Sample quote Secondary suites

One-bedroom basement suite, Alta Vista

An unfinished basement turned into a one-bedroom suite with its own entrance, a kitchen, a bathroom and an interior drain.

A finished basement suite with a living area in front and a kitchen with an island behind it — Illustration only; the quote prices the work listed, not everything shown in the picture.

The brief

A bungalow with a full basement the owners want to rent out. The suite needs fire separation, an egress window, a separate entrance on the side of the house and its own kitchen and bathroom. The basement has had damp problems, so an interior drain and sump pump are included.

Priced as: Secondary suite, 700 sq ft, mid-range finishes, central Ottawa.

What it assumes

Mid-range. A one-bedroom suite with a quality kitchen and bath, better flooring and a designed lighting plan.
Included. Drawings, engineering and the permit application; Fire separation, sound control and an egress window; Kitchen, bathroom, laundry hookup and flooring; Separate heating and ventilation controls; Permit fees and inspections.
Not included. Furniture and appliances; A separate entrance, extra bedrooms, waterproofing and underpinning, unless you add them; Development charges, if the City applies any; Problems found behind walls and under floors.
Prices. Based on published Ottawa and Ontario price guides, checked October 2026, and before HST unless a line says otherwise. They are estimates, not an offer. A firm written quote follows a site visit.

Task by task

Each task with its price and the stage of the job it belongs to. We book the right trade for each one.

Tasks and prices: Secondary suite, 700 sq ft, mid-range finishes, central Ottawa
Task	Plan	Demo	Rough-in	Close-in	Finish	Price
Drawings, engineering and permit applicationPermit drawings, a fire separation plan and any engineering the City asks for.Plan	Plan					$4,500
Demolition, clean-out and disposalRemove old finishes and partitions. Bin and haul-away.Demo		Demo				$3,600
Framing, fire separation and sound controlFramed walls, fire-rated assemblies, fire stopping and sound control.Rough			Rough-in			$13,400
Insulation and vapour controlInsulation, air sealing and vapour control on the exterior walls.Rough			Rough-in			$4,000
Egress windowCut the opening, frame, install the window and build the well.Demo to Close		Demo	Rough-in	Close-in		$4,800
Electrical: panel, circuits and alarmsSeparate circuits, interconnected smoke and CO alarms, with inspection.Rough, Finish			Rough-in		Finish	$7,200
Plumbing: kitchen, bathroom and laundryDrains, supply lines and a backwater valve where one is needed.Rough, Finish			Rough-in		Finish	$5,200
Heating, ventilation and fresh airDucts, return air and ventilation for the suite.Rough			Rough-in			$4,800
Fire-rated drywall, taping and paintType X board where required, tape and mud, prime and paint.Close to Finish				Close-in	Finish	$9,600
Kitchen: cabinets, counters and backsplashSupplied and installed.Close to Finish				Close-in	Finish	$10,500
Bathroom: tile, vanity and fixturesTiled shower, vanity, toilet and accessories.Close to Finish				Close-in	Finish	$8,000
FlooringSubfloor system and flooring.Finish					Finish	$8,000
Doors, trim and stairsFire-rated and interior doors, baseboard and casing, stair finish.Finish					Finish	$5,100
Lighting, hardware and final fit-outLights, outlets, hardware, laundry hookup and cleaning.Finish					Finish	$3,600
Separate entranceDoor, stairs, landing and drainage for a side or rear entrance.Demo to Close		Demo	Rough-in	Close-in		$16,500
WaterproofingDrainage and sump, or exterior membrane, depending on the choice.Demo to Rough		Demo	Rough-in			$8,500
Older-home allowanceA cushion for plaster walls, older wiring and materials that need testing before they can be removed.						$8,200
Project management, supervision and site costsScheduling and supervising each task, bin rental, site protection, insurance and final cleaning.Plan to Finish	Plan	Demo	Rough-in	Close-in	Finish	$11,300
Permits and inspectionsBuilding and electrical permit fees and inspections, as the work requires them.Plan	Plan					$3,300
Subtotal before HST						$140,100
HST (13%)						$18,213
Estimated total with HST						$158,313

Prices are estimates based on published Ottawa and Ontario price guides, checked October 2026. They are not an offer. A firm written quote follows a site visit.

What would change the price

The same job with one thing changed. Choose a row to open that version in the estimator.

How the total changes with one change to this sample quote
Change	Difference	New total
Add a second bedroom	+$19,097	$177,410
Exterior waterproofing instead of an interior drain	+$15,368	$173,681
Lower the floor for more headroom	+$51,302	$209,615
Premium finishes	+$34,691	$193,004

More sample quotes

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Likely range, with HST $89,600 to $120,100 about $127 per sq ft

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