Data version 2026.Q3

Cost data methodology

Every number in these calculators comes from versioned tables stored in this site. Nothing is fetched from a paid API, and every multiplier is published here.

Effective date July 1, 2026. Last reviewed August 28, 2026. Tax tables reviewed September 10, 2026. These are planning assumptions, not market guarantees.

The calculation

Estimates are built from a base rate per unit, then adjusted by transparent multipliers.

Base material  = base amount + (material rate × units) + scope add-ons
Base labour    = base amount + (labour rate × units) + scope add-ons
Material scale = quality × location × home type × home age × option multipliers
Labour scale   = material scale × scope multiplier
Materials      = base material × material scale
Labour         = base labour × labour scale
DIY reduction  = labour × your DIY percentage
Demolition     = (per-unit + flat allowance) × demolition factor × location
Permit/design  = allowance applied when permit triggers are present × location
Subtotal       = materials + labour − DIY reduction + demolition + permit
Contingency    = subtotal × contingency rate
Total budget   = subtotal + contingency

The scope multiplier is applied to labour only. Opening walls or moving services adds trade time, permits, and finishing work; it does not change what cabinets or tile cost.

Low and high values apply a spread of 15% below and 28% above the typical value. The range widens by up to 12% when the home is older or the scope opens walls, floors, or services.

Quality tier multipliers

Tier	Multiplier
budget	1.00×
mid range	1.45×
premium	2.20×

Scope multipliers

Scope	Multiplier
Keep existing layout	1.00×
Minor layout changes	1.15×
Plumbing or electrical changes	1.30×
Major structural or layout changes	1.50×

Regional multipliers

Regional multipliers are anchored to Ottawa at 1.00 and scaled using Statistics Canada's Residential Renovation Price Index and Building Construction Price Index movements by census metropolitan area, then cross-checked against published contractor rate ranges. They are planning-level adjustments, not surveyed local quotes.

Ontario

Region	Multiplier
Toronto	1.15×
GTA (outside Toronto)	1.10×
Hamilton and Niagara	1.05×
Ottawa	1.00×
London and southwestern Ontario	0.98×
Northern Ontario	0.97×
Other Ontario	0.95×

British Columbia

Region	Multiplier
Vancouver and Lower Mainland	1.18×
Victoria and Vancouver Island	1.10×
Interior and northern B.C.	1.02×

Alberta

Region	Multiplier
Calgary	1.02×
Edmonton	0.99×
Other Alberta	0.96×

Quebec

Region	Multiplier
Montreal	0.98×
Quebec City	0.93×
Other Quebec	0.91×

Manitoba

Region	Multiplier
Winnipeg	0.92×
Other Manitoba	0.89×

Saskatchewan

Region	Multiplier
Saskatoon and Regina	0.94×
Other Saskatchewan	0.91×

Nova Scotia

Region	Multiplier
Halifax	0.97×
Other Nova Scotia	0.91×

New Brunswick

Region	Multiplier
All of New Brunswick	0.89×

Prince Edward Island

Region	Multiplier
All of P.E.I.	0.92×

Newfoundland and Labrador

Region	Multiplier
All of N.L.	0.95×

Home age adjustments

Home age	Cost / contingency
Before 1960	1.08× / +5%
1960 to 1989	1.04× / +2%
1990 to 2009	1.00× / +0%
2010 or newer	0.98× / +0%

Base rates by project

Budget-tier base rates before any multiplier. Mid-range and premium selections scale these values.

Project	Material rate	Labour rate	Permit allowance	Default contingency
Kitchen	$85 / sq ft	$80 / sq ft	$2,200	15%
Bathroom	$85 / sq ft	$105 / sq ft	$1,600	15%
Painting	$0 / sq ft	$1 / sq ft	$0	8%
Basement	$5 / sq ft	$6 / sq ft	$3,200	20%
Deck	$6 / sq ft	$8 / sq ft	$1,500	15%
Flooring	$3 / sq ft	$3 / sq ft	$0	10%
Furnace	$0 / sq ft	$0 / sq ft	$220	10%
Central AC	$0 / sq ft	$0 / sq ft	$180	10%
Water heater	by item	by item	$180	10%
Windows and doors	$217 / window	$134 / window	$900	15%
Roof	$1 / sq ft	$1 / sq ft	$800	15%
Whole home	by item	by item	$2,000	12%

Rounding and presentation

Values below $10,000 round to the nearest $50
Values of $10,000 or more round to the nearest $100
Cents are never displayed
Low, typical, and high values are always shown together
Results are never labelled as a quote

Sources and limitations

Statistics Canada — Residential Renovation Price Index (RRPI)Regional and quarterly renovation price movement
Statistics Canada — Building Construction Price Index (BCPI)Regional construction cost differences across 15 census metropolitan areas
Department of Finance Canada — safeguard surtax on wood cabinets and vanitiesCabinet and vanity price volatility
Department of Finance Canada — counter-tariff list effective September 8, 2026Steel, aluminum, and appliance price volatility
Ontario Ministry of Finance — land transfer taxOntario land transfer tax brackets and first-time buyer refund
City of Toronto — municipal land transfer tax ratesToronto MLTT brackets including the graduated rates effective April 1, 2026
Municipal permit and inspection fee schedulesPermit allowances (allowance level only)

We do not track live material prices, use postal-code pricing, or hold a municipality permit database. Those are deliberate limitations that keep this site free and fast.

How the data is maintained

Cost tables live in versioned JSON files in the site repository: assumptions.json, project-rates.json, permit-triggers.json, and land-transfer-tax.json. Updating a rate is a data change, not a code change, and every file carries its own review date. If you believe a number is wrong, tell us what you are seeing.