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Attic Renovations in Ottawa
Attic renovations in Ottawa are some of the most exciting and rewarding projects we handle. Whether you’re looking to transform your attic into a storage space, home office, playroom, or something entirely unique, we can handle it.
We’ve even installed brand-new attics in homes that didn’t previously have one!
With years of experience in renovations across Ottawa, we’re ready to help you maximize the potential of your attic.
Let us turn your attic into a functional and beautiful part of your home.
Get a free no-obligation quote for your next project in seconds.
The Extra Room Already Under Your Roof
An attic renovation is one of the smartest ways to add a full room to your Ottawa home. The space is already there, so instead of building out or up, we renovate what's above you into a bright, comfortable bedroom, home office, in-law suite, or primary suite.
For many Ottawa families, that finished space becomes an attic in-law suite, a private, comfortable spot for aging parents or an adult child, without the cost of a full addition or a backyard coach house. Whether you call it an attic renovation, an attic conversion, or an attic remodel, the goal is the same: turn wasted space into finished, livable square footage. The catch is doing it properly. Headroom, structure, stairs, and insulation all have to meet code and stand up to Ottawa winters, which is exactly what a full design-build team handles under one roof.
- Add a bedroom, home office, in-law suite, or primary suite without changing your footprint
- Often the most cost-effective way to gain a full room
- Dormers and skylights bring in headroom and natural light
- Insulated and finished for year-round comfort through Ottawa winters
How Our Attic Renovations in Ottawa Work
An attic renovation is a structural project hidden inside a small space. Here is the design-build process OGC follows to turn an unused attic into finished, code-compliant living space.
The first thing we check is your roof framing, because it decides everything. A stick-framed rafter roof leaves open, convertible space. A standard engineered truss roof is filled with structural webbing that usually can't be converted without a full re-roof using purpose-built attic trusses. We tell you which you have before you spend a dollar on design.
- Rafter-versus-truss roof assessment, the make-or-break factor
- Headroom measured against the Building Code's ceiling-height rule
- Honest go / no-go answer and a budget range up front
We design the room around the roof slope, using knee walls for storage and placing dormers and skylights where they add the most standing height, daylight, and a compliant escape window. You see it all in 3D before we build.
- Layout that maximizes floor area above the minimum ceiling height
- Dormers and skylights positioned for headroom, light, and egress
- 3D renderings so you see the finished room in advance
A finished attic counts as habitable space, so it needs a building permit and has to meet the Ontario Building Code for structure, stairs, egress, and insulation. Our engineer specifies the floor reinforcement, and we handle the full City of Ottawa permit.
- Floor structure engineered for the residential live load
- A compliant egress window designed into every bedroom
- Building permit, and any dormer or zoning approvals, handled by OGC
Before construction begins, you get a detailed, fixed-price contract covering the full scope. The number you approve is the number you pay, backed by our price-match guarantee.
- Line-by-line scope with no vague allowances
- Fixed price with no surprise change orders
- Financing options available for qualified homeowners
Now the heavy work: we reinforce or replace the floor joists that were sized only to hold up a ceiling, build a Code-compliant staircase, add any dormers, and insulate the roof assembly for Ottawa's climate so the room is comfortable in every season.
- Ceiling joists sistered or replaced to carry a real floor load
- New staircase built to Code width, run, and headroom
- Roof insulated as a vented or spray-foamed assembly to stop condensation
We finish the room end to end, then walk the completed space with you before the City's final inspection and hand over your warranty.
- Drywall, flooring, trim, lighting, and paint completed
- Any new bathroom finished and connected
- Final City inspection booked and your 7-year warranty handed over
Our Attic Renovation Portfolio
A sample of attic renovations, loft rooms, and upper-level suites we have designed and built for homeowners across Ottawa.
Why Ottawa Homeowners Choose OGC
For over a decade, OGC has been one of Ottawa's most trusted attic renovation contractors and the city's most reviewed design-build firm, with 200+ verified reviews across Google, Houzz, and HomeStars.
Design-Build, Not Just a Contractor
Unlike many attic renovation companies, we keep design, engineering, permits, and construction in-house. One accountable team runs the whole project, from first sketch to final inspection.
One Dedicated Project Manager
A single project manager runs your entire attic renovation and stays reachable by phone or text the whole way through. No handoffs, no gaps, no wondering who is in charge.
See It Before We Build It
Every attic renovation starts with full 3D renderings so you can see the finished room and how the roofline shapes it before construction begins. Change it on screen, not on site.
Fixed Pricing, No Surprises
What you are quoted is what you pay. No hidden fees, no mid-project change orders. OGC's price-match guarantee backs every contract we write.
Industry-Leading 7-Year Warranty
OGC backs every attic renovation with a 7-year warranty, one of the strongest in Ottawa. Turning your attic into living space is a real investment, and your peace of mind should match it.
Ottawa's Most Recognized Renovation Team
OGC is a member of the GOHBA, Tarion, RenoMark, CHBA, and the Ottawa Chamber of Commerce, and has been named Ottawa's Small Business of the Year. Our work has been featured on CTV, HGTV, and in Ottawa press.
Attic Renovations in Ottawa: What's Involved
An attic renovation looks simple but hides real structural and code work. Here is what we manage to turn an attic into a legal, comfortable room.
The single biggest factor is how your roof is framed. A stick-framed rafter roof leaves open volume we can convert. A standard engineered truss roof is crisscrossed with structural webbing that can't simply be cut out, so converting it usually means a full re-roof with purpose-built attic trusses or an engineered redesign. We confirm which you have first, because it drives everything else.
The Ontario Building Code needs roughly 2.1 m (6 ft 11 in) of clear height over the whole usable area of a bedroom, or 2.3 m over at least half of it. The low space under the roof slope does not count as livable, so the real question is how much of your attic clears the height rule, and where a dormer can add more.
Attic ceiling joists were engineered only to hold up drywall, roughly 0.35 kPa. A real floor has to carry the Code's residential live load of 1.9 kPa, about 40 psf, five times as much. That is why we almost always sister or replace the joists before framing the new floor.
Finding room for the stairs is usually the hardest part. Private stairs need at least 860 mm of width, 1,950 mm of headroom, and a 255 mm minimum run per step, and that run claims a real chunk of the floor below while the roof slope keeps trying to cut into the headroom at the top.
Every attic bedroom needs an escape window with at least 0.35 m² of opening, no dimension under 380 mm, and a sill no higher than 1 m off the floor, which is often why we add a dormer. And because the room sits directly under the roof, we build it as a vented or spray-foamed assembly so it stays comfortable year-round and never traps the moisture that causes mould.
What an Attic Renovation Costs in Ottawa
Cost depends on how much structural work the attic needs, whether you add a dormer or a bathroom, and your finishes. Here is the range Ottawa homeowners are working within.
into a single room
or an added bathroom
major structural work
Headroom & Structure
If the floor needs heavy reinforcement or the roof needs raising to gain headroom, cost climbs quickly. Attics that already have height and framing to work with are the most affordable to renovate.
Dormers & Windows
Adding a dormer is the biggest single upgrade, unlocking headroom and light, but it adds framing, roofing, and permit work to the project.
Bathroom & Finishes
Running plumbing up for an ensuite, plus higher-end flooring and built-ins, moves you toward the top of the range. A simple finished room sits at the bottom.
Want the full breakdown by project type? Read our detailed guide to home addition and renovation costs in Ottawa.
Attic Renovation Questions
The questions Ottawa homeowners ask us most before renovating an attic.
In practice they describe the same project. An attic renovation, attic conversion, and attic remodel all mean turning unused attic space into a finished, livable room. Whatever you call it, the work is the same: headroom, structural reinforcement, stairs, egress, insulation, and finishing. OGC handles all of it as your attic renovation contractor.
Most attic renovations in Ottawa fall between about $40,000 for a straightforward single room and $150,000+ for a primary suite or a project that needs major structural work. Adding a dormer or a bathroom moves you up the range. See our full renovation and addition cost guide for a detailed breakdown.
Yes. Renovating an attic into living space requires a City of Ottawa building permit because it changes how the space is used and adds structural, egress, and insulation requirements. Adding a dormer can also trigger zoning review. OGC prepares the drawings and handles the entire permit process for you. Here's more on permits for home additions in Ottawa.
The building code sets a minimum ceiling height for livable rooms, and the usable area is measured where the roof is tall enough to stand. If your attic is short on headroom, a dormer or, in some cases, raising the roof can create the height you need. We confirm the exact numbers for your home during the assessment.
Not always. If your attic already has the headroom, you may not need one. But a dormer is often the difference between a cramped space and a comfortable room, adding standing height, natural light, and usable floor area. We will show you both options in 3D so you can decide.
Construction on most attic renovations runs about 2 to 4 months, plus design and permitting beforehand. Adding a dormer or a bathroom adds time. We give you a realistic schedule before work starts.
Look for an attic renovation contractor who handles design, engineering, and permits in-house, carries proper insurance and warranty, and can show you completed attic projects. Because attics involve structure, egress, and insulation, you want a team that does it all rather than juggling separate attic conversion contractors and designers. OGC is a fully insured design-build firm backing every attic renovation with a 7-year warranty.
Areas We Serve
OGC provides attic renovations across Ottawa and the surrounding region, including:
no-obligation quote
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Visit us
1886 Merivale Road #200, Nepean, ON K2G 1E6Sit with a specialist and visit our design center.
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