Sample quote Basements

Basement family room with a bathroom, Barrhaven

An unfinished basement finished as a family room with built-in shelving, a three-piece bathroom and a new egress window.

A finished basement family room with an open wood staircase, built-in shelving around a television, a grey sectional sofa and a bar nook — Illustration only; the quote prices the work listed, not everything shown in the picture.

The brief

The basement is dry and has good ceiling height, but it is open concrete and framing. The owners want a family room, a three-piece bathroom and a window that meets egress rules so the room can later be used as a bedroom.

Priced as: Basement renovation, 800 sq ft, mid-range finishes, suburban Ottawa.

What it assumes

Mid-range. Better flooring and trim, a designed lighting plan, a den or office, and a finished stair.
Included. Layout, ordering and site setup; Framing, insulation, drywall and paint; Electrical, heating and ventilation extended into the new space; Flooring, doors, trim and stairs; Permit fees and inspections.
Not included. Furniture, appliances and decor; Waterproofing, underpinning, bathrooms and kitchenettes, unless you add them; 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: Basement renovation, 800 sq ft, mid-range finishes, suburban Ottawa
Task	Plan	Demo	Rough-in	Close-in	Finish	Price
Layout, ordering and site setupPlan the rooms, ceiling heights and mechanical runs, then order materials.Plan	Plan					$1,100
Clean-out and demolitionRemove old finishes and partitions. Bin and haul-away.Demo		Demo				$2,600
Framing and insulationFramed walls and bulkheads, insulation and vapour control.Rough			Rough-in			$11,400
Electrical and pot lightsCircuits, outlets, switches, pot lights and smoke alarms, with inspection.Rough, Finish			Rough-in		Finish	$6,500
Plumbing rough-inDrain checks and a rough-in for a future bathroom.Rough			Rough-in			$900
Heating, cooling and ventilationDucts, return air and vents extended into the new rooms.Rough			Rough-in			$3,800
Drywall, taping and paintBoard, tape and mud, prime and paint, ceiling and walls.Close to Finish				Close-in	Finish	$10,400
FlooringSubfloor system and flooring.Finish					Finish	$9,800
Doors, trim and stairsInterior doors, baseboard, casing and the stair finish.Finish					Finish	$5,700
Fixtures, hardware and final fit-outLights, outlets and hardware, touch-ups and cleaning.Finish					Finish	$3,100
Bathroom: rough-in to finishThree-piece bathroom with a tiled shower, vanity and toilet.Rough to Finish			Rough-in	Close-in	Finish	$21,400
Egress windowsCut the opening, frame, install the window and build the well.Demo to Close		Demo	Rough-in	Close-in		$4,900
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	$7,300
Permits and inspectionsBuilding and electrical permit fees and inspections, as the work requires them.Plan	Plan					$1,200
Subtotal before HST						$90,100
HST (13%)						$11,713
Estimated total with HST						$101,813

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
Premium finishes	+$41,132	$142,945
Add a kitchenette	+$28,024	$129,837
Add an interior drain and sump pump	+$10,848	$112,661
Make the basement 200 sq ft larger	+$14,916	$116,729

More sample quotes

A renovated kitchen with white cabinets, a navy island with a white counter, wood floors and an arched opening to the dining room

Kitchens The Glebe

Kitchen opened to the dining room

Likely range, with HST $60,700 to $81,400 about $431 per sq ft

A closed-in kitchen in an older brick home opened to the dining room, with an island, new lighting and a standard appliance package.

A renovated ensuite with a glass walk-in shower, a floating wood vanity, a round mirror and a warm tile floor

Bathrooms Westboro

Ensuite with a walk-in shower

Likely range, with HST $31,400 to $42,000 about $475 per sq ft

A tub-and-tile ensuite rebuilt with a walk-in glass shower, a floating vanity, a heated floor and a proper exhaust fan.

A finished basement suite with a living area in front and a kitchen with an island behind it

Secondary suites Alta Vista

One-bedroom basement suite

Likely range, with HST $139,300 to $186,800 about $226 per sq ft

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