Frequently Asked Questions

This site covers nine residential home service trades:

• Insulation — blown-in, batt, spray foam, exterior rigid board
• Roofing — asphalt shingles, metal roofing, flat roof membranes
• Well Drilling — drilled wells, dug wells, water quality testing, pump systems
• Septic Systems — installation, inspection, pumping, Ontario Regulation 358
• Basement Waterproofing — interior drainage, exterior excavation, sump pumps
• Foundation Repair — crack injection, underpinning, settlement issues
• Snow Plowing — residential driveway plowing and seasonal contracts
• Exterior Painting — surface prep, paint selection, timing for Ontario climate
• Electricians — panel upgrades, ESA permits, EV chargers, generator hookups

Each trade section includes what the service involves, typical costs for the Renfrew County area, relevant Ontario regulations, and what to look for when hiring.

No. This site is an independent informational resource only. It does not perform home services, does not operate as a contractor, and is not a referral or lead generation service. No contractor, company, or individual pays for placement or mention anywhere on this site. We do not receive commissions, referral fees, or any other form of compensation based on contractors or services discussed here.

If you need to hire a contractor, verify credentials through official sources (ESA, MECP, TSSA) and ask for WSIB clearance and liability insurance certificates directly from the contractor before any work begins.

Content is reviewed and updated regularly — each page shows a last-updated date at the top. However, Ontario regulations, grant program details, permit fee schedules, and licensing requirements can change at any time without notice. Grant programs in particular are frequently modified, paused, or closed.

Always verify critical details — especially grant eligibility windows, application deadlines, and current program terms — directly with the issuing government agency or a licensed professional before committing to any project or expenditure.

Several federal and Ontario programs are available to Renfrew County homeowners, depending on the type of work:

• Canada Greener Homes Loan — Interest-free financing up to $40,000 for eligible energy efficiency upgrades (insulation, heat pumps, windows, doors). Administered by Natural Resources Canada.
• Ontario Home Efficiency Rebate Plus (HER+) — Rebates for insulation, air sealing, and heat pump installations delivered through Enbridge Gas (available even if your home uses propane or oil heat).
• Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Grant (OHPA) — Up to $10,000 for homeowners switching from oil heat to electric heat pumps. Administered by Natural Resources Canada.
• Canada Greener Affordable Housing Program — For landlords and non-profit housing providers; not generally applicable to owner-occupied single-family homes.

See the full grants section for eligibility criteria, application links, and current program status.

It depends on the scope of work. Under the Ontario Building Code (OBC), permits are generally required for:

• New construction and additions
• Structural changes (removing or adding load-bearing walls)
• Finished basements with new rooms
• New or upgraded electrical panels and wiring (ESA permit, separate from OBC permit)
• Plumbing changes and new fixtures
• HVAC system changes, including adding a heat pump or replacing a furnace
• New decks and structures over certain sizes

Cosmetic work — painting, flooring, cabinet replacement, and minor repairs — typically does not require an OBC permit. In Renfrew County, permits are issued by the building department of each municipality. The County of Renfrew issues permits for properties in unorganized townships.

See the full guide: Building Permits in Renfrew County.

Verification depends on the trade:

• Electricians: Must be licensed through the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA). Verify a contractor's licence at esasafe.com.
• Well drillers: Must hold a licence under Ontario Regulation 903 (Wells) under the Ontario Water Resources Act. Verify through the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP).
• Propane and gas technicians: Regulated by the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA). Verify at tssa.org.
• Septic system designers: Must hold SSSTS (Small Sewage System Treatment Specialists) certification through the Ontario Ministry of the Environment.

Roofers, painters, insulation contractors, and snow removal operators are not provincially licensed in Ontario. Always request a current WSIB clearance certificate and proof of liability insurance from any contractor before work begins.

See the full guide: Contractor Licensing in Ontario.

Renfrew County's climate and rural housing stock create a specific set of recurring problems. The most common issues homeowners encounter include:

• Insulation gaps and thermal bridging in older homes built before modern OBC energy codes — particularly in attics, rim joists, and around windows.
• Ice dams on low-slope and cathedral roofs, caused by inadequate attic insulation allowing heat to escape and melt snow unevenly.
• Aging drilled and dug wells with deteriorating casings, failing pumps, or well heads susceptible to surface water contamination.
• Aging septic systems that have not been pumped on schedule (every 3–5 years is recommended) or have failing leaching beds.
• Spring flooding and foundation seepage, particularly in low-lying areas near the Ottawa River, Bonnechere River, Madawaska River, and their tributaries.
• Outdated electrical panels — 60-amp fuse panels or aluminum branch circuit wiring installed in 1960s–70s homes — that may not meet current safety standards or homeowner insurance requirements.

In Ontario, provincial licensing is required for:

• Electricians — Licensed through the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA). All electrical work requiring an ESA permit must be done by, or under the supervision of, a licensed electrical contractor.
• Well drillers — Licensed through the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) under Ontario Regulation 903.
• Propane and natural gas technicians — Regulated by the Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) under the Technical Standards and Safety Act.
• Septic system designers and installers — Must hold appropriate certification under Ontario Regulation 358/11 (On-Site Sewage Systems).

General contractors, roofers, insulation contractors, painters, and snow removal operators are not subject to provincial licensing in Ontario. Despite this, all contractors working on your property should carry current WSIB coverage and general liability insurance.

Yes, in many cases grants from different programs can be stacked on the same project:

• Insulation upgrades: The Canada Greener Homes Loan (interest-free financing) can typically be combined with Ontario HER+ rebates for insulation and air sealing work.
• Heat pump conversions from oil: The Oil to Heat Pump Affordability Grant (OHPA — up to $10,000) can be combined with the Canada Greener Homes Loan for the same installation.
• Federal and provincial programs are generally administered separately and do not preclude each other, but program stacking rules vary by program and can change.

Always confirm stacking eligibility with each program's administrator before applying. See all grant programs for current details and application links.

This site includes area-specific pages for ten communities across Renfrew County and surrounding area. Each page provides local context for the home service trades covered on this site, including notes on climate, typical housing stock, and service-area coverage.

Communities with dedicated area pages:

• Pembroke — county seat, largest city in Renfrew County
• Renfrew — Town of Renfrew on the Bonnechere River
• Petawawa — CFB Petawawa area, Ottawa River corridor
• Deep River — Upper Ottawa Valley, near CNL Chalk River
• Arnprior — southern Renfrew County, gateway to the Valley
• Barry's Bay — Madawaska highlands, seasonal and year-round
• Cobden — Whitewater Region, near Muskrat Lake
• Eganville — Bonnechere Valley
• Beachburg — Whitewater Region
• Calabogie — Highlands East, lake and ski country

Browse all area pages at renfrewcountyhomeservices.ca/areas/.