Commercial general contractors (commercial GCs) in Ottawa operate under a different rulebook than residential GCs: Ontario Building Code Part 3 (vs Part 9), AODA accessibility compliance, layered permitting (Public Health, TSSA, ESA, fire alarm), tenant improvement allowance accounting, lease-driven schedules with hard occupancy dates, after-hours and weekend work patterns, higher insurance requirements ($5M+ vs $2M residential), and more sophisticated mechanical/electrical/plumbing coordination. This page covers what commercial GCs do, sector specialization, 2026 cost benchmarks by use, what ...
The commercial GC market is segmented by sector — and the right GC for your project specializes in your use case. Office fit-out specialists: corporate office buildouts, government office work (significant in Ottawa given federal presence), professional services offices. Examples in Ottawa: Govan Brown, Tactic Construction, R.E.L. Mascaro. Retail buildout specialists: branded retail (banking, telecom, fast-food, specialty retail), lease fit-outs from white-box to brand-standard. Restaurant build...
(1) Speed matters more — every week of delay costs lease, payroll, and lost revenue. Commercial GCs structure projects to compress permit-to-occupancy. (2) After-hours work is common — most occupied-property commercial work happens 6pm-2am weekdays or full weekends. (3) Code complexity — OBC Part 3, AODA Section 3.8 barrier-free design, more stringent fire separation, Public Health for food service, TSSA for refrigeration, ESA for all electrical. (4) Tenant improvement allowance (TI) — landlord ...
Per-square-foot ranges (turnkey including permits, design, demo, M/E/P, finishes, project management — excludes FF&E): Office mid-range buildout: $80-$160/sq ft. Office premium executive: $160-$280/sq ft. Retail standard buildout: $100-$200/sq ft. Retail premium brand-standard: $200-$400/sq ft. Restaurant full kitchen + dining: $250-$500/sq ft. Restaurant premium fine dining: $400-$700/sq ft. Medical/dental clinic: $200-$400/sq ft. Light industrial: $50-$120/sq ft. Hospitality guest room refresh...
Required permits vary by use, but typical stack includes: Building permit (City of Ottawa) — Part 3 commercial review typically 3-6 weeks. Plumbing permit. Electrical permit via ESA. Fire alarm and sprinkler permits if system modified. Demolition permit if removing structural elements. Use-change permit if changing occupancy class. Sector-specific approvals: Ottawa Public Health Unit for food service spaces (typically 2-4 weeks). TSSA for refrigeration and gas appliances. AODA compliance review ...
Most occupied-property commercial renovation requires noise-restricted and dust-controlled work outside business hours. Standard scheduling patterns: nightly 6pm-2am weekday work for high-traffic retail; full weekend access (Friday 6pm to Sunday 8pm) for office spaces; phased 4-week closures for restaurants doing major kitchen work; partial-floor closures with negative-pressure containment for office partial-floor renovations. Cost impact of after-hours work: 15-30% premium on labour rates. Crit...
Seven verification points: (1) 5+ years dedicated commercial portfolio in your sector — not residential GCs occasionally doing commercial. (2) Demonstrated experience in your specific use case with at least 3 completed projects in last 24 months. (3) $5M+ commercial general liability insurance. (4) WSIB clearance with strong safety record (no recent serious incidents). (5) Bonding capability for projects over $250K — request bonding letter from surety. (6) Strong project management with weekly w...
A commercial GC manages multi-trade commercial construction: office, retail, restaurant, medical, industrial. Responsibilities span permit application (building, plumbing, ESA, fire alarm, Public Health, TSSA), AODA compliance, scheduling around occupied-property constraints, M/E/P coordination, TI allowance accounting, and commissioning. Operates under OBC Part 3 vs residential Part 9.
Per-square-foot ranges: office $80-$280, retail $100-$400, restaurant $250-$700, medical/dental $200-$400, light industrial $50-$120, hospitality $35K-$85K per guest room. Adaptive reuse adds 30-50% premium. Total project cost depends on square footage, finish tier, after-hours requirements, and AODA work needed.
Match the GC to your sector — office, retail, restaurant, medical, industrial all require different specialization. Verify 5+ years dedicated commercial portfolio, $5M+ insurance, WSIB clearance, bonding capability for projects over $250K, AODA experience, and at least 3 recent references in your sector. Don't hire residential GCs for commercial work.
Permits 8-16 weeks before construction. Small office refresh 6-10 weeks construction; full office buildout 10-20 weeks; restaurant 12-20 weeks; medical/dental clinic 14-24 weeks. After-hours and phased work extends timelines 30-60%.
TI is landlord funding for tenant buildout, typically $15-$60/sq ft in Ottawa. Disbursed against documented invoices, usually 25% at permits, 25% at rough-in, 25% at substantial completion, 25% after 60-day lien holdback. Excludes FF&E and brand-specific items beyond landlord-approved standard.