Exposed aggregate patio prices in Westboro: what is fair?

Exposed aggregate concrete in Ottawa runs about $13 to $28 per square foot installed, and small jobs often hit a minimum charge of about $5,500, according to Ottawa price pages. Where a quote lands within that range depends on the size of the patio, the depth of excavation and base preparation, whether old concrete needs to come out, access to the Westboro backyard, and the aggregate mix chosen.

A few things shape whether a quote is fair for this specific job. Ask whether the quote lists removal and disposal of existing concrete as its own line. 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. If the work involves digging, whoever digs is the excavator under the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, 2012, and a locate request must go through Ontario Dig Authority before any ground is broken. Ask who will submit that request.

On the regulatory side, any business installing a concrete patio in Westboro is required to hold a City of Ottawa Hardscaping Contractor Licence, which has been in effect since March 1, 2026. The City's March 2026 news release says to ask the contractor to show you a copy of that licence and to check the City's published list of licensed contractors yourself. The licence requires the contractor to carry commercial general liability insurance of not less than $2,000,000 per occurrence and automobile liability of not less than $2,000,000, and to provide a written contract and a copy of the City's Landscaping Education Guide. Ottawa Concrete Pros does not verify anyone's licence or insurance.

For the patio itself, the 2024 Ontario Building Code sets 32 MPa as the standard for exterior flatwork and a maximum water-to-cementing-materials ratio of 0.45. We found no Code thickness, base depth, reinforcement or vapour barrier requirement for an exterior patio, so those details come from the contractor's written specification. The City's patio page says a patio is exempt from a building permit if it is supported directly on the ground, not raised, and meets the other conditions listed there. Both Zoning By-laws 2008-250 and 2026-50 apply to applications deemed complete on or after March 11, 2026, with the most restrictive provisions of each governing; confirm the soft landscaping and walkway rules for your specific lot with the City.

When you put two written quotes side by side, ask each contractor to spell out the base depth and compacted thickness, the specified concrete strength, exactly what the exposed aggregate finish includes, and whether removal of existing concrete and disposal are in the price or billed separately.