Does an Ottawa concrete quote include taking out the old slab?

Removal and disposal of an existing slab is not automatically included in a concrete quote. Ask for it to be itemized separately so you can see whether demolition and hauling are in the price.

What affects the removal cost is the size and thickness of the old slab, whether it contains rebar or wire mesh, how accessible the site is, and where the broken concrete goes. A national cost page puts demolition and disposal at about $1,000 to $5,000 or more for a project, with the caveat that it varies widely. Clean concrete without rebar is accepted at the City of Ottawa's Trail Waste Facility as fill at $144 per tonne above 250 kg, with a $36 minimum for loads under 250 kg, and it must be free of metal. We found no City rate for concrete with rebar or mesh, and no City statement on whether a contractor's load is accepted under the same terms, so ask whether disposal is included in the quote and how the contractor handles reinforced material.

The City of Ottawa's Hardscaping Contractor Licence, required since March 1, 2026, covers businesses that install or alter concrete pads, patios, walkways, steps and similar hard landscaping features on private property. The licence costs $319 for 2026 and requires commercial general liability insurance of not less than $2,000,000 per occurrence and automobile liability of not less than $2,000,000. The City's March 2026 guidance says to ask any contractor to show you a copy of their business licence and to check the City's published list of licensed hardscaping contractors yourself. Ottawa Concrete Pros does not verify anyone's licence or insurance.

If the work involves digging, whoever digs is the excavator under the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, 2012, and a locate request must be submitted before any ground is broken. Ask who will submit that request. Under the Construction Act, you are entitled to hold back 10 per cent of the price of services and materials as they are supplied; get advice for your situation on how that applies to your contract. The Consumer Protection Act, 2002 gives you 10 days to cancel a direct agreement concluded away from the supplier's place of business, and if the quote includes an estimate, the supplier cannot charge more than 10 per cent above it.

Find the line in the quote that covers breaking out, hauling and disposing of the old concrete, and ask whether that price changes if rebar or mesh is found inside it.