Building inspections, project management, renovation cost estimation and planning consultation, from a contractor who has built here since 1999.
A building consultant in Ottawa is who you call before you spend the money, not after. Call (613) 261-4861 and tell us what you are trying to decide.
We have been on Ottawa job sites since 1999, so we know what a sagging floor above a Nepean crawl space usually means, and what a stained joist near a South Keys laundry room usually costs to fix.
Sometimes the useful answer is do not do this project. We give that answer when it is the right one, which is easier for us than for a firm that only makes money if you build.
Four service lines, each producing something you can act on.
Each service below has its own page with the detail on how we do it, what it costs and how long it takes. We cover building inspections, construction project management, renovation cost estimation and design and planning consultation.
Condition assessments before you buy, before you renovate, or when something is visibly failing. We look at structure, moisture, envelope, roof and mechanical age, then write up what we found and what it means. This is a contractor's assessment, not a mortgage lender's home inspection report.
Managing trades, schedule, inspections and quality on a project we are not building ourselves. Useful for owners who have their own trades, or investors handling several Ottawa properties at once.
What the work should actually cost in this market, broken down by stage. Bring us a quote you have received and we will tell you where it looks thin, where allowances are hiding, and what is missing.
Feasibility before design fees. Zoning limits, structural implications, permit path, likely timeline and a build cost range, so you know whether the idea is worth drawing.
Housing here carries era specific problems, and we check for the ones that match the address.
In pre-1960 homes downtown and around Riverside Park, we look at foundation cracking, old cast iron drains, knob and tube remnants, and whether the roof structure has been modified without support.
In the 1970s and 1980s stock through Nepean, Gloucester and South Keys, we check for aluminum wiring, undersized panels, bathroom fans vented into attics, and basements finished without a moisture strategy.
Nearly every costly surprise we find traces back to water. Spring thaw against a foundation, ice damming at the eaves, a failed shower pan, or a downspout dumping beside the wall.
We follow the water first. Grading, downspouts, window wells, sump function and interior staining tell us more about a house than the finishes do.
Numbers from a national renovation calculator do not match what trades charge here.
We estimate from current local pricing, and we separate hard costs, allowances, permit fees and contingency. That way you can see what is fixed and what will move once selections are made.
If you are comparing contractor quotes, the useful question is rarely which is cheapest. It is which one included the electrical, the disposal, the permit and the paint. We go through that with you line by line.
Some clients use the consultation and then hire us to build. Others take our report and hire someone else, which is fine.
Where we do build, the consulting work rolls straight into our general contractor service, and the drawings come from our building designer service. If the report finds fire, water or structural damage, our building restoration service handles that work.
Insurers want detail. A one line quote saying "repair water damage" rarely gets approved without questions.
We document the affected area, note what caused it where that is visible, and scope the repair in stages with pricing attached. That gives your adjuster something concrete to work from, and gives you a record of the condition of the property.
Four stages, ending with something in writing you can hand to a lender, an insurer or a builder.
Buying, renovating, budgeting or fixing. The question shapes what we inspect.
Two to four hours through the building, including attic, basement and exterior envelope.
Findings, priorities, and costs by stage, in plain language rather than trade shorthand.
We walk you through the report and answer questions before you make a decision.
We assess properties throughout the greater Ottawa area. Pick your neighbourhood for detail on the local housing stock.
No. Ours is a contractor's condition assessment focused on what work is needed and what it costs. If your lender or agreement of purchase requires a registered home inspection report, you need a licensed home inspector as well.
Yes, and it is one of our most requested services. We compare the scope against local pricing and flag missing items like disposal, permits, electrical or painting that often turn into extras later.
Yes. Construction project management is a standalone service. We handle schedule, inspections, quality control and the awkward conversations, while you keep your own trades.
It depends on the size of the project and whether drawings exist. A single room review is quick. A whole house estimate takes longer. We quote the consulting fee upfront so there is no ambiguity.
Structural changes, new plumbing lines, panel work and finished basements generally do in Ottawa. Cosmetic finishes usually do not. Planning consultation covers exactly where your project falls and what the City will want to see.
Yes. We document the affected area, note the visible cause, and scope the repair in stages with pricing so your adjuster has something specific to review.
Book a consultation and we will look at the building, the numbers, or the quote in front of you, and tell you what we would do.
Consulting across the greater Ottawa area since 1999
Book a free consultation. We walk the space with you, talk through what the work involves, and follow up with an itemized estimate.
