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Deck Builders Across Ottawa
Get matched with local deck builders for new wood, composite and PVC decks, replacements, railings, stairs and footings, and know the permit, guard and footing rules before anyone starts digging.
Wood, Composite or PVC?
What builders publish for each material, how long each is said to last and on what basis, and how often a wood deck needs a fresh finish. Every number carries its source.
Published Ottawa and Ontario builder prices read in September 2026 (six vendor pages, unnamed). Vendor estimates, not quotes; some packages exclude railings and steps.
industry survey estimate manufacturer warranty, not a lifespan
We found no government or standards-body lifespan for composite or PVC decking. A warranty term is not a measured lifespan. Wood: 2007 US industry survey; the USDA Forest Products Laboratory adds that treated and naturally durable woods last quite comparably as deck boards.
USDA Forest Products Laboratory, Wood Handbook (2021), Table 16-2, decking. US figures; the source says expected life depends on climate and exposure. Composite and PVC: we found no neutral cleaning interval. Follow the board manufacturer's care guide.
| Material | Published price per sq ft | Years (basis) |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure-treated | $25 to $65 | about 20 years (2007 US industry survey, wood) |
| Cedar | $45 to $80 | about 20 years (2007 US industry survey, wood) |
| Composite | $45 to $95 | 25- and 30-year warranties (manufacturer, not a lifespan) |
| PVC | $59 to $110 or more | lifetime product warranty (manufacturer, not a lifespan) |
Do I Need a Permit for My Deck?
The City of Ottawa's three deck rules, as a two-minute check.
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1 Is the deck raised and the main way into the house?
Yes Permit required, whatever its size. Get quotes from deck builders
No Go to 2.
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2 Is it attached to the house or right next to it?
Yes Is the walking surface more than 600 mm (24 in.) above the adjacent grade?
Yes Permit required, whatever its size. Get quotes from deck builders
No No permit under the City's deck rules.* Get quotes from deck builders
No, freestanding Is the walking surface BOTH over 10 m² (about 108 square feet) AND more than 600 mm above grade?
Yes Permit required. Get quotes from deck builders
No No permit under the City's deck rules.* Get quotes from deck builders
Ask the City's Building Code Services first if any of these apply:
- A roof or cover over the deck
- Replacing boards only, on existing framing
- A designated heritage building or Heritage District Overlay (not subject to the exemptions)
* A deck with no permit must still meet the Ontario Building Code and any applicable law, such as the Zoning By-law. Both of Ottawa's zoning by-laws, 2008-250 and 2026-50, apply to new applications, with the most restrictive provisions winning.
City of Ottawa, Decks: Do I need a building permit? and Projects not requiring building permits (read 2026-09-30). The permit fee is $12.75 per $1,000 of construction value, with a $117 minimum.
Guards and Stairs, in One Picture
What Ontario's 2024 Building Code asks of a deck railing and deck stairs. On one point Ontario goes further than the national code: every required guard must have nothing between 140 mm and 900 mm that helps a child climb it.
- Guard required where the drop is more than 600 mm between the walking surface and the surface within 1.2 m of the edge (9.8.8.1(1))
- Guard height: 900 mm for one dwelling unit, deck not more than 1 800 mm above ground; 1 070 mm in all other cases (9.8.8.3)
- Openings: a 100 mm sphere must not pass (9.8.8.5(1))
- No-climb zone: between 140 mm and 900 mm above the deck, nothing that helps climbing (Ontario 9.8.8.6(1), every required guard)
- Stairs: rise 125 mm to 200 mm, run 255 mm to 355 mm (Ontario Table 9.8.4.1)
- Handrail: 865 mm to 1 070 mm high on exterior stairs with more than 3 risers (one handrail is enough for one dwelling unit) (9.8.7.1, 9.8.7.4(2))
Deck IQ Answers
Straight answers to Ottawa deck questions: costs, permits, guards, footings and quotes.
- What should an Ontario deck contract say about changes mid-job?Hiring & Quotes
- Disposal on a deck tear-out quote in Ottawa: what to look for?Replacement & Removal
- Deck beam sizes on Ottawa permit drawings: who decides?Framing & Structure
- Does the WSIB home renovation exemption cover my deck builder's helpers?Hiring & Quotes
- Tearing out an old deck in Vanier: what does it cost?Costs & Pricing
- Treated wood in ground contact on an Ottawa deck?Materials & Boards
Deck Services Across Ottawa
What each job involves, with the published price range where one exists and a plain note where none does.
New Deck Building
A new pressure-treated or cedar deck for an Ottawa home, from footings and framing to boards, guards and stairs, built to the 2024 Ontario Building Code.
$25 to $65 per sq ft installed, pressure-treated (cedar $45 to $80)Composite & PVC Decks
Decks surfaced with composite or cellular PVC boards. Ottawa asks for a CCMC or BMEC material report when the decking is not conventional lumber.
$45 to $95 per sq ft installed, composite (PVC $59 to $110 or more)Deck Replacement & Removal
Tearing out a worn deck and building its replacement, including taking the old lumber to Trail Road or another landfill.
Too few published Ottawa pricesDeck Repair & Resurfacing
New boards on sound framing, loose guards and stairs fixed, and a fresh penetrating finish on a wood deck.
Too few published Ottawa pricesDeck Railings & Guards
Wood, aluminum and glass guards to Ontario rules: 900 mm or 1 070 mm high, openings under 100 mm, nothing climbable between 140 mm and 900 mm.
Too few published Ottawa pricesDeck Stairs
Deck stairs and landings to Ontario limits: rise 125 mm to 200 mm, run 255 mm to 355 mm, and a handrail once there are more than 3 risers.
Too few published Ottawa pricesDeck Footings & Helical Piles
Concrete footings or helical piles under a deck, including the engineered design Ontario requires on Leda clay and for deep foundations.
Too few published Ottawa pricesDeck Design & Permit Drawings
Scaled site, framing and elevation drawings for an Ottawa deck permit, drawn by a designer or by you under the homeowner design exemption.
$399 to $2,500 per set of permit drawingsGet Matched Free
Tell us about your deck and we send it to local Ottawa deck builders
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a new deck cost in Ottawa?
Published Ottawa and Ontario builder prices run roughly $25 to $65 per square foot installed for pressure-treated wood, $45 to $80 for cedar, $45 to $95 for composite and $59 to $110 or more for PVC. These are vendor estimates read in September 2026, not quotes, and the spread is wide. Some published packages leave out railings and steps, so compare what each quote includes, not only the total.
Do I need a permit to build a deck in Ottawa?
The City says a permit is required, whatever the deck's area, when the deck is adjacent to or attached to the house and its walking surface is more than 600 mm (24 in.) above the adjacent grade, and for any elevated deck providing principal access to a building. A freestanding deck needs one when its walking surface is both greater than 10 square metres and more than 600 mm above grade. A deck that needs no permit must still meet the Ontario Building Code and the Zoning By-law.
How deep do deck footings go in Ottawa?
The Building Code table sets 1.2 m, but not less than the depth of frost penetration, for foundations in clay or soils not clearly defined, and Ontario says frost depth is set by local experience. We found no City of Ottawa page that fixes one depth for decks, so ask what your drawings show. On Leda clay, peat or fill, and for deep foundations such as piles, Ontario requires footings designed under Section 4.2 of the Code.
Does a deck builder need a licence in Ontario?
We found no Ontario or City of Ottawa licence for deck builders. General Carpenter is a non-compulsory trade with Skilled Trades Ontario, so a certificate is optional. What is regulated is the work: the permit, the Building Code and zoning. Ask who will apply for the permit, who drew the plans, and who books the City inspections.
Deck builders across Ottawa: Kanata · Orleans · Barrhaven · Nepean · Stittsville · Riverside South · Findlay Creek · Manotick · Westboro · Glebe · Alta Vista · Gloucester and every other part of the city.