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Kitchen Renovations in The Glebe
Glebe homes were built before anyone imagined an island. We fit a modern kitchen into a century-old plan without fighting the house.
See what your kitchen will costGlebe Kitchen Renovations for Century Homes
A kitchen renovation in the Glebe starts with a house that is usually more than a century old. Most Glebe houses were built before 1914, on narrow plans with the kitchen at the back, and many have been renovated several times since. Our Ottawa kitchen renovation team fits a modern kitchen into that plan and handles what the walls are hiding.
Parts of the Glebe sit inside heritage conservation districts, including Clemow Estate East, the neighbourhood's first, designated in 2011. Interior kitchen work is generally unaffected, but changes to the outside, such as a new window or a rear addition, can need a heritage permit. We check your address before the design is final.
- Narrow plans opened up and reorganized
- Knob-and-tube wiring and old water services assessed by licensed trades
- Full-height custom cabinetry built for uneven walls
- Heritage status checked before any exterior change
What a Glebe Kitchen Asks For
Four conditions we expect to find in a Glebe kitchen, and how each one gets handled.
Glebe houses sit on narrow plans, and the kitchen is usually at the back. There is no room to grow outward, so every square foot has to come from reconfiguring what is there, or from a rear addition. The design work is precise, and it matters more here than in a suburban kitchen.
A house this old has often been renovated three or four times. When the walls open you find the history: layers of plumbing, mismatched wiring, and structural changes from earlier renovations. We assess what is there before we build over it, and we do not paper over problems.
Glebe homeowners want a kitchen that matches the rest of the house: integrated appliances, full-height custom cabinetry, stone counters, and good lighting, often in a small footprint. A small kitchen done with precision delivers more than a larger one done carelessly, and the difference is in the design work before a cabinet is ordered.
Knob-and-tube wiring was used in homes from the early 1900s to the 1940s. Many insurers will not cover it and some require it replaced, and the ESA recommends an assessment by a licensed electrical contractor. Ottawa homes built before the mid-1950s may have a lead water service, and the City runs a lead pipe replacement program. We tell you what we find, and talk it through, before the work goes on.
Kitchens We've Renovated Across Ottawa
Real OGC kitchens, from full remodels to same-layout refreshes, with the precise, premium finishes a Glebe home calls for.
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See the full project stories: Stone Wall main floor, Luxe Oak kitchen, and Modern Organic kitchen.
Why Glebe Homeowners Choose OGC
OGC has completed hundreds of kitchen renovations across Ottawa, with 200+ verified reviews across Google, Houzz, and HomeStars. Glebe homeowners hire us as their kitchen contractors when they want one team, one fixed price, and one point of contact.
One Team, Start to Finish
One dedicated project manager runs your entire kitchen renovation, with no handoffs and no gaps. Reach them directly by phone or text for the whole project.
See It Before We Build It
Every kitchen starts with a full 3D render, so you see the new space before a single cabinet comes out. Change layouts, finishes, and fixtures before we build, not after.
Fixed Pricing, No Surprises
What you are quoted is what you pay. No hidden fees and no mid-project change orders. OGC's price-match guarantee backs every contract.
7-Year Warranty
OGC backs every kitchen renovation with a 7-year warranty. A kitchen is a long-term investment, and your peace of mind should be too.
Recognized by Ottawa's Building Industry
OGC is a member of the GOHBA, RenoMark, and CHBA, and our work has been covered on CTV and CBC. More than 200 verified reviews on Google, Houzz, and HomeStars back it up.
Visit Our Design Centre
Not sure where to start? Come to 1886 Merivale Road, Nepean and sit one-on-one with a specialist. See materials and finishes in person, with no pressure and no commitment.
What Shapes a Glebe Kitchen Budget
Two Glebe kitchens of the same size can land far apart. These are the three decisions that move the budget most.
Layout and Plumbing
Keeping the sink, range, and dishwasher where they are is the biggest saving available. Moving them means new drain and supply lines, new circuits, and often a permit. In a Glebe kitchen, reworking a narrow plan and updating old wiring or water lines usually matter more than square footage.
Cabinetry
Cabinets are usually the largest single line in a kitchen budget. Stock, semi-custom, and custom cabinets differ in sizing, finishes, and construction, and the tier you choose shapes the rest of the budget. Custom cabinetry built to fit century-old, uneven walls is the norm in the Glebe.
Surfaces and Appliances
Countertops run from laminate to quartz to natural stone, and quartz is the most popular choice in Ottawa. Appliance packages, flooring, and backsplash tile add up quickly once you step past standard.
Get a planning range for your Glebe kitchen with our kitchen cost calculator, compare kitchen cabinet costs and countertop options, or read the full guide to kitchen renovation costs in Ottawa.
Glebe Kitchen Renovation Questions
Scope first: whether the layout stays or changes, and whether walls, plumbing, or electrical move. Then the cabinet tier, countertop material, and appliance package. In a Glebe home, older wiring and plumbing behind the walls can add to the scope. Our guide to kitchen renovation costs in Ottawa walks through each factor, the kitchen cost calculator gives you a planning range, and OGC's fixed pricing means your quote is your final number.
It depends on the scope. Cosmetic work in the same footprint, such as new cabinets, countertops, and paint, generally does not. Adding or removing walls, structural changes, and plumbing alterations beyond replacing existing fixtures need a City of Ottawa building permit. Electrical work is done by a licensed electrical contractor and notified to the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA). OGC handles both as part of the project.
Lath and plaster, layers of earlier renovations, and possibly older wiring and plumbing. Knob-and-tube wiring was used in homes from the early 1900s to the 1940s. Many insurers will not cover it and some require it replaced, and the ESA recommends an assessment by a licensed electrical contractor. Ottawa homes built before the mid-1950s may have a lead water service, and the City runs a lead pipe replacement program. We plan for both at the design stage. Read more about permits for electrical work in Ottawa.
Interior work generally does not. In a Part V heritage conservation district, such as Clemow Estate East, a heritage permit is needed to alter any part of a property other than the interior of a building. A new kitchen inside the house needs only the usual building permits, while a new window, a door, or a rear addition can need heritage approval as well. Read our guide to heritage permits in Ottawa.
It depends on scope. A rip and replace can be completed in as little as 2 weeks, while a full layout change with structural work typically runs 2 to 4 months. OGC gives you a detailed schedule at the planning stage, and your project manager keeps you updated at every milestone.
Yes, most homeowners stay put. We seal off the work area, protect floors and the rest of the house, and clean up at the end of each day. Plan on a temporary kitchen elsewhere in the home for the weeks the room is out of service, and your project manager will tell you in advance when water or power needs to be off. In a Glebe home, the dining room usually becomes the temporary kitchen.
Also Renovating Kitchens Nearby
Our kitchen contractors renovate kitchens in older homes across central Ottawa. See our main kitchen renovations in Ottawa page, or pick another area.
Same neighbourhood, other projects: basement renovations in the Glebe and home renovations in the Glebe.
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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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