Home Service & Renovation Costs in Montreal (2026)
Montreal is the value outlier among Canada's big cities: labour rates run well below Toronto and Vancouver, helped by a deep local trades base and cheap hydro that shapes heating choices. The trade-offs are Quebec's strict licensing regime (RBQ/CCQ), a very old housing stock of plexes and pre-war plumbing, and winters every bit as serious as Toronto's. Typical 2026 ranges in CAD.
How Montreal Compares to Toronto
Montreal undercuts Toronto by roughly 20–35% on most trades — the widest big-city gap in Canada. Lower labour costs do most of it. What doesn't get cheaper is the old-house risk: pre-war galvanized and lead plumbing, knob-and-tube-era wiring and century-old foundations hide behind Montreal walls at Toronto rates or worse, so contingency matters more here than the hourly rate suggests.
🔧 Plumber Costs in Montreal
Quebec plumbing is a closed trade: work must be done by a licensed plumber (CMMTQ member) — no handyman exceptions. Lead service lines in older boroughs are the city's long project.
| Service | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Licensed plumber (hourly) | $90–$135/hr |
| Service call / diagnosis | $80–$130 |
| Drain unclogging | $175–$325 |
| Toilet installation | $275–$450 |
| Water heater — tank install | $1,600–$2,500 |
| Bathroom rough-in | $2,800–$5,000 |
| Main water entry / lead line replacement | $3,000–$6,000 |
| Frozen pipe thaw & repair | $200–$550 |
⚡ Electrician Costs in Montreal
Also a closed trade in Quebec (CMEQ) — and a city full of 100A and fuse-era services meeting modern loads, EV chargers and heat pumps.
| Service | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Licensed electrician (hourly) | $85–$130/hr |
| Troubleshooting / diagnosis | $125–$250 |
| New outlet or switch | $125–$250 |
| Pot lights (per light) | $125–$225 |
| Panel upgrade (100A → 200A) | $2,200–$3,800 |
| EV charger installation (Level 2) | $800–$1,400 |
| Electric heating (baseboards/convectors, per room) | $400–$900 |
❄️ HVAC Costs in Montreal
Cheap hydro writes Montreal's HVAC story: electric baseboards and furnaces, wall heat pumps everywhere, and gas as the minority player.
| Service | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Diagnostic / tune-up visit | $125–$200 |
| Heat pump install (wall, single zone) | $3,500–$6,000 |
| Heat pump install (central) | $8,000–$14,000 |
| Central AC install | $4,500–$7,500 |
| Electric / gas furnace install | $4,500–$8,000 |
| Ductless multi-zone system | $7,000–$13,000 |
🎨 Painter Costs in Montreal
Plaster walls, high ceilings and crown mouldings in the plex stock reward patient prep — and Montreal painters price gently by national standards.
| Service | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Bedroom (12×14) | $400–$800 |
| Interior — 1,500 sq ft home | $3,800–$6,000 |
| Exterior — 1,500 sq ft home | $4,500–$8,000 |
| Kitchen cabinet painting (per kitchen) | $3,000–$5,500 |
| Plaster repair + paint (per room) | $600–$1,200 |
| Wallpaper removal (per room) | $250–$600 |
🛠️ Handyman Costs in Montreal
Use with care in Quebec: plumbing, electrical and gas are legally reserved to licensed trades, so a Montreal handyman's legal menu is assembly, mounting, patching and carpentry basics.
| Service | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Hourly rate | $50–$85/hr |
| Half-day (4 hrs) | $225–$375 |
| Full day (8 hrs) | $400–$650 |
| TV wall mounting | $100–$225 |
| Drywall patch (small) | $125–$275 |
| Furniture assembly | $90–$200 |
🏠 Roofer Costs in Montreal
Flat roofs rule the plex city — tar-and-gravel, elastomeric membrane and TPO over most of Montreal's multi-unit stock, with shingles on detached homes.
| Service | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Architectural shingles (per sq ft, installed) | $5.00–$7.50 |
| Flat roof — membrane (per sq ft) | $8–$14 |
| Full roof replacement (typical detached) | $10,000–$16,000 |
| Roof repair (small) | $350–$700 |
| Ice dam damage repair | $500–$2,000 |
| Roof snow removal (per visit) | $250–$600 |
🪚 Carpenter Costs in Montreal
Balconies and exterior staircases are Montreal carpentry icons — the city's famous spiral stairs and rear balconies are a specialty trade of their own.
| Service | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Journeyman carpenter (hourly) | $60–$90/hr |
| Finish carpenter (hourly) | $70–$105/hr |
| Deck / balcony — pressure-treated (per sq ft) | $35–$50 |
| Custom closet / built-in shelving | $1,800–$4,000 |
| Interior door installation | $250–$500/door |
| Exterior staircase rebuild | $3,000–$8,000 |
✨ House Cleaner Costs in Montreal
Among the gentlest cleaning rates of any big Canadian city.
| Service | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Per cleaner (hourly) | $35–$50/hr |
| Standard clean — 2-bed condo | $140–$210 |
| Deep clean (per visit) | $240–$380 |
| Move-in / move-out clean | $280–$500 |
| Airbnb turnover clean | $70–$140 |
🌳 Landscaper Costs in Montreal
Short, intense summers and serious snow: Montreal landscapers run déneigement (snow) contracts all winter, often with the driveway-marker ritual each fall.
| Service | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Lawn mowing (per visit) | $45–$70 |
| Seasonal cleanup (spring/fall) | $275–$500 |
| Stone patio (300 sq ft) | $6,000–$9,000 |
| Stone patio (per sq ft) | $20–$30 |
| Snow removal (season contract, driveway) | $400–$700 |
| Hedge trimming | $150–$375 |
| Tree removal (large, with stump) | $1,200–$3,200 |
🧱 Drywall Costs in Montreal
Plaster is the historic Montreal wall — drywall work here often means plaster repair skills alongside standard boarding.
| Service | Typical Cost |
|---|---|
| Full install, paint-ready (per sq ft) | $2.75–$4.00 |
| Small hole patch | $175–$450 |
| Water damage repair (per area) | $400–$1,100 |
| Popcorn ceiling removal (per sq ft) | $2–$3.50 |
| Basement drywall (1,000 sq ft floor) | $4,000–$8,500 |
🏡 Renovation Costs in Montreal
Montreal renovation totals are Canada's friendliest among big cities — with the plex caveat: converting or renovating multi-unit buildings involves RBQ-licensed contractors, city permits and, for anything structural, engineers' plans as standard practice.
| Project | Typical Cost (CAD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Powder room refresh | $6,500–$11,000 | Cosmetic — fixtures, tile, vanity |
| Standard 3-piece bathroom (mid-range) | $18,000–$30,000 | Full gut, mid-range tile & fixtures |
| Luxury primary ensuite | $32,000–$55,000+ | Stone, custom vanity, heated floors |
| Cosmetic kitchen refresh | $11,000–$22,000 | Counters, painted cabinets, appliances |
| Mid-range full kitchen | $32,000–$52,000 | New cabinets, layout kept, mid appliances |
| Premium / custom kitchen | $60,000–$115,000+ | Custom cabinetry, layout changes, pro appliances |
| Basement finishing (mid-range) | $40,000–$65,000 | Ceiling height is the usual feasibility gate |
What Affects Prices in Montreal?
1. Quebec licensing (RBQ / CCQ)
Plumbing, electrical and gas are closed trades — legally reserved to licensed corporations and certified tradespeople. It keeps unlicensed competition out of the regulated work, and it means handyman pricing only applies to the unregulated list.
2. The old plex stock
Montreal's duplexes and triplexes carry pre-war systems: lead and galvanized plumbing, undersized electrical, flat roofs at end of life. Renovations here discover things — price the contingency at 15–20%.
3. Cheap hydro, cold winters
Quebec electricity rates make electric heating and heat pumps the economic default, while −25°C design temperatures punish weak insulation and old windows. Energy retrofits pay back faster here than almost anywhere in Canada.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a handyman fix my plumbing or electrical in Montreal?
No — in Quebec those are closed trades (CMMTQ for plumbing, CMEQ for electrical), and the work must be done by licensed tradespeople working for licensed contractors. A handyman can legally handle assembly, mounting, patching and similar unregulated tasks.
Is service available in French in Montreal?
Yes — French-language service is widely available across Montreal's trades; most contractors work bilingually and many default to French. If French service matters to you, simply say so when you post your job — for most Montreal trades it's the everyday norm, not a special request.
Why are Montreal prices lower than Toronto's?
Mostly labour: a deep local trades base and lower operating costs keep rates down, and cheap hydro cuts both contractor and homeowner energy costs. Materials, notably, cost the same — which is why the gap is bigger on labour-heavy jobs (painting, drywall) than on equipment-heavy ones (HVAC, roofing).
What should I check before finishing a Montreal basement?
Ceiling height first (older Montreal basements are often low), then moisture and the foundation's condition, then whether your borough requires a permit for the change of use. Underpinning to gain height is possible but moves the budget into a different league.
Related Guides
- Plumber Cost in Toronto — compare Montreal plumbing prices with our Toronto guide
- Electrician Cost in Toronto — panel upgrades, pot lights & troubleshooting
- Bathroom Renovation Cost in Toronto — full renovation ranges by bathroom type
- Kitchen Renovation Cost in Toronto — refresh to full custom ranges
- Home Service & Renovation Costs in Calgary
- Home Service & Renovation Costs in New York
- All BuildBridge Cost Guides by City — Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal & US cities
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