How much more does a fully finished garage with drywall, paint, and trim cost versus bare studs in Ottawa?

A fully finished garage with drywall, paint, and trim typically adds $8,000 to $18,000 to the cost of a bare-stud garage in Ottawa, depending on the size and finish quality you choose. For a standard two-car garage (24x24 feet), expect to pay $12,000 to $15,000 for complete finishing work including materials and labour.

The finishing process involves several distinct trades and materials that drive these costs. Drywall installation runs $2.50 to $4.00 per square foot in Ottawa, including taping, mudding, and sanding. A typical two-car garage has roughly 1,200 to 1,400 square feet of wall and ceiling surface, putting drywall costs at $3,000 to $5,600. Paint adds another $2 to $4 per square foot for primer and two coats of quality latex paint, bringing painting costs to $2,400 to $5,600. Trim work — baseboards, door casings, and corner mouldings — runs $8 to $15 per linear foot installed, adding roughly $1,500 to $3,000 for a standard garage.

The real value of finishing a garage in Ottawa goes beyond aesthetics. Drywall provides crucial fire separation if the garage is attached to your house — the Ontario Building Code requires 12.7mm Type X fire-rated drywall on the garage side of any shared wall or ceiling. Even for detached garages, finished walls make the space more pleasant to work in during Ottawa's long winters, easier to keep clean, and significantly more valuable if you ever sell your home.

One important consideration is timing the finish work properly. If you're planning to insulate the garage, that must happen before drywall installation. Many Ottawa homeowners initially build bare-stud garages to control costs, then finish them later — but retrofitting insulation after drywall is installed is expensive and disruptive. The most cost-effective approach is often to insulate and finish during initial construction, even if it means a higher upfront investment.

When you're ready to get quotes for garage finishing work, you can browse experienced contractors through the Ottawa Construction Network directory who understand local building requirements and can coordinate the drywall, painting, and trim work efficiently.