Every consult I run includes the same three or four pieces of bad advice the homeowner heard from a friend, an uncle, a TV show, or a Reddit thread. Some of the advice is partly right. Most of it is just wrong.
Here are the ten myths I hear most often in Ottawa, with a short note on what is actually true.
Myth 1: The permit will take six months
People say this so often I have stopped being surprised. The truth is that City of Ottawa permits for typical residential work clear in 4 to 8 weeks, sometimes faster. Minor permits (a single bathroom, a basement legalization with no structural changes) can clear in 2 to 3 weeks if the drawings are clean and complete on submission.
The "six months" rumour comes from people who submitted incomplete drawings, got a request for revisions, took a month to respond, and added that month to the calendar. Or who confused a permit timeline with a Committee of Adjustment minor variance, which is a separate longer process. A clean permit on a normal job is rarely the bottleneck.
Myth 2: A kitchen always doubles in resale value
This was true in 1995. It is not true now. Recent Ottawa data from CMHC and several local appraisal firms puts the average return on a kitchen renovation at 60 to 80 percent of cost, not 200 percent. A renovated kitchen recovers most, but not all, of what it cost at the appraisal.
Where the kitchen pays back differently is on time-on-market. A renovated kitchen sells the house faster, which on a higher-end Westboro listing can be worth real money in saved carrying costs and stress. The financial payback is real, but it is not "double your money."
Myth 3: You always need an architect
For most residential work in Ontario, a BCIN-certified designer can stamp the drawings instead of an architect. BCIN is the Building Code Identification Number system, run by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs. A BCIN designer with the right qualifications can submit permits for renovations, additions up to certain sizes, basement legalizations, coach houses, and most other residential scopes.
Architects are required for buildings over a certain size and complexity, or for clients who want a particular design philosophy. They are not required for a typical kitchen or bath. The fee difference is substantial: a BCIN designer's hourly rate is well below a registered architect's, which is why most residential projects use a designer.
When you actually need an architect
Buildings over 600 square metres, multi-unit residential over 9 units, anything outside Part 9 of the Ontario Building Code, or work that requires a stamped architectural seal under the Ontario Architects Act. Most renovations and home additions in Ottawa fall under Part 9 and do not require this.
Myth 4: IKEA cabinets are bad
This is partly true and mostly wrong. IKEA cabinet boxes (the "Sektion" line) are well engineered. The boxes are 3/4-inch melamine on a particle-core, dadoed and dowelled, with hardware from Blum (the same hardware used in high-end custom kitchens). The boxes themselves last 20-plus years.
What can go wrong with IKEA is two things. The factory door fronts are MDF, painted, and chip on edges over time. The install needs a careful crew because the IKEA system uses a different mounting approach than North American boxes. Hire someone who has done 20-plus IKEA kitchens and you get a result that punches well above what you paid. Hire a generalist and you get a result that looks cheaper than what you paid.
The smart play in 2026 for budget-conscious clients in Ottawa is IKEA boxes with custom door fronts from a third-party shop (Semihandmade, Reform, or local cabinet shops). The boxes cost a fraction of custom cabinetry, the doors look like custom cabinetry, and the combination lands well under what a fully custom kitchen would run.
Myth 5: Brass is dated
Brass was overdone for several years and that is what people are reacting to. Brass itself is a 200-year-old finish that comes back into rotation every 20 years. The current oversupply of brass on every surface is what looks dated. Used as a single accent (faucet only, or pulls only, or pendants only) brass continues to read as warm, real, and timeless.
The actual rule is to pick one warm-metal accent per room and let everything else be a quieter finish. The brass faucet on a soft white quartz counter with brushed nickel pulls and matte black hinges is not dated. The room with brass on every metal surface is.
Myth 6: Contractors hide costs in the quote
Some do. Most do not. The contractors who hide costs are the ones who quote with vague allowances (a round "tile allowance" with no specifications). When the homeowner picks the tile they actually want, the bill exceeds the allowance, and the contractor charges the difference.
The fix is not to assume the contractor is dishonest. The fix is to demand a quote with specific line items, no vague allowances, and a clear change-order process. Our quotes itemize every assembly, name every product by brand and model, and lock the price for 30 days. There is no hidden cost because there is no place to hide one.
The reputation contractors have for hiding costs comes from the bottom 15 percent of the trade. The other 85 percent are running a real business and would lose every reference if they tried it.
Myth 7: Fixed-price contracts are impossible
This is something cost-plus contractors say to defend their model. It is not true. We write fixed-price contracts on every kitchen, bathroom, and basement we build. The way you do it is to design the project completely before pricing it, source the materials with current vendor quotes, build in a real contingency for genuine unknowns (5 to 10 percent), and assume the risk on everything else.
The contractor who tells you fixed-price is not possible is telling you they have not designed your project enough to price it. That is not a feature of cost-plus. That is a sign that more design work needs to happen before any contract is signed.
Myth 8: A bigger crew finishes faster
Up to a point, yes. Past that point, no. A typical Ottawa kitchen renovation runs efficiently with 3 trades on site at any given time. Add a fourth and they get in each other's way. Add a fifth and the schedule actually slips.
What does finish faster is sequencing. A real general contractor schedules each trade so they arrive when their work can start, leave when it ends, and do not double back. The schedule is what makes the project fast, not the crew size on any given day.
Myth 9: You should pay the contractor 50 percent up front
You should not. Most jurisdictions cap the deposit on a renovation contract at 10 to 15 percent. In Ontario the Construction Act allows higher deposits but most reputable contractors will not ask for them.
The honest payment structure on a typical renovation is milestone-based: roughly 10 percent deposit on signing, 25 percent at demo complete, 25 percent at rough-in complete, 25 percent at drywall and tile complete, and the final 15 percent at substantial completion. If a contractor wants 50 percent on day one, they have cash flow problems. They will likely use your money on someone else's project.
Myth 10: TV renovation shows are realistic
I love a good Property Brothers episode. They are not realistic. The 6-week timeline shown is closer to 16 weeks in real life. The big "reveal number" usually does not include design fees, permits, taxes, or the fact that the production company covers a lot of the materials at trade cost or for free.
What the shows do show accurately is the value of demolition, fresh paint, and lighting changes on what a room looks like. What they do not show is the engineering, the inspections, the change orders, or the 4 weeks of cabinet lead time that does not make for good TV.
Treat the shows as inspiration, not as a project plan. The homeowner who comes in expecting a TV-show timeline is the homeowner who will be disappointed at week three.
The honest version of the renovation conversation
If you are starting a project this year, the truth is somewhere between the worst rumours and the best TV shows. Permits clear in 4 to 8 weeks. Renovations return 60 to 80 percent of cost. Fixed-price is possible. Brass is fine in moderation. IKEA cabinets are fine with the right install. The schedule is real.
The contractor who walks you through the actual numbers without flinching is the one to hire. The one who repeats the myths back to you is not.
If you want a real consultation that includes the truth on all of the above, call 613-862-4555 for a free 48-hour feasibility review on your Ottawa home. We will answer every question with a number, not a feeling.