A transparent starting point / Ottawa

    What does
    custom cost?

    Use these ranges to frame a conversation, not to skip one. Millwork is a collection of decisions made for a particular room, site, and way of living.

    Preliminary planning ranges

    These broad ranges are intended for early budgeting for custom cabinetry and millwork in the Ottawa area. They are not quotes, estimates, or guarantees. They do not replace drawings or a review of the site. All figures should be confirmed against a clearly defined scope before a project proceeds.

    Focused vanity or small built-in$8,000–$18,000A useful early range for one defined piece with straightforward access and installation. Stone, plumbing, electrical, mirrors, and other trade work may be separate.
    Typical custom kitchen cabinetry$30,000–$75,000Cabinetry planning guidance for a fitted kitchen. Appliances, countertops, plumbing, electrical, demolition, flooring, and broader construction may be separate.
    Larger kitchen or whole-room package$65,000–$120,000+More cabinetry, islands, appliance panels, specialty storage, complex finishes, and site coordination can move a project upward.
    Commercial or workplace millworkProject-specificDrawings, durability requirements, access, coordination, phasing, and installation sequence need to be understood before a useful range can be established.

    Why similar rooms price differently

    The elevation is only part of the work.

    Two kitchens or built-ins can look similar in a photograph while requiring very different fabrication. Door and drawer count, finished interiors, veneer matching, paint or lacquer systems, appliance integration, hardware, lighting, trim, scribes, and the number of site visits all affect the work behind the visible face.

    Volume matters, but complexity does too. A compact piece fitted between irregular walls can require more measuring and hand fitting than a longer, simpler run. Ottawa’s mix of older houses, renovations, condominiums, and new construction also creates different access and coordination conditions.

    Common cost drivers

    Overall cabinet volume; door, drawer, and open-shelf count; painted, laminate, solid wood, or veneered finishes; specialty pull-outs and drawer systems; integrated lighting; glass or metal details; finished ends and interiors; appliance panels; delivery access; on-site fitting; and coordination with other trades.

    Often outside the cabinet number

    Appliances, countertops, plumbing, electrical, demolition, flooring, drywall, tile, painting, permits, engineering, and work by other trades may be separate. Confirm inclusions, taxes, delivery, installation, and site preparation for each proposal rather than assuming.

    Examples, not packages

    What a project scope can contain.

    These examples explain why a useful budget starts with the work itself. They are not fixed packages, and they do not assign a price to an unseen room.

    Custom kitchens

    A smaller, direct kitchen might centre on perimeter cabinets with standard drawer systems and a restrained painted or wood finish. A larger scope can add an island, tall pantry storage, integrated appliance panels, specialty pull-outs, finished end panels, lighting channels, and detailed coordination with stone and appliances.

    Confirm separately: The cabinet number does not automatically include appliances, countertops, demolition, plumbing, electrical, flooring, painting, or general contracting.

    Built-ins

    A focused scope could be a fitted media wall, library, mudroom run, or window-seat composition. Cost grows with overall size, drawer and door count, open display areas, lighting, ventilation for equipment, difficult wall conditions, and furniture-like finishing on visible ends and interiors.

    Confirm separately: Existing trim, radiators, outlets, uneven floors, high ceilings, and difficult access can affect both design and installation.

    Bathroom vanities

    A single vanity with straightforward drawers is different from a fitted wall with two basins, tall storage, integrated mirrors, specialty interiors, and coordination around wall-mounted plumbing. Compact rooms can require just as much drawing and fitting care as larger ones.

    Confirm separately: Basins, faucets, stone, plumbing, mirrors, lighting, tile, and waterproofing should be confirmed as separate or coordinated scopes.

    Custom closets

    A reach-in wardrobe with hanging and adjustable shelves is a different undertaking from a full dressing room with drawer banks, glazed doors, shoe storage, an island, mirrors, and integrated lighting. The useful comparison is not simply cost per linear foot; interior function and finish level matter.

    Confirm separately: Room preparation, electrical work, decorative lighting, and repairs to surrounding floors or walls may sit outside the cabinetry scope.

    Commercial millwork

    Reception desks, service counters, workplace storage, wall panelling, and hospitality pieces are priced from the actual package. Material durability, hardware, accessible clearances, shop drawings, site rules, protection, delivery windows, and phased installation all influence the work.

    Confirm separately: A clear division of responsibility among the owner, designer, contractor, other trades, and millworker is essential before pricing.

    Planning in Ottawa

    A better first number starts with better information.

    Room photographs and approximate dimensions are enough to begin. For a more useful discussion, add plans if available, your project address or municipality, inspiration images, appliance or fixture information, the work expected from other trades, and the timing you are working toward.

    Ready to define the scope?

    Use the Planning Room to organize what you know and what still needs an answer. If the project is already taking shape, send the details directly and Old Salt can identify the next useful step.

    Open the Planning Room

    Contact Old Salt

    Questions people ask.

    Are these quotes?

    No. These are preliminary, non-binding planning ranges only. An actual quote depends on confirmed drawings, dimensions, materials, hardware, finish, site conditions, installation, and the responsibilities assigned to Old Salt.

    What usually changes the number most?

    The amount of cabinetry, material and finish choices, door and drawer count, specialty hardware, integrated lighting, site complexity, and installation sequence are frequent drivers. Two projects with a similar footprint can have very different interior fittings and finish requirements.

    What should I bring to a conversation?

    A plan or sketch, a few reference images, room dimensions if you have them, your Ottawa-area project location, and an honest sense of timing and scope. Appliance information is useful for kitchens; plumbing and basin selections help with vanities.

    Can you price from inspiration photos?

    Reference images are useful for discussing proportion, material, and level of detail, but they are not enough for a reliable quote. Dimensions, construction, hardware, finish, and site conditions still need to be resolved.