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Concrete Patios, Walkways, Steps and Repairs in Ottawa
Get matched with local concrete contractors, and know what the City and the 2024 Building Code expect before you sign.
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A. Garage floor slab
- Garage slab thickness: at least 75 mm thick (9.16.4.3.)
- Concrete strength: at least 32 MPa at 28 days (9.3.1.6.(1)(a))
- Water-to-cement ratio: no higher than 0.45 (9.3.1.7.(1)(a))
- Granular layer: not required under garage slabs (9.16.2.1.(2)(a))
- Fill: no frost-susceptible fill under a floor that will freeze (9.16.2.2.(2))
An attached garage floor slopes to drain to the outdoors (9.35.2.2.).
B. Exterior flatwork: patio, walkway, pad
- Concrete strength: at least 32 MPa at 28 days (9.3.1.6.(1)(a))
- Water-to-cement ratio: no higher than 0.45 (9.3.1.7.(1)(a))
- Air entrainment: 5 to 8% if site-batched (ready-mix: CSA A23.1) (9.3.1.6.(2))
- Thickness and base: set by your contractor's spec, not in the Building Code
Ask for the thickness and the base depth in writing. No mesh or vapour-barrier rule for exterior flatwork was found in the Code.
Schematic, not to scale. 2024 Ontario Building Code (O. Reg. 163/24), Division B, compendium text.
| Slab | Item | What the Code says | Clause |
|---|---|---|---|
| A. Garage floor slab | Garage slab thickness | at least 75 mm thick | 9.16.4.3. |
| A. Garage floor slab | Concrete strength | at least 32 MPa at 28 days | 9.3.1.6.(1)(a) |
| A. Garage floor slab | Water-to-cement ratio | no higher than 0.45 | 9.3.1.7.(1)(a) |
| A. Garage floor slab | Granular layer | not required under garage slabs | 9.16.2.1.(2)(a) |
| A. Garage floor slab | Fill | no frost-susceptible fill under a floor that will freeze | 9.16.2.2.(2) |
| B. Exterior flatwork: patio, walkway, pad | Concrete strength | at least 32 MPa at 28 days | 9.3.1.6.(1)(a) |
| B. Exterior flatwork: patio, walkway, pad | Water-to-cement ratio | no higher than 0.45 | 9.3.1.7.(1)(a) |
| B. Exterior flatwork: patio, walkway, pad | Air entrainment | 5 to 8% if site-batched (ready-mix: CSA A23.1) | 9.3.1.6.(2) |
| B. Exterior flatwork: patio, walkway, pad | Thickness and base | set by your contractor's spec, not in the Building Code | not in the Code |
- 72 h If the air is below 5 °C: keep the concrete at 10 °C or warmer for 72 h after placing (Building Code: OBC 9.3.1.9.(1)(b)).
- 7 days Keep vehicles off for at least 7 days (industry guidance: RMCAO driveway maintenance sheet).
- 28 days The age at which the Code's 32 MPa strength is measured (not 'fully cured') (Building Code: OBC 9.3.1.6.(1)).
- 30 days Seal only after at least 30 days to air dry (industry guidance: RMCAO driveway maintenance sheet).
- First winter Avoid de-icing chemicals, especially the first winter; use sand if possible (industry guidance: RMCAO driveway maintenance sheet).
We found no government or association figure for when you can walk on new concrete: follow your contractor's instructions.
Typical guidance, not a promise: weather and the contractor's instructions decide. Blue squares are 2024 Ontario Building Code rules; open taupe circles are industry guidance from the Ready Mixed Concrete Association of Ontario (driveway maintenance sheet).
Rough Size, Rough Price
Enter a length and a width to see where your job sits against published Ottawa-area prices.
Small jobs often hit a minimum charge of about $5,500, according to two Ottawa price pages.
Get quotes for this| Job | Published range |
|---|---|
| Plain broom finish | $9 to $15 per sq ft |
| Exposed aggregate | $13 to $28 per sq ft |
| Stamped | $15 to $45+ per sq ft |
| Poured steps, set of 3 to 5 | $2,500 to $5,000+ per set |
An illustration from published 2025-26 Ottawa-area and Ontario prices, not a quote. Excavation, removal, disposal and steps can be extra. Small jobs often hit a minimum charge of about $5,500, according to two Ottawa price pages.
New since March 1, 2026
Hiring a Concrete Contractor in Ottawa
The City of Ottawa now requires a hardscaping contractor licence for businesses that install or alter concrete pads, patios, walkways, steps, driveways and retaining walls on private property. What to ask for:
- The City licence. Ask to see it, then check the City's list of licensed hardscaping contractors yourself. Licence holders must carry at least $2,000,000 of commercial general liability insurance.
- A written contract with the scope, the price and the dates. If you sign at home, Ontario's Consumer Protection Act, 2002 lets you cancel within 10 days after you receive the written copy.
- The City's Landscaping Education Guide. Licensed hardscaping contractors give it to every client.
- An access permit if the work changes a walkway or driveway access in the City right of way ($208 in 2026), plus a road cut permit, which the contractor gets.
- A free utility locate through Ontario Dig Authority at least 5 business days before anyone digs.
Ottawa Concrete Pros is a matching service. We do not check licences, insurance or contracts for you.
Concrete Pro IQ
Plain answers to Ottawa concrete questions: costs, City rules, the Building Code, winter damage and hiring.
- Patios & PadsWhat water-cement ratio does the Code set for an Ontario patio?
- Patios & PadsShould my Orleans patio quote mention control joints?
- Pouring, Curing & the CodeHow long does new concrete take to cure in Ottawa?
- Walkways & PathsWhat is a pedestrian access under Ottawa's Access By-law?
- Patios & PadsShould a concrete patio go over a septic area in rural Ottawa?
- Costs & PricingDoes an Ottawa concrete quote include taking out the old slab?
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a concrete patio cost in Ottawa?
Ottawa-area price pages published in 2025 and 2026 put a plain broom-finish slab at about $9 to $15 per square foot installed, and two of them say small jobs often hit a minimum charge of about $5,500. Stamped work runs roughly $15 to $45+ per square foot and exposed aggregate about $13 to $28. These are published figures read in September 2026, not fixed rates, so get at least two written quotes.
Do I need a building permit for a concrete patio in Ottawa?
The City of Ottawa lists landscaping among projects that do not need a building permit, and its patio page exempts a patio supported directly on the ground when its listed conditions are met. Designated heritage properties are not exempt. Steps, landings and retaining walls over 1 m are different: the City's landscaping guide says stairs and landings that provide access to a building can need a permit. Zoning rules on soft landscaping still apply.
Does a concrete contractor need a licence in Ottawa?
Since March 1, 2026, the City of Ottawa requires a hardscaping contractor licence for businesses that install or alter concrete pads, patios, walkways, steps, driveways and retaining walls on private property. Licence holders must carry at least $2,000,000 of commercial general liability insurance and give clients the City's Landscaping Education Guide. Ask to see the licence and check the City's list yourself; we do not check it. We found no provincial concrete contractor licence. The by-law excludes some work, including sealing only of driveways or parking areas and "minor repairs or minor alterations", which it does not define.
Why is my concrete flaking?
Thin flakes coming off the surface is called scaling. The National Research Council's digest on concrete in winter says it occurs mainly on pavements, sidewalks and other horizontal surfaces and is most severe where de-icing salts are used. A contractor can tell you whether the surface can be repaired or resurfaced, or whether the slab needs replacing.