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Sela Developments

General Contractor Cost in Calgary

General contractor cost in Calgary is the cost of labour, materials and subcontracts, plus the contractor's fee for overhead and profit, plus 5% GST. HomeStars' 2026 Calgary price guide says general contractors typically add a 15% markup and lists general renovations at $140 to $190 per sq ft. The fee is built into a fixed price, shown as a percentage on cost plus, or charged as a management fee. Sela Developments prices each job as a written, itemized quote after a site visit, so you can see every line.

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GST in Alberta
5%, no provincial sales tax
Typical GC markup (HomeStars, 2026)
15%
General renovations (HomeStars, 2026)
$140 to $190 per sq ft
Basement development permit (City of Calgary)
$333.84
Commercial permit rate (City of Calgary)
$10.14 per $1,000 of value plus $112
Sela fee structure
[Sela's typical fee structure]
Design rendering of a modern infill duplex with black board and batten siding, a stacked stone centre column and two front gables
Design rendering of a modern infill duplex for a Calgary lot. This is a rendering, not a photo of a finished project.

01 · Overview

How general contractor pricing works in Calgary

A general contractor’s price is the direct cost of the work, plus a fee for overhead and profit, plus GST. A Calgary quote is built from five layers:

  1. Direct costs. Labour, materials, subcontracts, equipment rental and disposal.
  2. Site costs. Supervision, temporary heat and hoarding, bins, floor and window protection, and cleanup.
  3. Permits and consultants. City of Calgary permit fees, drawings and any engineering.
  4. Overhead and profit. The office, estimating, insurance, WCB premiums, vehicles and warranty work, plus the contractor’s margin. HomeStars’ 2026 Calgary guide says general contractors typically add a 15% markup, and notes that labour overhead such as administration, insurance and site supervision often adds 20% to 35% to a budget.
  5. GST. Alberta charges the 5% federal GST and no provincial sales tax.

The fee in layer 4 can be shown three ways, and the contract type decides who pays if costs run over.

Contract type How the fee is shown Who carries overruns Fits when
Fixed price (stipulated sum) Built into one total Contractor, for the agreed scope Drawings and finishes are complete
Cost plus Actual costs plus a percentage or fixed fee Owner Unknowns, such as older homes or insurance repairs
Construction management Management fee, trades contracted separately Owner, with full visibility Larger or phased projects with design still moving

02 · Before you start

What drives general contractor cost in Calgary

Four factors move a Calgary price more than anything else.

01

Scope and finish level

Finish level moves the price as much as size does. Published 2026 ranges for Calgary show how wide the spread is:

Project Published Calgary range Source
General renovations $140 to $190 per sq ft HomeStars, Aug 21, 2026
Whole-home renovation $100,000 to $300,000 HomeStars, Aug 21, 2026
Bathroom renovation $35,000 to $65,000 HomeStars, Aug 21, 2026
Basement development, overall $45,000 to $130,000 (most $50,000 to $85,000) HomeStars, Aug 21, 2026
Basement, basic rec room $35,000 to $50,000 HomeStars, Aug 21, 2026
Basement, legal secondary suite $60,000 to $110,000 HomeStars, Aug 21, 2026
Site preparation and demolition $10,000 to $30,000 HomeStars, Aug 21, 2026
Design fees and consultants $2,000 to $10,000 HomeStars, Aug 21, 2026

These are third-party ranges, not Sela Developments prices.

How we handle it
02

Permits, drawings and approvals

City of Calgary building permits are a small line, but approvals can be a large schedule cost. A first time basement development permit is $333.84. An addition is $333.84 under 400 sq ft and $1,302.08 over 400 sq ft. If the design needs a development permit, add $395 to $775 plus a $472 service grades fee on most applications, and 10 to 12 weeks.

How we handle it
03

Season and Calgary weather

Winter work costs more. Cement-based stucco and concrete need protection from freezing while they cure, so cold-weather jobs carry heated hoarding, fuel and slower progress. Frozen ground also makes excavation for additions and garages harder.

How we handle it
04

Hail years and trade availability

Calgary’s hail seasons pull trades into insurance repairs. The August 5, 2024 hailstorm caused nearly $2.8 billion in insured damage and over 130,000 claims, with almost one in five Calgary homes affected, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada. After a storm like that, roofing, siding, stucco and window crews and suppliers can be booked out, which stretches lead times.

How we handle it
Freshly poured concrete sidewalk between wooden forms with a broom finish and control joints

03 · Key insight

The cheapest quote is often the one with the most left out

Comparing totals is the most common mistake when pricing a general contractor in Calgary. A low total often means low allowances, missing permit lines or a long exclusions list. The final cost lands in change orders after the contract is signed.

Three terms decide what you really pay:

  • Allowance. A placeholder amount for an item not chosen yet, such as tile or cabinets. For example, if the tile allowance is $3,000 and you choose $6,000 of tile, you pay the difference, usually with markup.
  • Contingency. Money you set aside for the unknown. HomeStars suggests 10% to 20% of the materials budget.
  • Change order. A written, priced change to the scope, approved before the work is done.

Compare quotes line by line on allowances, exclusions, permit fees, payment schedule and GST. The quote with the most lines filled in is usually the one closest to the final invoice.

04 · How we work

How to keep general contractor cost under control in Calgary

  1. Answers 01Scope and finish level

    Fix the scope and finishes before you ask for a price

    Pick finishes, or at least a finish level, before quotes go out. Our quotes list each allowance with the amount and what it buys, so you can check it against real selections. If you are still choosing, ask for pricing at two finish levels so you can see the spread before committing.

  2. Answers 02Permits, drawings and approvals

    Price permits and drawings as their own lines

    We confirm the permits during the site visit and list each fee, drawing and engineering cost as a separate line. Development permit time goes into the schedule, not into a surprise delay. Smaller items count too: a new detached garage permit is $333.84, homeowner electrical and plumbing permits are $116.50 each, and houses built before 1990 need an asbestos abatement form with an addition application.

  3. Answers 03Season and Calgary weather

    Plan the work for the right season

    Exterior stucco, concrete and excavation usually cost less to build in the warm months. Interior work such as basements and kitchens is less sensitive to season, so it fits the winter. If a job has to run through winter, the heating and hoarding cost is priced up front instead of added later.

  4. Answers 04Hail years and trade availability

    Book early after a hail year and ask about lead times

    After a big hail season, ask every contractor when their crews and materials are actually available. We give you a start date and list long-lead items such as windows in the schedule. If the project is an insurance claim, compare the adjuster’s scope with the contractor’s quote line by line before work starts. Our fee is [Sela’s typical fee structure], and it is written into the contract.

05 · In short

What a general contractor costs in Calgary, in short

General contractor cost in Calgary is labour, materials and subcontracts, plus a fee for overhead and profit (HomeStars puts the typical markup at 15%), plus 5% GST. The contract type decides who carries overruns, and the real total depends on allowances, permits, season and trade availability. Sela Developments sends an itemized written quote after a site visit, with every allowance and permit fee shown.

Before you sign, read how to hire a general contractor in Calgary for licence, WCB and holdback checks. For project-specific ranges, see basement development and home renovations, or compare residential and commercial contracting. Go back to general contracting in Calgary, or request a quote.

Sources

6 cited

Last reviewed October 22, 2026 by the Sela Developments team. See our editorial policy for how we write and check these pages.

FAQ

Questions we get asked

Short answers to what owners ask us most. Something else? Ask us directly.

How much do general contractors charge in Calgary?

HomeStars' Calgary price guide, updated August 21, 2026, says general contractors typically add a 15% markup on projects and lists general renovations at $140 to $190 per sq ft. That markup covers overhead and profit on top of labour, materials and subcontracts, and 5% GST is added to the total. Your number depends on scope, finishes, permits and season, so compare itemized written quotes.

What is the difference between fixed price and cost plus?

A fixed price contract gives one total for a defined scope, and the contractor absorbs its own overruns. A cost plus contract bills the actual cost of labour, materials and subcontracts, plus a percentage or fixed fee, so the owner pays whatever the work really costs. Fixed price suits finished drawings. Cost plus suits work with unknowns, such as older homes or insurance repairs.

Is GST charged on renovation work in Alberta?

Yes. Alberta charges the 5% federal GST and has no provincial sales tax, so a renovation or construction invoice in Calgary carries 5% GST on the taxable amount. Check whether each quote you compare shows prices before or after GST. On a $60,000 basement, the difference is $3,000, which is enough to make two quotes look further apart than they are.

How much does a building permit cost in Calgary?

Current City of Calgary fees include $333.84 for a first time basement development, $333.84 for an addition under 400 sq ft and $1,302.08 over 400 sq ft, $333.84 for a new detached garage, and $116.50 each for homeowner electrical or plumbing permits. Commercial building permits are $10.14 per $1,000 of construction value plus a $112 processing fee and a 4% Safety Codes Council fee.

How much contingency should I keep for a renovation?

HomeStars' 2026 Calgary guide suggests setting aside an extra 10% to 20% of the materials budget as contingency. Keep it separate from the contract price and spend it only through written change orders. Older homes, structural changes and anything behind finished walls justify the higher end. Allowances in a quote, such as tile or cabinets, are not contingency and should be checked against your real selections.

Related services

Get an itemized quote

Send the address, photos and a rough scope. We visit, measure and send a written quote with every line, allowance and permit fee shown, plus GST.

Request a quoteCall [Phone]