Frequently Asked Questions

A reasonable deposit is generally tied to materials or mobilization, not the full project cost, with the balance paid against completed milestones rather than up front. If a contractor asks for the full amount before work starts, or a deposit that feels out of proportion to the job, that's worth questioning. A written scope of work and a payment schedule tied to actual progress protects you more than any verbal promise does.

Workmanship warranties generally cover the labour and installation — the part under the contractor's control — separately from manufacturer warranties on the materials themselves, which get handled through the manufacturer. Get warranty terms in writing before work starts, not after, and understand what's covered, for how long, and who to call if something needs attention.

In New Brunswick, electrical, plumbing, and gas work has to be done by licensed trades regardless of who the general contractor is — ask to see that. Confirm WorkSafeNB coverage, ask for proof of liability insurance, and get the scope of work in writing before anything starts. A contractor who's comfortable providing all of that upfront is telling you something; one who gets vague about it is telling you something too.

A quote should hold for the scope it was written against. It's reasonable for a price to change if the scope changes — something gets discovered once a wall opens up, or you add something mid-project — but that should go through a real change-order process: documented, priced, and approved before the work happens, not added to the final bill as a surprise.

Renovation costs in Canada for standard finishes generally run $100–200 per square foot, and $200–400 for high-end finishes — though Atlantic Canada typically runs below those national figures, which skew toward Toronto and Vancouver pricing. One thing worth knowing regardless of project size: pricing is often driven by mobilization and minimum service charges as much as by materials. Drywall, for example, generally runs about $80 per sheet installed, taped, and mudded on a normal job — but can run as much as $200 per sheet if the job is under six sheets. That's not gouging; setup and travel cost the same whether the job is large or small. These are general industry ranges, not a quote — actual cost depends on scope, condition, materials, and site access.

Kitchen renovations in Canada typically run $100–200 per square foot for standard finishes, with published national averages landing around $30,000–45,000 for a full mid-range remodel — though Atlantic Canada generally runs below those figures, which are weighted toward Toronto and Vancouver pricing. A smaller refresh — new counters and a backsplash without moving cabinets — costs meaningfully less than a full gut. These are general industry ranges, not a quote — actual cost depends on scope, condition, materials, and site access.

A cosmetic kitchen update — new cabinets, counters, backsplash, in the same footprint — usually doesn't need a permit. Moving plumbing or electrical, removing a wall, or changing the layout typically does, since that work has to meet code and get inspected. We handle that determination and the permit itself as part of the project.

A cosmetic update can be a matter of days to a couple of weeks. A full renovation with a layout change — moving plumbing, electrical, potentially a wall — usually runs several weeks, since cabinets, counters, and permits all have lead times that sit outside the actual demo-and-build window. We'll give you a realistic timeline for your specific scope before work starts.

Most people do, though a full gut renovation means no working kitchen for at least part of the project — worth planning for a temporary setup for a few weeks on a bigger job.

Both. Some homeowners come with a clear layout already decided; others want help working through cabinet placement, workflow, and material choices from scratch.

Refacing makes sense when the cabinet boxes are still square, solid, and structurally sound, just dated on the surface. New doors, drawer fronts, and hardware over the existing boxes cost less than a full replacement and take less time. It stops making sense once the layout needs to change, the boxes are damaged, or you want different storage. At that point you're paying refacing money and still not getting the kitchen you actually want.

Granite is a natural stone, no two slabs look exactly alike, and it holds up well to heat and scratching with periodic sealing. Quartz is engineered from crushed stone and resin, more uniform in pattern, and doesn't need sealing, though it's more sensitive to direct high heat than granite. Laminate costs the least of the three and has improved a lot in look, but it can scratch, burn, and chip in a way stone doesn't, and it can't be repaired the way stone can. The right choice usually comes down to budget and how much wear the counter actually takes.

Generally yes, though moving a sink means rerouting supply and drain lines, and moving a gas or electric range means rerouting the gas line or wiring, both of which add cost and time beyond a layout that keeps plumbing and gas where they already are. It's a common request on a full renovation and usually worth it if the new layout genuinely works better for how you cook, but it's not a small change to make on a whim partway through a project.

It gets flagged and corrected as part of the project, not covered over. Older homes especially can have outdated wiring, undersized drain lines, or shutoffs that don't meet current code, and once the cabinets come out and the wall is open, that's the point to fix it rather than closing it back up with the same problem behind new finishes. We price that as a change order once we can actually see what's there, rather than guessing at it upfront.

Bathroom renovations in Canada generally run $100–200 per square foot, with a mid-range full bathroom typically landing around $15,000–30,000 total — though Atlantic Canada tends to run below those national figures. These are general industry ranges, not a quote — actual cost depends on scope, condition, materials, and site access.

A full bathroom renovation typically takes several weeks from demo to finished room, largely because tile, vanity, and fixtures all have lead times. If it's your only bathroom, that's worth planning around before work starts — we'll walk through a realistic timeline for your specific project.

Any bathroom work involving plumbing or electrical changes typically needs a permit and inspection in Moncton, even if the footprint doesn't change. A cosmetic update — new vanity, new tile, same layout — usually doesn't.

A tub-to-shower conversion replaces the tub with a shower in generally the same footprint, focused on that one fixture. A full remodel touches the whole room — flooring, vanity, lighting — in addition to the tub or shower. The conversion is the faster, less invasive of the two.

Signs worth taking seriously: a soft spot in the floor near the tub or shower, discoloration or a musty smell that doesn't go away, or grout that stays damp long after a shower. Any of those can mean moisture has gotten behind the surface, worth having looked at before it becomes a bigger repair.

An acrylic or fiberglass shower insert is a single molded unit, installed in one piece, with fewer seams and less upkeep since there's no grout to maintain. A fully tiled shower is built in place, tile by tile, and offers far more design flexibility in size, shape, and look, but it depends on the waterproofing membrane behind the tile being done right, and grout lines need periodic cleaning and resealing. Insert units are generally faster to install and cost less; tile costs more but reads as a higher-end finish.

Ventilation is the real answer, more than any cleaning product. A bathroom fan sized correctly for the room and vented outside rather than into the attic, run during and for a while after every shower, is what actually keeps moisture from settling into the walls and grout. A renovation is the right time to upsize an undersized fan or fix one that's venting into an attic space instead of outdoors, since that's a problem that gets buried again once the ceiling closes back up.

Often yes, as long as there's a reasonable path to tie into existing supply and drain lines without an extreme amount of new plumbing. A basement, an addition, or part of a large bedroom converted over are the most common spots. The plumbing route is usually the deciding factor more than the space itself, since running a drain line a long distance or against a slope gets expensive fast.

Tile and waterproof luxury vinyl plank are the two realistic options for a room that deals with standing water and humidity. Tile handles moisture indefinitely and offers more design range but costs more and feels cold underfoot without in-floor heat. LVP is less expensive, warmer underfoot, and fully waterproof, though it doesn't have the same high-end look as a well-laid tile floor. Hardwood and laminate are both a poor fit here regardless of price, since neither holds up to the moisture a bathroom sees.

Basement finishing in Canada generally runs $35–75 per square foot. These are general industry ranges, not a quote — actual cost depends on scope, condition, materials, and site access.

That depends almost entirely on what goes in before the drywall — a proper moisture membrane and drainage plane on the foundation wall, not just insulation and finishes over a problem that was never addressed. A basement finished without that step can look fine for a year or two and then develop a moisture problem behind the walls.

Yes, generally — especially if you're adding a bedroom (which needs an egress window), a bathroom, or a secondary suite. Moncton inspects basement work at multiple stages, the same as any renovation involving framing, electrical, and plumbing.

Often, yes, depending on ceiling height, egress requirements, and separation from the rest of the house — worth confirming for your specific property before committing to a layout. This is one of the higher-demand basement projects we take on.

A finished basement is a room — a rec room, a gym, a home theatre. A suite is a self-contained living space with its own kitchenette and full bathroom, built to function as its own unit rather than an extension of the house above it.

An egress window is a window large enough for a person to climb out of in an emergency, required by code for any room used as a bedroom below grade. It needs a minimum opening size, a maximum height off the floor, and its own window well outside if the ground level sits above the window. It's a code requirement, not a suggestion, and it gets inspected specifically, since it's the difference between a legal bedroom and a room that just happens to have a bed in it.

A basement that's had visible water, a musty smell, or efflorescence (that white powdery residue on the foundation wall) at any point isn't ready to finish until that's addressed at the source. A basement that looks dry isn't necessarily dry either, since moisture can move through concrete slowly enough that it never puddles but still soaks into anything built against it. Worth having it looked at specifically for finishing, not just for general dampness, before committing to a layout.

It can go either way, but coordinating your own trades means you're responsible for sequencing them correctly, framing before electrical rough-in, electrical and plumbing before insulation and drywall, and making sure each one passes its own inspection before the next starts. One contractor managing the whole job carries that coordination and the liability if something's sequenced wrong. Either approach can work; the risk with self-managing is mainly in the sequencing and inspection scheduling, not the individual trade work itself.

Building codes generally require a minimum finished ceiling height for a habitable basement room, typically somewhere close to seven feet, with some allowance for beams and ductwork to dip lower over a limited area. The exact number depends on the municipality and the room's use. A basement close to that minimum is still finishable, it just limits where drop ceilings, ductwork, and lighting can go without eating into headroom that's already tight. We check the actual number against your basement before finalizing a layout.

Detached garages in Canada generally run $50–175 per square foot depending on finish level, with a basic single or double garage often landing $30,000–80,000 total, and a heated, fully finished garage running higher. Published figures vary sharply by region — Atlantic Canada is not broken out separately in most cost guides, but tends to run below Ontario benchmarks. These are general industry ranges, not a quote — actual cost depends on scope, condition, materials, and site access.

Yes — a detached garage needs a building permit in Moncton regardless of size, and typically gets inspected at the footing, framing, and final stages, the same as any other structure.

Generally yes, as long as there's reasonable access to the wall and ceiling cavities. It's a more involved retrofit than insulating during initial construction, but it's a common request on garages originally built as unheated storage.

Setback rules vary by municipality and by whether the garage is attached or detached — Moncton has specific minimum distances from the property line and from the house itself. We confirm the exact setback for your property before finalizing a design.

Attached is generally more cost-effective since it shares a wall and roofline with the house, and it's more convenient in bad weather. Detached gives more flexibility on placement and doesn't affect the house's existing structure. The right choice usually comes down to lot layout more than preference.

Often yes, and it's a common way to add rental income or space for a family member, but it changes the project significantly. A garage built to carry living space above it needs different foundation and framing than a standard garage, plus its own heating, plumbing if there's a kitchen or bathroom, and a fire-rated separation between the garage and the space above it. That has to be decided at the design stage, not added after a standard garage is already built.

Not automatically. A garage used purely for parking and storage typically just needs basic lighting and a few outlets off the house panel. Once it's meant to be heated, used as a workshop with tools, or run independently of the house, a subpanel and its own heat source make more sense, both for capacity and so a problem in the garage doesn't trip anything in the house.

The structure itself can be nearly identical; framing, roof, and siding are the same decisions either way. The difference is mostly in what goes inside. A shop generally needs more electrical capacity for tools, better dust control and ventilation, and sometimes compressed air lines, none of which a simple parking garage needs. Worth deciding the actual use upfront, since retrofitting that capacity in later is more work than building it in from the start.

It can, since a new permanent structure typically gets added to your property's assessed value once it's built and reflected in municipal records. How much depends on the size and finish level of the structure and how your municipality assesses outbuildings. Worth checking with the local assessment office for a specific estimate rather than assuming either way.

Home additions in Canada are generally quoted at $200–500 per square foot nationally, driven heavily by size, finish level, and how complex the tie-in to the existing house is. Published regional figures skew toward Ontario and BC pricing; Atlantic Canada isn't broken out separately in most cost guides but typically runs below those figures. These are general industry ranges, not a quote — actual cost depends on scope, condition, materials, and site access.

Most additions need stamped engineering drawings for the permit application, especially anything involving a new foundation, structural tie-in, or a second story. We coordinate that as part of the project rather than leaving you to find your own engineer.

A single-story addition typically runs a few months from groundbreaking to finished space, depending on size and how complex the tie-in is. Permitting and engineering add time before construction even starts, worth planning for if you're working toward a deadline.

That's the goal on every addition we build — matched rooflines, siding, and floor heights so it reads as part of the original house rather than an obvious add-on. That match gets planned at the design stage, not adjusted after the framing goes up.

Sometimes, depending on whether the existing foundation and structure can support the additional load — an engineering question that gets answered before a second-story addition gets designed, not after.

Some disruption is unavoidable, mainly noise, dust despite containment efforts, and equipment in the yard, but most additions are built with the existing house sealed off from the work zone until the tie-in stage, so day-to-day living isn't interrupted the way a full interior renovation would be. The disruptive part is usually short and specific: the day the wall between old and new finally opens up. We plan that stage to minimize how long the house is exposed.

Often, though setback rules, lot coverage limits, and the shape of usable space left after those setbacks all factor into what's actually possible. A smaller or irregular lot sometimes pushes the design toward a second story instead of building out, or a smaller footprint with a more efficient layout. Worth having the lot's actual constraints checked before getting attached to a specific addition design.

A bump-out extends an existing room by a few feet, often just enough to fit a bay window, a larger kitchen island, or a bit more space in a cramped bathroom, usually on its own small foundation. A full addition adds an entirely new room or rooms with its own foundation, framing, and roofline. A bump-out is faster, less expensive, and involves less permitting; a full addition is a bigger project in every respect but adds meaningfully more usable space.

Depends on the size of the addition and whether the existing furnace or heat pump has the extra capacity to cover it. A small addition sometimes ties into the existing system without issue; a larger one often needs a supplemental heat source, like a ductless heat pump head, to avoid straining a system that was sized for the original square footage. We check the existing system's capacity before deciding which way makes sense for a specific addition.

Vinyl siding installation in Canada generally runs $6–12 per square foot. These are general industry ranges, not a quote — actual cost depends on scope, condition, materials, and site access.

Signs it's a full replacement rather than a repair: siding cracked or warped across large sections, consistent moisture or soft spots on the sheathing underneath, or siding old enough that matching replacement panels are no longer made. A localized problem — one damaged section — is often a repair, not a full re-side.

It can, but the siding itself isn't what does most of the work — it's the house wrap and insulation installed underneath it during the same job. Continuous rigid foam insulation added at this stage is one of the more meaningful energy upgrades available during a siding project, since the wall is already open.

A full exterior re-side on an average-size house generally runs one to a few weeks, depending on the amount of tear-off, whether any structural repairs turn up once the old siding is off, and how much trim detail the house has around windows, dormers, and porches.

It happens more often than people expect, especially on older homes — moisture or insect damage that was never visible from outside. When that happens, we stop, show you what we found, and price the repair before continuing, rather than covering it up and re-siding over a problem.

It depends entirely on the cause. Damage from a covered event, storm, wind, hail, fire, tends to be covered under a standard policy. Damage from age, general wear, or simple neglect typically isn't, since insurance covers sudden events rather than a material reaching the end of its expected life. Worth checking your specific policy and talking to your insurer directly before assuming either way, since this varies by policy and provider.

Water stains that show up near the top of a wall, close to the roofline, are often a roof or flashing issue rather than a siding problem, since water travels downward once it gets behind a surface and can show up well below where it actually entered. Staining or damage lower on the wall, especially near grade or around windows and doors, points more toward siding, flashing, or caulking at that level. It's worth having it looked at directly rather than guessing, since replacing the wrong thing doesn't fix the actual leak.

Vinyl is the most budget-friendly option, low maintenance, and available in a wide range of colours, though it can crack in extreme cold and fade over many years of sun exposure. Board and batten is a style, wide flat boards with narrow strips covering the seams, that can be built in wood, fiber cement, or vinyl, giving a more textured, higher-end look than standard lap siding. Stone veneer is the most expensive of the three, used more as an accent than a full exterior in most cases, and adds a permanence and texture the other two can't match. Many houses combine two of the three rather than choosing just one.

Yes, though cold weather changes how the material behaves. Vinyl siding gets more brittle in freezing temperatures and needs to be installed with room to expand and contract, which matters more in winter than summer. It's entirely doable, and something we do regularly through an NB winter, it just requires the right technique and a contractor who accounts for it rather than installing it the same way they would in July.

Hardwood typically runs $9–23 per square foot installed (material and labour combined), laminate roughly $3.50–10.50, and luxury vinyl plank about $4–11 per square foot installed. These are general industry ranges, not a quote — actual cost depends on scope, condition, materials, and site access.

Depends on the existing floor and the new material. LVP and laminate can sometimes float over an existing floor if it's flat and in good condition. Tile generally needs the old flooring removed and the subfloor properly prepped, since it's far less forgiving of an uneven surface underneath.

A single room typically takes a day or two once material is on site; a full main floor runs closer to a week. Subfloor prep, if needed, adds to the schedule before installation starts.

Both, depending on what you need. New flooring installation usually includes baseboard removal and reinstallation, or replacement, at minimum, since the transition has to be clean. Larger trim work — casings, crown molding, wainscoting — can be added to the same project or done on its own.

LVP is the practical choice anywhere water is a real possibility: kitchens, bathrooms, basements, mudrooms, and entryways, since it's fully waterproof and holds up to pets and daily traffic without much fuss. Tile fits those same wet areas but at a higher cost and with a colder, harder feel underfoot, generally chosen for its look and durability rather than practicality alone. Living rooms, dining rooms, and bedrooms have more flexibility since they don't see the same water exposure, so the choice there comes down more to budget and the look you want.

Quality luxury vinyl plank is genuinely waterproof at the surface and seams when installed correctly, meaning standing water sitting on top of it won't damage the plank itself. That's different from being waterproof at the subfloor level; water that gets underneath through a gap at a wall or transition can still cause problems below the flooring even if the LVP itself is unaffected. It's a meaningfully more water-tolerant product than laminate, which does swell and delaminate with sustained moisture.

Room by room is entirely workable, and it's how a lot of people approach it, especially when budget or timing doesn't allow for the whole house at once. The main thing to plan for is matching colour and pattern later, since a specific run available today may not be available in the exact same look years down the road. Doing adjoining rooms in the same phase avoids that mismatch showing up at a doorway threshold.

Most materials can, but not all handle it the same way. LVP handles both radiant heat and a concrete slab well, and tile handles both without issue too, which is part of why it's common over in-floor heat. Solid wood flooring is more sensitive to both heat and moisture coming up through concrete, and typically isn't recommended directly on a slab or over radiant systems without the right underlayment.

A carpenter specializes in the structural and finish woodwork itself — framing, drywall, trim — while a general contractor coordinates a full project across multiple trades. We do both: framing and repair work on their own, or as part of a larger renovation we're managing.

Cracks that follow a straight line along a seam are usually cosmetic settling. Cracks wider than a hairline, doors or windows that have started sticking nearby, or any softness when you press on the wall are worth having looked at — those can indicate a structural issue behind the surface rather than just a finish problem.

Generally yes, though older homes sometimes have different stud spacing, ceiling heights, or plaster instead of drywall, which changes how a repair or addition ties in. We assess that before starting so the finished result matches rather than reads as an obvious patch.

Almost always moisture that found a way in and stayed — behind siding without a proper drainage plane, around a window or door that wasn't flashed correctly, or from a slow leak that went unnoticed. Insects like carpenter ants follow that moisture; they don't cause the initial problem, they move into wood that's already compromised.

Drywall installed, taped, and mudded generally runs about $80 per sheet on a standard job, but small jobs — a single patch or a few sheets — often cost more per sheet, sometimes up to $200, because setup and a minimum service charge apply regardless of job size. These are general industry ranges, not a quote — actual cost depends on scope, condition, materials, and site access.

Sistering means fastening a new joist alongside a weakened or damaged one, so the new piece shares the load rather than replacing the old one outright. Done correctly, with the right fasteners and full contact along the joist's length, it's a legitimate structural repair, not a temporary patch, and it's often less invasive than replacing a joist that's tied into subfloor and framing above it. It only works, though, if the underlying cause, usually moisture, has actually been fixed first. Sistering a rotting joist without addressing what's making it rot just delays the same problem.

Depends where it's coming from and how far it's progressed. A slight bounce in the middle of a long joist span is common and usually just a comfort issue, not a safety one. Visible sagging, a floor that's noticeably lower in one spot, cracking that's getting worse, or doors and windows nearby that have started sticking are signs worth having assessed rather than living with, since those can indicate the framing underneath is actually failing rather than just flexing more than you'd like.

Framing is the structural skeleton, studs, joists, beams, the parts that hold the house up and that nobody sees once drywall goes on. Finish carpentry is everything visible afterward: trim, casings, baseboards, built-ins, doors hung and adjusted properly. They're different skill sets even though both fall under carpentry. Framing prioritizes structural accuracy and code; finish work prioritizes clean lines and a good eye. A lot of carpenters lean more toward one or the other even if they can do both.

Not always. If the damage is limited to a joist, a header, or a section of wall that can be accessed without taking out finishes on both sides, a repair can often be done through a targeted opening rather than a full teardown. Widespread rot, damage that's spread into multiple connected members, or a location that's simply inaccessible any other way, is when a larger opening or a full wall becomes the more practical route. We assess the actual extent before deciding, rather than defaulting to the biggest possible fix.