Hot tub pad pricing in Greely: what should I expect?

A plain broom-finish concrete slab runs about $9 to $15 per square foot installed, and small jobs often hit a minimum charge of about $5,500, according to Ottawa price pages. A hot tub pad is a concrete slab, so that range is the starting point, though the final number depends on several things specific to your site.

What the price depends on includes the size of the pad, how much excavation is needed, whether old concrete or other material has to be removed, how accessible the backyard is for a truck and pump, and whether you want a broom finish or something like exposed aggregate (about $13 to $28 per square foot). Removal and disposal of old concrete, if any, can add roughly $1,000 to $5,000 or more to the project, according to a national cost page, so ask that it be itemized separately in the quote.

A few rules apply to this work in Greely. The City of Ottawa's Hardscaping Contractor Licence, in effect since March 1, 2026, is required for any business installing a concrete pad on private property. The licence costs the contractor $319 for 2026 and requires commercial general liability insurance of not less than $2,000,000 per occurrence. Ask to see a copy of the licence and check the contractor's name against the City's published list yourself. The City's patio page says a patio structure supported directly on the ground, with no occupant load or exiting concerns, may be exempt from a building permit, but we found no City statement on a permit for the pad under a hot tub specifically; ask the City's Building Code Services before work starts. 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; ask for the concrete specification in writing.

Before anyone digs, a locate request must be submitted through Ontario Dig Authority. Under the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, 2012, no excavation may begin until each infrastructure owner has responded, and the request must be submitted at least five business days before the dig is expected to start. Locates are free. Ask who will submit the request and whether any private lines to a garage, shed or outdoor lighting will also be marked.

Zoning By-laws 2008-250 and 2026-50 both apply to applications deemed complete on or after March 11, 2026, with the most restrictive provisions from each governing. Outside Areas A and B, Zoning By-law 2026-50 requires at least 25 per cent of the rear yard to be soft landscaped. Confirm the rules for your specific lot with the City before the pad is sized and placed.

A useful question to put to any contractor before you sign: ask them to show you their City of Ottawa hardscaping licence and to confirm in writing the concrete strength, the base depth and what is included for removal and disposal.