How every estimate is built.
The short version: a project baseline is adjusted for your scope and location. The honest version includes the assumptions, source roles and limitations below.
The calculation
Baseline
Each tool starts with an internal low and high planning allowance for the useful unit: square feet, linear feet, window count, annual spend or total budget.
Project scope
Visible choices adjust that baseline. Kitchen cabinetry and layout matter differently from roof pitch or flooring preparation, so each calculator uses its own inputs.
Location
A coarse market factor adjusts the result. It is deliberately shown below rather than hidden behind a vague “local pricing” claim.
180 sq. ft. standard kitchen, existing layout, Canada average
Low: 180 × $78 × 0.95 × 1.00 = about $13,300
High: 180 × $165 × 0.95 × 1.00 = about $28,200
The typical figure is weighted within that range; it is not a contractor quote or market median.
What the sources do — and do not do
Canada does not publish one official price list for a kitchen, roof or bathroom renovation. Home Cost Canada therefore separates official trend evidence from its own editorial dollar assumptions.
The Statistics Canada BCPI measures changes in prices contractors charge for representative new construction, not exact renovation prices. We use it to review market direction and regional context. We do not claim that Statistics Canada produced the calculator’s dollar ranges or every city factor.
Location adjustment table
These factors are internal planning adjustments, not official government multipliers. The 15 BCPI census metropolitan areas have direct trend coverage; the remaining markets use broader provincial and nearby-market context.
| Market | Planning factor |
|---|---|
| Vancouver, BC | 1.16× |
| Victoria, BC | 1.12× |
| Toronto, ON | 1.12× |
| Surrey / Fraser Valley, BC | 1.08× |
| Calgary, AB | 1.07× |
| Kelowna, BC | 1.07× |
| Hamilton, ON | 1.04× |
| Edmonton, AB | 1.03× |
| Ottawa, ON | 1.02× |
| Kitchener-Waterloo, ON | 1.01× |
| Canada average / not sure | 1.00× |
| London, ON | 0.97× |
| Montreal, QC | 0.96× |
| Halifax, NS | 0.96× |
| Kingston, ON | 0.96× |
| Red Deer, AB | 0.95× |
| St. John’s, NL | 0.95× |
| Winnipeg, MB | 0.94× |
| Saskatoon, SK | 0.94× |
| Regina, SK | 0.92× |
| Windsor, ON | 0.92× |
| Quebec City, QC | 0.91× |
| Charlottetown, PE | 0.91× |
| Moncton, NB | 0.90× |
| Fredericton, NB | 0.89× |
| Sherbrooke, QC | 0.88× |
What is excluded
Not automatically added
- GST, HST or provincial sales tax
- Design and engineering fees
- Financing and temporary accommodation
- Unpriced hidden damage
Must be confirmed locally
- Permits, inspections and municipal fees
- Code, strata or condo requirements
- Trade availability and contractor minimums
- Site access and disposal conditions
The estimate does not inspect your property, confirm a permit, verify a product specification or replace written quotes. For heat-pump projects, use recent utility bills and an EnerGuide evaluation rather than treating the savings scenario as a guarantee.
Review log
Added fuller result explanations, visible estimate inclusions/exclusions, scope-driver summaries, condition/demolition inputs for kitchen and bathroom, and clearer model-version disclosure.
Published the 2026.Q3 calculator set and 25-market city comparison.
Next scheduled review: December 2026, or earlier if a major source update materially changes the model.