Budget for replacing a rotten deck in Gloucester?

For a replacement deck, published Ottawa and Ontario builder prices read in September 2026 run roughly $25 to $65 per square foot for pressure-treated wood, $45 to $80 for cedar, $45 to $95 for composite, and $59 to $110 or more for PVC. These are installed prices, and the spread is wide. Some published packages exclude railings and steps, so confirm what each quote covers before comparing.

What the total depends on for your job includes the size and height of the new deck, the board material you choose, the foundation type, whether stairs and guards are included, and whether the old deck needs to be removed. The City of Ottawa says construction and demolition waste, including pressure-treated lumber, cannot go out with regular garbage and must go to Trail Road Landfill or another landfill. We found no published Ottawa price for removal or disposal, so ask each builder to quote it as a separate line.

On permits, the City of Ottawa requires a building permit if the deck is attached to the house and its walking surface is more than 600 mm (24 in.) above adjacent grade. A permit is also required if the deck is an elevated deck providing principal access to the house. A new deck built in place of the old one is judged by those same rules. The City does not say whether replacing boards alone on existing framing needs a permit, so ask its Building Code Services if that is your plan. The permit fee is $12.75 per $1,000 of assessed value of the work, with a minimum of $117.00. Permit drawings, where needed, run about $399 to $2,500 per set on the published prices of three drafting and design firms. Both Zoning By-laws 2008-250 and 2026-50 apply to applications deemed complete on or after March 11, 2026, with the most restrictive provisions from each applying to your lot.

Before any digging starts for new footings, a locate request through Ontario One Call is required at least five business days before breaking ground. Private lines, including electrical feeds to outbuildings and your sewer or septic piping, are yours to have marked separately.

For the guards, the 2024 Ontario Building Code sets the minimum height at 900 mm for an exterior guard on a deck serving one dwelling unit where the walking surface is not more than 1 800 mm above finished ground, and 1 070 mm otherwise. Openings must prevent the passage of a 100 mm sphere. Ontario's no-climb rule applies to every required guard: no member or opening between 140 mm and 900 mm above the walking surface may facilitate climbing, and horizontal rails or cables in that zone can facilitate climbing, which is what the rule targets, so confirm any infill design with the City's Building Code Services.

Ask each builder to quote the foundation type separately, name the board material and its grade, include the guard and stair details, and break out removal and disposal of the old deck as its own line, so you can place two written quotes side by side and see exactly where the numbers differ.