How Much Does a Turnkey Major Renovation Cost in Montreal in 2026?

Article by François Guida

President, CEO and Partner, Groupe Cartier

Published on August 20, 2026 · Reading time: 8 min

In Montreal, a turnkey major renovation costs between $100 and $300 per square foot in 2026, depending on the finish level, with a range of $150 to $260/sq.ft. when the work touches the structure, insulation, electrical and plumbing. For a complete home of 1,200 to 2,500 square feet, the total budget generally sits between $210,000 and $750,000 and up, plus a 15% contingency and taxes (GST/QST 14.975%).

Whether you live in a century-old Outremont cottage, a Boucherville home built in the 1980s, or a Golden Square Mile apartment, the question always comes back to the same place: what does a turnkey major renovation really cost in Greater Montreal? At Groupe Cartier, a general contractor and design firm founded in 1998, we answer this question every week during our discovery calls. This article lays out current price ranges, the factors that drive them, and why a turnkey approach protects your budget rather than putting it at risk.

Price ranges per square foot in 2026

The Greater Montreal market generally splits into two tiers. A mid-range renovation runs between $100 and $175 per square foot, while a high-end renovation (fine materials, custom cabinetry, a fully reimagined kitchen) runs between $175 and $300 per square foot and up. When the project touches the building's structure, insulation, plumbing and electrical, the range tightens to around $150 to $260 per square foot, reflecting the real scope of work that is invisible but essential.

These figures aren't arbitrary: they account for CCQ-certified labour, materials, the professionals involved (designers, engineers if required) and site management. In Greater Montreal's more affluent areas, notably Westmount, Hampstead, Ville Mont-Royal and Outremont, homeowners often choose the upper end of these ranges, with materials such as Cosentino's Dekton or Miralis cabinetry featuring Luminescence lighting.

Typical budgets by home type

In concrete terms, what does a budget look like by property type? A 2,000-square-foot cottage renovated in depth (kitchen, bathrooms, common areas) usually falls between $200,000 and $520,000, depending on the finishes chosen. A full floor renovation, including bedrooms, the main bathroom and storage, typically costs between $90,000 and $260,000 depending on the square footage and finish level. A condo, being more compact, often keeps the project within a tighter range, particularly for the kitchen, where smaller spaces generally run between $25,000 and $35,000.

These figures also vary by city and building type. An older home in Outremont or Plateau-Mont-Royal often holds structural surprises (foundations, galvanized plumbing, outdated electrical) that push up the "invisible" portion of the budget. A 1980s-1990s home in Boucherville or Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, on the other hand, mainly needs modernized spaces and materials, which sometimes allows more of the budget to go toward visible finishes.

Price table by project type

This table remains indicative: every project is unique, which is precisely why a home visit and detailed plans come before any quote at Groupe Cartier. Our interior design team works with APDIQ-member designers to maximize every space before work even begins. Before signing, it's also worth checking what your contractor's RBQ, APCHQ and CCQ certifications actually guarantee.

Why turnkey protects your budget

The turnkey formula means a single point of contact carries responsibility for quality, timelines and budget, from design through to handover. In practice, this avoids the grey areas that derail projects elsewhere: materials selected before the site work begins, detailed quotes, and a roughly 15% contingency planned from the outset rather than absorbed along the way.

This rigour rests on concrete certifications: Groupe Cartier has held RBQ licence no. 8264-6134-49 since May 2002, has been an APCHQ member since 2008, and has relied on CCQ-certified labour for over twelve years. Our designers are APDIQ members, an added assurance for homeowners who want to avoid regulatory or site-related surprises.

What makes the price vary from one project to another

Several factors explain why two homes of similar size can carry very different budgets. The condition of the existing structure (framing, plumbing, electrical) weighs heavily, as does the choice of materials: a kitchen with Miralis cabinetry and Dekton countertops naturally falls in the high-end segment ($45,000 to $60,000 and up), while a standard kitchen in high-end laminate stays between $30,000 and $40,000.

Location also affects certain logistical and regulatory aspects: boroughs like Westmount or Outremont apply stricter heritage rules, while cities such as Boucherville, Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Laval or the North Shore area (Rosemère, Blainville, Terrebonne) sometimes offer more latitude for additions. In every case, the experience of a general contractor active in Greater Montreal since 1998 helps anticipate these particulars before they become budget surprises.

Areas served in Greater Montreal

Groupe Cartier supports homeowners within a 30 km radius of its showroom located at 9090 avenue du Parc, suite 360, in Montreal. This covers Montreal (Outremont, Westmount, Ville Mont-Royal, Hampstead, Côte-Saint-Luc, Plateau-Mont-Royal, the Golden Square Mile, Côte-des-Neiges-NDG, Verdun and Île-des-Sœurs, as well as the West Island up to Beaconsfield and Baie-D'Urfé), Laval (Chomedey, Duvernay, Sainte-Rose, Laval-sur-le-Lac), the South Shore (Longueuil, Saint-Lambert, Brossard, Boucherville, Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, Candiac) and the North Shore (Repentigny, Terrebonne, Rosemère, Lorraine). Homes in Boucherville and Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, often built between 1970 and 1990, are particularly well suited to major renovations that modernize living spaces while preserving the value of the lot.

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