Parging Cost in Ottawa: Repair, Recoat and New Parging Prices

Why the range is wide

Ottawa Parging Experts prices every project after a free on-site or photo estimate, because the same visible crack can mean very different scopes of work depending on what's actually happening underneath – a shallow hairline versus deep spalling, a single spot versus a pattern spread across the wall. The tiers above are a starting reference drawn from typical Ottawa prices, not a quote for your specific project; treat them as planning ranges until you have a written number in hand.

What moves the price

Scope is the biggest factor – a single patch repair and a full perimeter recoat sit at opposite ends of the pricing table for a reason. Material choice matters too: standard cement parging costs less than a polymer-modified or acrylic mix, but the upgrade often pays for itself on a wall with a history of repeated cracking, since acrylic flexes with movement instead of fighting it. Access and site conditions round out the picture – a straightforward exterior wall costs less to work on than a foundation section behind landscaping, a fence, or tight side-yard access.

Full new-application parging runs roughly $15 to $30 per linear foot, which is where the $2,250-$4,500 typical full-perimeter figure above comes from on an average 150 linear ft home. Your exact number depends on your home's actual perimeter and site conditions – the calculator above gives a rough planning range, and a free estimate gives you the real one.

Measure the wall, not just the perimeter

Pricing by the linear foot only works when the exposed foundation is about the same height all the way around. Square footage gives a fairer comparison, especially on a sloped lot.

Wall area = length × average exposed height

A house with 150 feet of visible perimeter and 2 feet of exposed wall has about 300 sq. ft. If one side rises to 4 feet, measure that side on its own. Send every contractor the same measurements and photos so the quotes compare.

What changes the price

• Removal and prep: the hollow area behind a small flake is often larger than the flake. Loose material comes off until the edges are sound, so ask how much removal the quote includes and what happens if more turns up.
• The wall underneath: with the old coat off, the wall may show worn block joints, pitted concrete, paint or cracks that need their own repair. Parging finishes a sound wall; it does not fix a moving crack or an active leak.
• Access: narrow side yards, decks, steps, window wells, air conditioners and gardens slow the work and need protecting.
• Product and method: the quote should name the product, the prep method, the number of coats and any mesh.
• Finish: a custom colour or a close texture match costs more than a standard finish.

Patch, recoat or investigate first?

• One chip, with firmly bonded parging around it: price a patch repair.
• Several hollow or loose areas on one wall: compare a larger repair with recoating that wall.
• Failure on several walls: ask for a strip-and-recoat assessment.
• A crack that widens, shifts or keeps coming back: have the foundation checked before any parging.
• Water coming into the basement: find the water source before recoating.
• Damp patches or white residue that return: find the moisture source before recoating.

Weather and scheduling

The product sets the working window. Sakrete's Canadian instructions call for the mix and the wall to stay between 5°C and 30°C for 24 hours before and 48 hours after application, protected from frost while it cures. The City of Ottawa advises sloping soil away from the foundation and sending downspouts to ground about 3 metres from the house; if water keeps reaching the wall, a new coat can fail again.

What a useful quote includes

• Which walls, or the measured area
• Removal of loose or hollow parging
• Cleaning and surface prep
• How cracks and damaged concrete or block are handled
• Product name and application method
• Mesh, if proposed, and where it goes
• Number of coats and the finish
• Protection of siding, windows, paving and plants
• Cleanup and debris removal
• Start and finish dates
• Price, 13% HST, and payment schedule
• Warranty terms and what they exclude
• How extra work gets approved in writing

Ontario advises getting at least three written estimates. When an estimate is part of a renovation contract, the final bill generally cannot exceed it by more than 10% unless you agree in writing to new work or a new price.