A general contractor in Ottawa manages your entire renovation from planning to final cleanup: they pull City of Ottawa building permits, hire and schedule the trades, order materials, coordinate inspections, control the budget and timeline, and take single-point responsibility for the finished result. In short, the general contractor (often called the GC or project lead) is the person who turns your plans into a completed, code-compliant project so you do not have to juggle plumbers, electricians, framers, and inspectors yourself. For homeowners in Kanata, Barrhaven, Orléans, Nepean, and Westb...
A general contractor is the professional who takes overall responsibility for building or renovating your home. Rather than doing every task with their own hands, they organize the whole project: they interpret your drawings or design, break the work into stages, hire the right trades, buy materials, keep the site safe, and make sure everything meets the Ontario Building Code. Think of the GC as the conductor of an orchestra — each trade is a skilled musician, but the contractor makes sure every...
A handyman handles small, single-trade repairs and rarely pulls permits. A builder typically constructs new homes or large structures. A general contractor sits in between and above: they manage multi-trade renovations, additions, and rebuilds, coordinate permits and inspections, and carry the insur...
The everyday job of a general contractor covers five big areas. First, planning and estimating: they review your scope, produce a detailed quote, and set a realistic schedule. Second, permits and compliance: they apply for City of Ottawa building permits and ensure the work meets the Ontario Building Code and Electrical Safety Authority requirements. Third, trade management: they hire, schedule, and supervise carpenters, plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians, tilers, and painters in the corre...
Before signing, confirm the GC will handle these items in writing: permit application and fees, trade hiring and scheduling, material ordering, site safety and WSIB coverage, inspection booking, cleanup and disposal, and warranty on workmanship. If any of these fall to you instead, make sure you und...
One of the most common points of confusion for Ottawa homeowners is the difference between a general contractor and a specialty contractor. A specialty contractor — such as a licensed electrician, plumber, or roofer — is an expert in one trade and is usually hired for a single, focused job. A general contractor manages the whole project and hires those specialists as needed. Here is the practical comparison in plain terms: if you only need a new roof or an electrical panel upgrade, a specialty c...
Choose a specialty contractor for isolated, single-trade work: a furnace replacement, a re-shingle, a fence, a panel upgrade, or a plumbing repair — for example, an established Ottawa plumbing company like PlumbingNow.ca for water heater swaps, drain issues, or fixture installs. Choose a general con...
In Ottawa, most renovations that affect structure, plumbing, electrical, or the building envelope require a City of Ottawa building permit, and a professional general contractor manages this process for you. They prepare or coordinate the drawings, submit the permit application, pay the fees, and post the permit on site. As the work progresses, they book the required inspections at key stages — footings, framing, insulation and vapour barrier, plumbing, and final occupancy — so each phase is sig...
Permits trigger independent inspections that confirm your renovation is safe and code-compliant. That paper trail protects your home insurance, satisfies future buyers and their lawyers, and gives you recourse if a defect appears later. A GC who suggests skipping the permit to save time is putting y...
General contractors are typically paid in one of two ways, and understanding both helps you compare quotes fairly. The most common is a fixed-price contract, where the GC quotes a total for a defined scope. The other is cost-plus, where you pay the actual cost of labour and materials plus a management fee — often around 10 to 20 per cent. As a rough guide in 2026 Canadian dollars, a general contractor's markup or management portion generally lands in the 15 to 25 per cent range of project cost, ...
Set aside a contingency of 10 to 15 per cent for surprises hidden behind walls — old wiring, knob-and-tube, water damage, or foundation cracks are common in older Ottawa homes. Budget separately for permits, design fees, and any temporary accommodation if the work makes your home unliveable for a st...
Renovating in Ottawa means building for a demanding climate, and a knowledgeable general contractor plans for it from day one. Our deep winter frost and repeated freeze-thaw cycles put stress on foundations, so any work involving footings, additions, or basement waterproofing needs proper frost-depth footings — typically around 1.5 metres — and good drainage to prevent heaving and leaks. Snow load matters for additions, sunrooms, and roof changes, and materials should be chosen for durability in...
In Centretown, Westboro, and Rockcliffe Park, older and heritage homes can hide surprises: outdated wiring, asbestos, undersized electrical service, and settled foundations. A seasoned GC investigates these early, prices them realistically, and coordinates any heritage-conservation approvals rather ...
A general contractor manages your entire renovation or build. They plan and estimate the project, pull City of Ottawa building permits, hire and schedule the trades in the right order, order materials, control the budget and timeline, book municipal and ESA inspections, ensure the work meets the Ontario Building Code, and take single-point responsibility for the finished result and its warranty.
You need a general contractor when your project involves multiple trades, requires permits and inspections, or affects structure, plumbing, or electrical — for example a kitchen gut, basement finish, or home addition. For a single-trade job like a re-roof or panel upgrade, a specialty contractor may be more cost-effective. The GC's value is coordinating complex work so you do not have to.
General contractors typically work on a fixed-price contract or a cost-plus basis. In 2026 Canadian dollars, the contractor's markup or management portion generally lands in the 15 to 25 per cent range of project cost, covering supervision, coordination, insurance, and warranty. Cost-plus management fees often run about 10 to 20 per cent. Always compare quotes on identical scope.
A specialty contractor is an expert in one trade — such as electrical, plumbing, or roofing — and is hired for a single focused job. A general contractor manages the whole project and hires those specialists as needed. Use a specialty contractor for isolated single-trade work and a general contractor for multi-trade renovations, additions, and permitted projects.
Yes. A professional general contractor prepares or coordinates the drawings, submits the City of Ottawa building permit application, pays the fees, posts the permit on site, and books the required inspections at each stage. Electrical work is permitted and inspected through the Electrical Safety Authority. Skipping permits is a serious red flag that can create insurance and resale problems.