Deck IQ
Straight answers to Ottawa deck questions: what a deck should cost, when the City needs a permit, how high a guard must be, how deep footings go, and how to compare quotes.
Browse Deck IQ60 questions answered
Budget for replacing a rotten deck in Gloucester?
For a replacement deck, published Ottawa and Ontario builder prices read in September 2026 run...
Costs & PricingWhat raises the price of a second-storey deck in Stittsville?
A second-storey deck in Stittsville sits well above the ground, and several parts of the quote...
Costs & PricingWhat do permit drawings for a deck cost in Nepean?
Published prices from Ottawa and Ontario drafting and design firms read in September 2026 put...
Costs & PricingAre railings and stairs usually extra on Ottawa deck quotes?
Some published Ottawa and Ontario builder packages exclude railings and steps, so read each quote...
Costs & PricingWhy do two Barrhaven deck quotes for the same size differ so much?
When two quotes for the same size differ a lot, start with what each builder actually included in...
Costs & PricingPVC or composite decking: which costs more for an Ottawa build?
PVC decking published prices run about $59 to $110 or more per square foot installed, while...
Costs & PricingIs $95 a square foot fair for a composite deck in Orleans?
$95 a square foot sits at the top of the published range for composite decks, which runs from about...
Costs & PricingIs a composite deck worth the extra money in an Ottawa climate?
Whether composite is worth the extra cost depends on how you weigh upfront price against ongoing...
Costs & PricingHow does Ottawa calculate the building permit fee for a deck?
The City of Ottawa uses a value-based formula for deck building permits. The fee is $12.75 per...
Costs & PricingWhat will the permit fee be on a $15,000 Ottawa deck?
The City of Ottawa's permit fee for a $15,000 deck works out to $191.25, based on the "all other...
Repair, Finishes & UpkeepStaining an older CCA deck in Ottawa every year?
Health Canada recommends applying a sealant every year to older CCA-treated decks, using an...
Replacement & RemovalWhat goes in a deck removal quote in Nepean?
A deck removal quote in Nepean should itemise the work clearly enough that you can compare it line...
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View all recent questionsPopular Questions
Budget for replacing a rotten deck in Gloucester?
Costs & PricingWhat raises the price of a second-storey deck in Stittsville?
Costs & PricingWhat do permit drawings for a deck cost in Nepean?
Costs & PricingAre railings and stairs usually extra on Ottawa deck quotes?
Costs & PricingWhy do two Barrhaven deck quotes for the same size differ so much?
Costs & PricingPVC or composite decking: which costs more for an Ottawa build?
Costs & PricingIs $95 a square foot fair for a composite deck in Orleans?
Costs & PricingIs a composite deck worth the extra money in an Ottawa climate?
Costs & PricingHow does Ottawa calculate the building permit fee for a deck?
Costs & PricingWhat will the permit fee be on a $15,000 Ottawa deck?
All Answers by Topic
Costs & Pricing 16
- Are railings and stairs usually extra on Ottawa deck quotes?
- Budget for replacing a rotten deck in Gloucester?
- Composite deck quote at $45 a square foot in Nepean: too low?
- Does a deck on piles cost more than one on footings in Kanata?
- How does Ottawa calculate the building permit fee for a deck?
- How much does a new deck landing cost in Riverside South?
- How much does a pressure-treated deck cost per square foot in Ottawa?
- Is $95 a square foot fair for a composite deck in Orleans?
- Is a composite deck worth the extra money in an Ottawa climate?
- PVC or composite decking: which costs more for an Ottawa build?
- Railing cost on a composite deck in Findlay Creek?
- What do permit drawings for a deck cost in Nepean?
- What raises the price of a second-storey deck in Stittsville?
- What should I budget for a cedar deck in Kanata?
- What will the permit fee be on a $15,000 Ottawa deck?
- Why do two Barrhaven deck quotes for the same size differ so much?
Browse by Topic
Costs & Pricing
What decks cost in Ottawa by material, the City permit fee, drawing prices, and which jobs have too few published prices to quote
16 questionsHiring & Quotes
Choosing a deck builder in Ottawa: who applies for the permit and books the inspections, what a written quote and contract should include, cancellation rights and holdback
4 questionsPermits & Inspections
When an Ottawa deck needs a building permit, what the application and drawings need, the homeowner design exemption, and the footing, framing and final inspections
4 questionsZoning & Setbacks
How Ottawa's Zoning By-laws 2008-250 and 2026-50 treat decks: projections into yards, setbacks, privacy screens, and minor variances
4 questionsGuards & Railings
When a deck needs a guard under the 2024 Ontario Building Code, guard heights, the 100 mm opening rule and Ontario's no-climb rule between 140 mm and 900 mm
4 questionsStairs & Handrails
Rise, run and tread limits for deck stairs in Ontario, when handrails are required, and guards on stair sides
4 questionsFootings & Foundations
Footing depth in clay and frost, the floating-deck exemption, Leda clay and engineered design, helical piles, and Ontario One Call before digging
4 questionsFraming & Structure
Deck design loads, beams and posts, the connection to the house, and when a deck goes beyond the Code's prescriptive rules
4 questionsMaterials & Boards
Pressure-treated, cedar, composite and PVC decking: treated wood types, warranty terms versus lifespan, and the material report Ottawa asks for
4 questionsRepair, Finishes & Upkeep
Board replacement, stains and penetrating finishes, re-coat intervals, older CCA-treated decks, and bringing guards and stairs up to current rules
4 questionsReplacement & Removal
When a deck is replaced instead of repaired, tearing out an old deck, treated-wood safety and where the old lumber goes in Ottawa
4 questionsPools & Hot Tubs
Decks that give access to an above-ground pool, gated enclosures and gates under Ottawa's Pool Enclosure By-law, and hot tubs on decks
4 questionsRecently Asked
View allBudget for replacing a rotten deck in Gloucester?
What raises the price of a second-storey deck in Stittsville?
What do permit drawings for a deck cost in Nepean?
Are railings and stairs usually extra on Ottawa deck quotes?
Why do two Barrhaven deck quotes for the same size differ so much?
PVC or composite decking: which costs more for an Ottawa build?
Is $95 a square foot fair for a composite deck in Orleans?
Is a composite deck worth the extra money in an Ottawa climate?
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