The short version
For a typical Ottawa front entrance:
- Precast concrete: about $1,800–$4,500, including removal of the old steps, before railings.
- Poured concrete (3–5 risers): about $2,500–$6,000, before railings.
- Railings: aluminum on steps runs about $90–$180 per linear foot installed.
All figures are Ottawa-market ballparks before HST. The worked examples below show how those ranges play out for real entrance types.
Where the money goes
A step job is mostly the stuff you don’t see.
Removal and disposal — $300–$900 per entrance. Lifting out old precast is quicker than breaking out a poured stair, and both need hauling away.
Base and support. Excavating soft fill, building a compacted granular base and setting the support the code requires for steps with more than two risers. On Ottawa’s clay soils this is the part we never skimp on, and it’s often the line that separates a cheap quote from a good one.
The steps themselves. For precast, the unit plus delivery and boom-truck setting. For poured, forming, reinforcement, the ready-mix concrete (32 MPa air-entrained, C-2), placement, finishing and curing. Ontario ready-mix for that class runs about $246–$295 per cubic metre delivered, plus short-load fees of $175–$400 on small orders — one reason a small pour costs more per step.
Finish. Broom finish is included. Exposed aggregate, colour and quartz cost more.
Railings. Required on steps with more than three risers. Stair railings cost 25–40 % more per foot than flat runs because of angles and extra posts.
What pushes your price up — or down
| Pushes it up | Keeps it down |
|---|---|
| Wide or tall entrance; deep landing | Standard 4–5 ft builder entrance |
| Old poured steps to break out | Old precast that lifts out cleanly |
| Poor soil, drainage fixes | Good access, simple grading |
| No boom-truck access (precast) | Truck can reach from the driveway |
| Glass or custom steel railings | Aluminum railing, one side |
| Late-season pours needing heat | Spring or summer scheduling |
Is there a cheaper option?
Sometimes, yes. If your steps are structurally sound and only the surface is worn, a repair or quartz resurface costs a fraction of replacement. If a precast set has only settled, it can often be lifted and reset. Take the repair-or-replace quiz before you budget for new steps.
Get your number
The step estimator lets you change material, width, risers, landing, railing and removal and watch the range update. When you’re ready, send the design to us — your choices travel with the request, and we come out to measure.