About

Scope & Sum is an independent information site for Canadian homeowners planning a renovation: a kitchen or bathroom, finishing a basement, adding a secondary suite or an addition, or refurbishing a whole house. We explain how renovation prices are built, show the arithmetic behind every estimate and point to the official sources that set the rules: the Canada Revenue Agency for GST/HST and tax credits, provincial consumer protection offices for contracts, provincial lien statutes for holdbacks, the Régie du bâtiment du Québec for licensing in Quebec, and municipal building departments for permits.

All cost ranges on the site are illustrative and labelled as such. We build them from typical components and explain how; they are not market surveys or quotes. We do not publish rankings, ratings, reviews, testimonials or case studies, and we do not recommend individual contractors.

We cover the general renovation budget and contract picture. Specialised projects such as roofs, heating systems and heat pumps, solar panels, water leaks and window replacement are mentioned only briefly here; check the official sources and dedicated guides for those.

This site is general information, not legal, tax or engineering advice. Rules differ by province and municipality and can change. For a specific contract, lien, tax or structural question, consult a lawyer (a notary in Quebec), an accountant, an engineer or your municipal building department.

How this site is made

Scope & Sum is an independent information project. Guides are drafted with the help of AI writing tools and checked against official and primary sources before publication; see our Editorial Policy. We are not affiliated with any provider mentioned on the site and do not sell products or services.