Concrete heaved under my Barrhaven back steps: repair options?

Heaved concrete under back steps is worth getting looked at before deciding whether to repair or replace. The repair path depends on what caused the movement, how much the concrete has shifted, and whether the steps themselves are still structurally sound.

The two broad options are lifting and stabilizing the existing concrete, or removing it and pouring new. Lifting is sometimes called mudjacking or slab lifting. Replacement means breaking out the old concrete, correcting the base, and pouring fresh. We found too few published prices to give a number for either approach on its own, so ask each contractor to itemize lifting versus replacement so you can compare them directly.

What a contractor should look at before recommending either path:

• whether the soil beneath is frost-susceptible (the National Research Council's Canadian Building Digest 182 notes that clays, silts and very fine sands support ice-lens growth, while coarse sands and gravels do not)
• whether the steps have more than 2 risers, because the 2024 Ontario Building Code (section 9.12.2.2) requires that exterior concrete steps with more than 2 risers be founded below the depth of frost penetration in clay soils, at least 1.2 m but not less than the local frost depth
• whether the steps are pulling away from the house foundation or moving underfoot, in which case keep off them until a contractor has assessed them

On permits: the City of Ottawa's Landscaping Education Guide (March 2026) states that stairs providing access to a building may need a building permit. The City's Building Code Services advisory on landscaping structures confirms that a structure providing access to an egress requires a building permit where, among other conditions, there is more than 600 mm (2'-0") difference in elevation between adjacent surfaces. If the repair involves rebuilding the steps rather than simply stabilizing the base, ask the City's Building Code Services whether a permit is required before work starts.

On licensing: since March 1, 2026, any business installing, altering or rebuilding concrete steps or pads on private property in Ottawa must hold a City of Ottawa Hardscaping Contractor Licence. The Licensing By-law also excludes "minor repairs or minor alterations", which it does not define, so ask the City whether your job counts. The licence costs $319 for 2026 and requires the contractor to carry commercial general liability insurance of not less than $2,000,000 and automobile liability insurance of not less than $2,000,000. Ask to see the licence and check the contractor's name against the City's published list yourself. Ottawa Concrete Pros does not verify anyone's licence or insurance.

On locates: if any part of the repair involves digging, the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, 2012 requires a locate request through Ontario Dig Authority before breaking ground. Locates are free. Also ask who will mark any private buried lines to the house.

For the concrete itself, the 2024 Ontario Building Code (section 9.3.1.6) sets a minimum compressive strength of 32 MPa for exterior flatwork. Ask for that number in the written specification, along with the proposed base depth and what cold-weather protection is included if the air could be below 5 °C.

If you want to hear from local contractors, the request form on this page sends your job details to Ottawa concrete contractors listed in the Ottawa Construction Network directory.

The most useful question before you sign: ask each contractor to show you their City of Ottawa Hardscaping Contractor Licence number and explain in writing what they will do to prevent the same heave from happening again.