2026-08-20 — Ottawa-Gatineau
Adding a basement bathroom or laundry room? The plumbing has to run under the slab — and that means cutting a trench in the concrete. Short answer: budget $15 to $30 per linear foot for cutting and removal, so $400 to $900 for a typical bathroom addition in Ottawa-Gatineau. Here's the full 2026 breakdown.
2026 price grid (Ottawa-Gatineau)
- Trench cutting + concrete removal: $15 – $30 per linear foot (standard 4-inch slab)
- Bathroom addition (15–30 ft of trench): $400 – $900
- Relocated laundry room (10–20 ft): $300 – $650
- Full basement rough-in (bathroom + laundry + floor drain, 40+ ft): $900 – $2,000
- Thick slab (6 in+) or heavily reinforced concrete: add 25% to 50%
These prices cover sawing, breaking out the concrete, loading and disposal. The plumbing itself is your plumber's job — ours is to open the path cleanly so he can work fast. We cut wet to keep dust down and set up plastic containment when the basement is already finished.
Mobilization minimum: most concrete cutters (us included) charge a $300–$400 minimum just to show up, even for 5 feet of trench. That's why bundling cuts changes everything.
Mobilization minimum: most concrete cutters (us included) charge a $300–$400 minimum just to show up, even for 5 feet of trench. That's why bundling cuts changes everything.
One thing to know: quotes are almost always priced by the linear foot, not by the hour — so a thicker slab just means a higher per-foot rate, not an open-ended bill that grows while you watch.
How long does it take?
A 20–30 ft trench in a standard slab: half a day, including setup, cutting, breaking and loading. Thick or heavily reinforced slabs can take a full day. Your plumber can usually start laying pipe the next morning.
What drives the price up
- Slab thickness. A 4-inch slab cuts fast. At 6 or 8 inches (common in older Ottawa basements and garages), cutting time nearly doubles.
- Rebar and wire mesh. Steel slows the cut and wears out blades. A heavily reinforced slab can add 20–40%.
- Length and direction changes. Every corner needs relief cuts so we don't overcut past your plumber's layout.
- Concrete removal and disposal. Concrete is heavy — roughly 50 lb per square foot at 4 inches thick. Tough basement access (narrow stairs, no exterior exit) means more handling, and handling costs money.
- Backfill and patch. Re-pouring after the plumber (compacted gravel + new concrete) is usually quoted separately: figure $8–$15 per linear foot if you want us to handle it.
In pictures
Layout before cutting
Trench openedTypical range to open the trench for a basement bathroom addition in Ottawa-Gatineau, cutting and concrete disposal included.
Thinking of DIY?
We've published a full step-by-step guide: how to cut a concrete basement floor for plumbing. It's doable with rentals, but between the saw, the blades, dust control and disposal, the gap with a pro shrinks fast — especially on trenches over 20 ft.
It's doable with rentals, but between the saw, the blades, dust control and disposal, the gap with a pro shrinks fast — especially on trenches over 20 ft. If you do go the rental route, budget $150–$250 for a walk-behind saw for the day, plus $50–$100 in diamond blades, plus a disposal run — and plan on a full weekend, not a Saturday morning.How to pay less
- Bundle the trenches. Bathroom + laundry + floor drain in one visit: the trip and setup are already paid for.
- Mark the layout with your plumber first. A trench cut in the right place the first time is money saved.
- Clear the work area. Furniture, boxes, floating floor: if we can start sawing the minute we arrive, it shows on the invoice.
- Ask for flush cuts at the wall if your drain runs along the foundation — it avoids a second mobilization.
- Save the patch for later. Some clients have their basement finishing contractor handle the re-pour to save a few hundred dollars.
For an exact quote, send us your trench dimensions (or the plumbing plan) and a photo of the slab. See our slab & wall sawing service → — free quote within 24 hours.