Recent Concrete Pro IQ Answers
Browse the latest concrete questions from Ottawa homeowners.
What water-cement ratio does the Code set for an Ontario patio?
The 2024 Ontario Building Code sets a maximum water-to-cementing-materials ratio of 0.45 for garage floors, carport...
Should my Orleans patio quote mention control joints?
Control joints are not mentioned in the 2024 Ontario Building Code sections we researched for exterior patios, and we...
How long does new concrete take to cure in Ottawa?
The 2024 Ontario Building Code requires that when the air temperature is below 5 °C, freshly placed concrete be kept at...
What is a pedestrian access under Ottawa's Access By-law?
Under the City of Ottawa's Access By-law (No. 2026-139, enacted April 8, 2026), a residential pedestrian access is a...
Should a concrete patio go over a septic area in rural Ottawa?
Placing a concrete patio over a septic system or its leaching bed is something we found no City of Ottawa concrete rule...
Stamped concrete in Barrhaven: what is the price per square foot?
Published Ottawa-area prices put stamped concrete at roughly $15 to $45 or more per square foot, installed. What moves...
Removing an old concrete patio in Vanier: how is it priced?
A national cost page puts concrete demolition and disposal at about $1,000 to $5,000 or more for a project, with the...
Why does a stamped patio cost more than broom finish in Stittsville?
Stamped concrete runs roughly $15 to $45 or more per square foot installed, while plain broom-finish concrete runs...
Is $45 a square foot too much for stamped concrete in Nepean?
$45 per square foot sits at the top of the published range for stamped concrete, which runs roughly $15 to $45 or more...
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...
Is $5,000 reasonable for a set of front steps in Gloucester?
$5,000 sits at the upper end of the published range for poured concrete steps, which Ontario price pages put at about...
How much do new poured concrete steps cost in Ottawa?
Published Ontario prices for a set of poured concrete steps run about $2,500 to $5,000 or more for a set of three to...
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...
Why do small concrete jobs in Ottawa hit a $5,500 minimum?
Small concrete jobs in Ottawa often hit a minimum charge of about $5,500, according to Ottawa price pages, even when...
Is $15 a square foot fair for a plain concrete patio in Orleans?
$15 per square foot sits at the top of the published range for plain broom-finish concrete, which runs about $9 to $15...
What should I budget for a broom-finish patio in Kanata?
Plain broom-finish concrete runs about $9 to $15 per square foot installed, and Ottawa price pages note that small jobs...
What is the going rate for a plain concrete patio slab in Ottawa?
Plain broom-finish concrete slabs in Ottawa run about $9 to $15 per square foot installed, and small jobs often hit a...
Excavated soil from an Ottawa patio dig: who hauls it away?
The City of Ottawa's Trail Waste Facility lists soil (top soil, sand, sod) at $81.90 per tonne, and large quantities...
Resurface or reseal a faded patio in Orleans?
Resurfacing and resealing are different scopes of work, and the right choice depends on what the concrete surface...
Faded stamped patio in Westboro: resurface, reseal or replace?
Whether a faded stamped patio needs resealing, resurfacing or replacing depends on what is underneath the surface. If...
What concrete strength does Ontario's Code set for a garage floor?
Section 9.3.1.6(1) of Ontario's 2024 Building Code sets a minimum compressive strength of 32 MPa after 28 days for...
How thick should a concrete front walk be in Kanata?
We found no Building Code thickness for an exterior walk: the 75 mm minimum in Ontario's 2024 Code is for...
Does the Code set a curing time for patios in Ontario?
Only for cold-weather work does Ontario's 2024 Building Code set a time: when the air temperature is below 5 °C,...
My Barrhaven walkway cracked across the middle; repair or replace?
A single crack across the middle of a walkway can go either way, and a contractor needs to see it in person before that...
How many risers can sit on the ground without footings in Ontario?
The 2024 Ontario Building Code allows concrete steps with 1 or 2 risers to be laid on ground level. Steps with more...
What should a written concrete contract in Ontario include?
A written contract for concrete work in Ontario should cover the scope, the materials, the price, and the legal...
Should an Ottawa resurfacing quote name the product used?
Yes, a resurfacing quote should name the product. Without it, you have no way to compare quotes, verify what was...
Does the Code set different rules for coloured concrete in Ontario?
We found no separate rules for coloured concrete in the 2024 Ontario Building Code. For exterior flatwork, the Code...
My Stittsville garage floor slopes toward the house: what now?
A garage floor that slopes toward the house instead of toward the door is a drainage problem the 2024 Ontario Building...
Does rain right after a pour hurt Ottawa concrete?
We found no Building Code clause or neutral source that says how rain affects a fresh pour, so the protection plan...
What base should go under a concrete patio in Kanata?
For a floor-on-ground, Ontario's 2024 Building Code sets not less than 100 mm of coarse clean granular material beneath...
Walkway access built without a permit in Orleans: what does the by-law say?
Orleans is part of the City of Ottawa, so the Access By-law 2026-139, enacted April 8, 2026, applies there the same as...
How do Westboro concrete contractors price a small walkway?
Published Ottawa price pages put plain broom-finish concrete at about $9 to $15 per square foot installed, and small...
Are private lines to my Orleans shed marked by a locate?
The Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, 2012 requires a locate request before any digging, and...
Can a walkway be poured in late fall in Manotick?
Pouring a concrete walkway in late fall in Manotick is possible, but the timing depends on air temperature. The 2024...
Should the Ottawa contract cover cold-weather protection?
Yes, the contract should address cold-weather protection whenever there is a real chance the air temperature will drop...
Partial replacement of a cracked slab in Stittsville: good idea?
Partial replacement can work, but the result depends heavily on what is causing the cracking and what condition the...
Do Ottawa concrete steps need two handrails?
For exterior concrete steps serving a single dwelling unit, the 2024 Ontario Building Code requires only one handrail,...
What should the base be for a hot tub pad in Kanata?
We found no specification in the 2024 Ontario Building Code for the base beneath a free-standing concrete pad, and no...
Relocating my front walkway access in Ottawa: City permit?
Under Ottawa's Access By-law 2026-139, section 20(1) says no person shall construct, reconstruct, relocate, alter,...
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...
Does Trail Road take concrete with rebar in Ottawa?
The City of Ottawa's Trail Waste Facility rate sheet lists "Fill (asphalt, masonry, concrete without rebar)" at $144...
Can heaved concrete in Manotick be resurfaced level?
Resurfacing will not fix heaved concrete: an overlay goes on the slab as it is, and the movement comes from below. The...
How often should stamped concrete in Ottawa be resealed?
We found no published source that gives a resealing interval for stamped concrete in Ottawa, or for stamped concrete...
Who should break out an old garage floor in Gloucester?
Gloucester is part of the City of Ottawa, so the same rules apply there as anywhere else in the city. Breaking out and...
Paying for patio work in Stittsville: what should the contract say?
A written contract protects you on both sides. Under the Consumer Protection Act, 2002, any direct agreement over $50...
What is in the price of a poured step set in Vanier?
Poured concrete steps in Ottawa run about $2,500 to $5,000 or more for a set of three to five steps, based on Ontario...
Who checks the slab is sound before an overlay in Ottawa?
The contractor doing the overlay is the one who assesses the existing slab before any resurfacing work begins. We found...
Does Ottawa allow a concrete walkway in the right of way?
The City of Ottawa allows a concrete walkway in the right of way, but only as a pedestrian access, and only within...
Pouring concrete on frozen ground in Ottawa: allowed?
Two clauses of Ontario's 2024 Building Code bear on this. Section 9.3.1.9 says no frozen material or ice shall be used...
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