Foundation parging in Ottawa

Parging typically runs from $9/sq ft, though quotes vary more than most jobs because cost is driven by how much old, failed coating has to be ground off first — not the new coat itself. A full foundation wall usually lands in the $1,500–$3,000 range depending on condition and access.

Parging is a coating, not a structural layer, and it fails from water getting behind it — through freeze-thaw cycling, a chemical reaction with de-icing salt, or movement in the wall underneath. Once it's cracked, there's no lasting patch; the failed section needs to come off down to a solid bond.

If it's a small hairline crack and the rest of the coating is still bonded tight, sealing it with an elastomeric sealant can buy time. Once it's flaking off in sheets or hollow-sounding when tapped, patching over it just traps water behind fresh material — that section needs removal and recoating.

A typical two-coat parge cures enough to handle light weather exposure in 24–48 hours, though full strength takes longer. We time the work around the forecast so a fresh coat isn't hit by rain or a hard freeze before it sets.