Ottawa Construction News staff writer
The Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association (GOHBA) showcased the city’s top residential designs and construction innovations on Oct. 18 during the 2026 RenoTour Parade of Homes.
The self-guided event opened the doors to some of Ottawa’s most impressive custom homes and renovations, while introducing a new feature this year: exclusive access to the showrooms of local RenoMark suppliers.
The annual event connects the public directly with local builders, designers, and suppliers to experience their craftsmanship firsthand. Participating builders included Amsted Design-Build, Lagois Design-Build-Renovate, RND Construction, and ARTium Design Build.
For industry professionals, the tour served as an interactive portfolio.
“The RenoTour is a great opportunity to experience exceptional homes in person,” a representative from Amsted Design-Build shared with All Things Home in the lead-up to the event. “While photos are inspiring, nothing compares to walking through a space, seeing the craftsmanship up close, and experiencing how the layout, natural light and design come together. … And for us, it’s a fun way to show off the craftsmanship, creativity and care that our team puts into every project.”
Amsted featured two properties on the tour, including a forever custom home designed for future accessibility. “While it’s brand new, it already feels warm, lived in and uniquely personal,” the builder noted. They also showcased a split-level home transformation, which a company spokesperson, Haw, described as demonstrating a “balance between luxury and livability, with thoughtful details, quality craftsmanship and functionality considered throughout.”
Sustainability was a major theme at RND Construction’s tour stop, an all-electric, Net Zero-certified contemporary custom home that maximizes a narrow urban lot. The project is a multiple finalist in this fall’s Ottawa Housing Design Awards, including the All Things Home People’s Choice Award.
“As a certified net zero, all-electric custom home, it demonstrates that exceptional energy performance can be achieved without sacrificing comfort, style or livability,” RND Construction told All Things Home, which also published an edited version of their coverage in the Ottawa Citizen on Oct. 2.
Meanwhile, Lagois Design-Build-Renovate showcased a home featuring a seamless primary suite addition. “We chose this project because it beautifully demonstrates how a thoughtfully designed addition can blend seamlessly with an existing home, making it feel as though it has always been there,” the company stated. The Lagois project is also a finalist in the upcoming Housing Design Awards.
ARTium Design Build rounded out the residential stops with a sophisticated kitchen renovation featuring premium finishes and thoughtful aging-in-place integrations.
The addition of supplier showrooms this year gave tourgoers a hands-on look at the materials and manufacturing processes behind the homes. Participating showrooms included Accurate Stairs and Rails, Spectrum Kitchen & Bath Design, and Laurysen Kitchens.
Laurysen Kitchens opened its extensive design centre, which recently won a National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) innovation award. Spectrum Kitchen & Bath Design showcased fully built kitchens and bathrooms, noting its team’s dedication to “delivering elevated spaces that honour your vision.”
Accurate Stairs and Railings used the event to open their milling and production facility, inviting visitors to see how their custom components are made. Billing themselves as “your real-life Pinterest board for custom stairs and railings,” the company also used the tour as an opportunity to support the community by collecting non-perishable donations for the Ottawa Food Bank on-site.
While the in-person event has wrapped up, GOHBA is ensuring the projects remain accessible. The association has launched 3D virtual tours of most of the homes and showrooms on its website for those who missed the event.
