What is the budget range for converting vinyl siding to stucco on an Ottawa home?

Converting from vinyl siding to stucco is a significant exterior renovation, and in Ottawa it comes with some specific considerations related to our climate and building code requirements. The short answer: budget between $18 and $28 per square foot installed for traditional three-coat stucco, or $22 to $35 per square foot for an EIFS (synthetic stucco) system with integrated insulation.

Full Project Cost Breakdown

For a typical two-storey Ottawa home with roughly 1,500 to 2,000 square feet of exterior wall area, here's what the total project looks like:

• Vinyl siding removal and disposal: $1,500 to $3,000. This includes taking off the siding, J-channels, corner trim, and all fasteners. Some contractors include this in their stucco quote; others bill it separately.- Sheathing inspection and repair: $500 to $3,000+. Once the siding is off, you'll see the true condition of the sheathing. Older Ottawa homes — especially those built in the 1970s and 1980s — sometimes have OSB or plywood that's delaminated around windows or at the base of walls. Any damaged sheathing must be replaced before stucco goes on.- Weather-resistant barrier (WRB) and lath: $3 to $5 per square foot. The Ontario Building Code requires a proper drainage plane behind stucco. Two layers of building paper or a modern WRB like a drainable housewrap are standard. Metal lath gets fastened over this.- Stucco application (three-coat system): $12 to $18 per square foot for the actual stucco work — scratch coat, brown coat, and finish coat.- Window and door trim detailing: $2,000 to $5,000 depending on how many openings you have and what style of reveals or sills you want. This is where the finished look really comes together.

All in, most Ottawa homeowners converting a full house from vinyl to traditional stucco land between $30,000 and $55,000. A smaller bungalow in Barrhaven might come in around $22,000 to $30,000, while a larger home in Rockcliffe or Manotick could reach $60,000+.

If you choose EIFS instead of traditional stucco, you'll pay a premium upfront but gain meaningful insulation value — typically R-5 to R-12 depending on foam thickness. Given Ottawa's heating-dominated climate (4,600+ heating degree days), the energy savings can be substantial. Many homeowners recoup 15 to 25% of the EIFS cost through lower heating bills over the first decade.

A few Ottawa-specific considerations:

• Permits: A full cladding replacement requires a building permit from the City of Ottawa. Budget $300 to $800 for permit fees.- Timing: Stucco needs sustained temperatures above 5°C for curing. Realistically, that means May through early October in Ottawa. Book early — experienced stucco contractors here fill their season by March.- WSIB clearance: Ensure your contractor carries active WSIB coverage. This is mandatory in Ontario and protects you from liability if a worker is injured on your property.

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Looking for experienced contractors? The Ottawa Construction Network connects Ottawa homeowners with qualified professionals:

• Luxe Painting and Renovations
• JC Carpentry
• ALM Construction & Landscaping Inc.
• Grunt Work 4 Grunts
• Denys Builds Designs Renovations

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