drawings. What was actually built, vs what the original drawings showed. Critical for future renos and for anyone selling the home later.
• Receipts and product manuals binder. All product registrations done. All serial numbers logged.

Ninety days after substantial completion, walk the project again. Look for settling cracks at drywall corners (normal), squeaks (normal), gaps at baseboards (normal). Note them and call your contractor. A good contractor returns once at 90 days for a courtesy adjustment visit.

The Honest Total Timeline

For a typical mid-range Ottawa renovation (kitchen plus main-floor, light structural):

• Brief and budget: 2 weeks
• Design and drawings: 6 weeks
• Permit submission and issuance: 6 weeks (overlapping with cabinet order)
• Quote and contract: 2 weeks
• Prep and demo: 1-2 weeks
• Build: 9-13 weeks
• Close-out: 2-3 weeks

That is 6-8 months from first phone call to fully done. For an addition or full-home, 9-14 months. Anyone telling you 12 weeks for a full kitchen renovation is selling you a worse outcome than you think you are buying.

If you want a contractor to walk your project through these phases with a realistic timeline and a real number, that is what our free 48-hour feasibility review is for. We map your scope to the right path, flag anything that needs a structural engineer or a stamped drawing, and give you an honest schedule. No commitment.

For the construction-cost side of the planning equation, our project estimating page explains how a fixed-price quote actually gets built and what to look for in any quote you receive.