What 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 follow from that height. Published Ottawa and Ontario builder prices for installed decks run about $25 to $65 per square foot for pressure-treated, $45 to $80 for cedar, $45 to $95 for composite, and $59 to $110 or more for PVC, and those ranges cover all deck heights. These are published Ottawa and Ontario builder prices read in September 2026, and some published packages exclude railings and steps.

Several things pull the price upward on a raised deck, and none of them ranks above the others:

• Foundation depth and type: in clay or soils not clearly defined, the footing table sets 1.2 m but not less than the depth of frost penetration, and the floating-deck exemption in the 2024 Ontario Building Code does not apply once the joists are more than 600 mm (24 in.) above the ground. Where soil conditions involve filled ground or sensitive clay, the Code requires an engineered design. The drawings and the designer set footing sizes; we found no published Ottawa price for footings or piles.
• Guard height and infill: the 2024 Ontario Building Code requires guards on any side where the drop is more than 600 mm (24 in.) within 1.2 m of the edge. Where the walking surface is more than 1 800 mm above the ground, guards must be at least 1 070 mm high rather than the 900 mm allowed lower down. The Ontario no-climb rule means that no member, attachment 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. Glass, aluminum or other manufactured guard systems outside the Code's prescriptive rules require the manufacturer's information and attachment details with the permit application. We found no published Ottawa price per foot for guards.
• Structural framing: taller posts and a connection to the house that the permit drawings must show in full. The designer or engineer sizes all of it.
• Stairs: a long stair run from the second storey to grade adds materials and labour. We found no published Ottawa price per step or per flight.
• Permit drawings and fees: a building permit is required because the deck is attached to the house and its walking surface is more than 600 mm (24 in.) above adjacent grade. Published prices for permit drawings from three drafting and design firms run about $399 to $2,500 per set. The City's permit fee is $12.75 per $1,000 or part thereof of the assessed value of the work, with a minimum of $117. The City lists a first review of 5 business days.
• Zoning: both Zoning By-law 2008-250 and Zoning By-law 2026-50 apply to applications deemed complete on or after March 11, 2026, with the most restrictive provisions of each applying. Setbacks and projections into yards affect what the deck can look like. Confirm the rules for your specific lot with the City.
• Removal of an existing structure, access for equipment and disposal of old materials at Trail Road Landfill or another landfill also affect the quote; we found no published Ottawa price for removal.

Before you sign a contract, ask the builder to walk you through exactly what the foundation design will be and who is taking design responsibility on the Schedule 1 for the permit application.