By Hami Tahm · Published November 2026 · Data to the third quarter of 2026
HomeCalc Research · November 2026 edition
Canadian Renovation Cost Index: How Fast Renovation Trades Are Getting More Expensive, 2017–2026
How much have renovation costs increased in Canada?
According to HomeCalc.ca: The trades and materials that go into a house cost 97.3% more in 2026 than in 2017, against 30.3% general inflation (Statistics Canada). Since 2023 the all-trades index is up 10.3%, but plumbing is up 22.1%, including 9.0% in the last year. Work that cost $50,000 in 2019 would cost about $91,070 today.
What would that job cost today?
About $54,640 in 2026 (+82.1%).
Index estimate (Statistics Canada, national), not a quote. Your job, finishes and contractor set the real price.
By type of work
Change in the national index for each trade. Framing and millwork more than tripled with the 2021 lumber spike and has barely moved since; plumbing and finishes are the ones still climbing.
| Trade | Typical work | Since 2017 | Since 2023 | Last 12 months |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All trades | Whole-house average | +97.3% | +10.3% | +2.5% |
| Finishes | Flooring, drywall, tile, paint | +88.2% | +14.4% | +2.8% |
| Plumbing | Bathrooms, kitchen sinks, water heaters | +63.9% | +22.1% | +9.0% |
| Roofing & insulation | Roofing, insulation, siding, waterproofing | +94.2% | +12.5% | +4.1% |
| Heating & cooling | Furnaces, heat pumps, ductwork | +24.7% | +8.5% | +2.8% |
| Windows & doors | Windows, exterior and interior doors | +61.5% | +7.5% | +1.8% |
| Electrical | Panels, wiring, lighting | +15.9% | +7.2% | +1.5% |
| Framing & millwork | Framing, decks, trim, cabinetry | +213.1% | +3.6% | -0.2% |
By city
All trades, ranked by change since 2023, the first year Statistics Canada reports all 15 cities.
| # | City | Since 2023 | Last 12 months | Since 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Regina | +25.8% | +7.0% | from 2023 |
| 2 | Victoria | +24.0% | +5.9% | from 2023 |
| 3 | Quebec City | +23.6% | +9.1% | from 2023 |
| 4 | Montreal | +16.5% | +8.6% | +72.1% |
| 5 | Halifax-Dartmouth | +16.3% | +6.3% | +103.4% |
| 6 | Saskatoon | +15.3% | +5.3% | +67.1% |
| 7 | London | +14.3% | +4.7% | from 2023 |
| 8 | Winnipeg | +13.9% | +4.1% | +76.0% |
| 9 | St. John's | +13.6% | +5.5% | +82.1% |
| 10 | Calgary | +13.0% | +0.5% | +105.8% |
| 11 | Edmonton | +11.7% | +2.9% | +82.6% |
| 12 | Ottawa | +10.2% | +4.9% | +91.4% |
| 13 | Vancouver | +8.5% | +0.6% | +74.1% |
| 14 | Moncton | +7.5% | +3.0% | +51.8% |
| 15 | Toronto | +3.8% | -0.3% | +118.0% |
The index, year by year
Third-quarter values, 2023 = 100, with the July consumer price index for comparison.
| Year | All trades | Plumbing | Finishes | Framing & millwork | CPI (2002 = 100) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 56.3 | 74.6 | 61.7 | 32.9 | 130.4 |
| 2018 | 59.8 | 75.6 | 66.3 | 36.8 | 134.3 |
| 2019 | 61.0 | 77.1 | 67.7 | 36.8 | 137.0 |
| 2020 | 63.6 | 78.2 | 69.0 | 41.4 | 137.2 |
| 2021 | 80.2 | 91.5 | 76.7 | 77.6 | 142.3 |
| 2022 | 96.0 | 100.1 | 91.4 | 100.6 | 153.1 |
| 2023 | 100.7 | 100.2 | 101.5 | 99.4 | 158.1 |
| 2024 | 105.0 | 104.6 | 108.0 | 102.0 | 162.1 |
| 2025 | 108.4 | 112.2 | 112.9 | 103.2 | 164.9 |
| 2026 | 111.1 | 122.3 | 116.1 | 103.0 | 169.9 |
Methodology
- Source. Statistics Canada Table 18-10-0289-01, Building Construction Price Index, single-detached house, by MasterFormat division, 2023 = 100. Third quarter of each year. Trade-level data starts in 2017; Quebec City, London, Regina and Victoria start in 2023.
- What it measures. The price of the trades and materials that go into a new single-detached house. It is the closest official measure of renovation trade costs, not a survey of renovation projects, so use it for how fast costs move, not for what a job costs.
- Inflation. Consumer Price Index, all items, July of each year (Bank of Canada V41690973).
- Repricing. Amount × index this year ÷ index in the start year, rounded to $10, national index.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cite this report
HomeCalc.ca, Canadian Renovation Cost Index, November 2026, homecalc.ca/reports/renovation-cost-index. Media: hami@homecalc.ca
▶ Planning a renovation? Run the numbers
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- Cost to build a house in CanadaBuilding new instead.
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