How many coats of compound does a Level 4 finish in Ottawa mean?

Level 4 is an industry scale, not a Building Code or legal requirement. The Gypsum Association's GA-214 guide describes it this way: tape embedded in compound, then two additional coats on flat joints, one coat on interior angles, and three coats total on fasteners and accessories. Corners and beads get the same treatment as fasteners.

The guide recommends Level 4 for surfaces that will receive flat paint or light textures. It notes that non-flat or dark paints are not recommended over a Level 4 surface, because surface differences can become visible under those finishes. If you are planning a sheen, satin or dark colour, the guide describes Level 5, which is everything in Level 4 plus a thin skim coat over the entire surface.

A few things worth clarifying with any contractor before work starts:

• Whether the quote covers all coats through Level 4, or stops at a lower level and leaves finishing to you or another trade.
• Whether sanding between coats and a final sand are included.
• Whether primer is included, and if so what kind, since the guide's finish-level recommendations assume the surface is ready for the decorator.
• Whether interior angles get hand-finished or machine-applied compound, since the coat count is the same but the result can differ.
• Whether texture matching is needed anywhere, because blending new work into an existing finish is a separate scope item.

Name the finish level in the quote itself, not just in conversation. A quote that says "tape and finish" without a level number leaves the standard open to interpretation, and what one contractor calls a finished wall another may call ready for a second trade. Ask the quote to state the GA-214 level, the number of coats on flat joints and on fasteners, and whether sanding and primer are included in the price.

The one question worth asking before you sign: does the quote commit to a specific GA-214 finish level in writing, and what is the contractor's process if the surface does not meet that standard after the final coat?