Hiring a Step Contractor in Ottawa: Licence, Spec and the Questions to Ask

Start with the licence

The City of Ottawa’s Landscaping Education Guide says hardscape contractors, meaning those building driveways, retaining walls, steps, patios and walkways on private property, must be licensed by the City. The Hardscaping Contractor Licence has been required since March 1, 2026. Here is what the City lists for it:

Note that the licence doesn’t cover deck-only work, so a contractor building a wood deck-style landing may not need one. Concrete, precast and interlock steps are hardscaping.

What to do: ask any contractor (including us) for their licence, and confirm with the City (3-1-1) that it’s current before you sign. If you received the Landscaping Education Guide from the contractor, that’s a good sign they know the rules.

Get it in writing

The licence requires written contracts, and a written contract protects you as much as the contractor. A good one includes:

• the exact scope: removal, disposal, base, support, steps, landing, railings, backfill and cleanup
• the concrete spec (see below)
• base depth and slab thickness
• who applies for permits and requests locates
• price, payment schedule and what triggers extra charges
• schedule, and what happens if weather delays the work
• first-winter care instructions

If you sign a contract at home, Ontario’s Consumer Protection Act, 2002 gives you a cooling-off period. As summarised by an Ottawa installer, contracts signed at home can be cancelled within 10 days of receiving the written copy. Check the Act or the Province’s consumer resources for how it applies to you.

The spec questions

This is where quotes that look similar turn out not to be. Ask every contractor the same questions and compare the answers.

Concrete mix

Exterior steps, porches, walkways and driveways fall under CSA exposure class C-2, and the Ontario Building Code sets the same minimums for exterior flatwork:

• Strength: at least 32 MPa at 28 days
• Air: 5–8 % entrained air
• Water-cement ratio: 0.45 or less, with no water added on site to make it easier to place

The MPa guide explains why all three numbers matter. For precast steps, Ottawa makers describe air-entrained, reinforced concrete but don’t publish an MPa figure, so ask for the manufacturer’s spec sheet if you want one.

Base and thickness

The Building Code does not set slab thickness or base depth for exterior flatwork. That’s why these must be in writing. Ask how deep they’ll excavate, what granular material they’ll use, how it will be compacted, and how thick the concrete will be. For context, Ottawa installers’ published breakdowns list compacted crushed-stone sub-bases of 100–200 mm (4–8 in) under driveway slabs.

Support for steps

Concrete stairs with more than two risers need concrete or masonry walls or piers, or a cantilever anchored to a foundation wall at least 200 mm thick (OBC 9.8.9.2 and 9.8.10). Ask which method they’ll use and why. Our building code guide lists the rise, run, handrail and guard rules too.

Finishing, joints and curing

• What finish? A broom or exposed-aggregate finish is standard for exterior treads. A smooth steel-trowelled finish isn’t suitable outdoors.
• Where will control joints go, and how deep?
• How will the concrete be cured, and for how long? At least 7 days is commonly recommended.
• If the pour is late in the season, how will they meet the Code’s cold-weather rules (OBC 9.3.1.9)?

Our article on how concrete is poured explains each stage, so you’ll know what good answers sound like.

Locates and permits

• Locates: a public utility locate is required by law before any digging, even by hand. It’s free through Ontario One Call; allow at least 5 business days. Private lines, such as gas to a barbecue, need a paid private locator. Agree who requests each.
• Building permits: low, like-for-like steps often don’t need one, but steps and landings that provide access to the house can. The City says the owner is responsible for ensuring a permit is obtained, and owner and contractor are equally liable. See permits for front steps in Ottawa.
• Right of way and access permits: if the work touches City property or changes the driveway access, more approvals are involved.

Who actually does the work

Ask directly: will your own crew do the work, or will parts be subcontracted? Neither is wrong, but you should know:

• who will be on site, and who is in charge day to day
• whether subcontractors carry their own insurance
• who you call if something goes wrong
• whether the precast supplier, concrete finisher and railing installer are separate companies

Prices and quotes

For a typical front entrance, Ottawa ballparks run about $1,800–$4,500 for precast steps and $2,500–$6,000 for poured, before railings. Aluminum railings add about $90–$180. Small pours can also carry ready-mix short-load charges of about $175–$400. When comparing quotes, line up the spec, base depth, support method and scope rather than the bottom-line number. Our concrete steps cost guide and step estimator help you check whether a quote is in range.

Warning signs

• no licence, or reluctance to show it
• no written contract, or a one-line quote with no spec
• vague answers about air content, base depth or support
• a plan to steel-trowel exterior treads
• advice that salt is fine on new concrete (Concrete Ontario says no de-icer of any type the first winter)

The short version

In Ottawa, the contractor building your steps must hold a City hardscaping licence, carry $2 million in liability and auto insurance, and give you a written contract. Ask any contractor, including us, for their licence. Then compare quotes on substance: a C-2 mix (32 MPa, 5–8 % air, 0.45), base depth and thickness in writing, the support method for more than two risers, finishing and curing, locates, permits and who does the work. See how we handle each stage in our process.

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Questions to ask any contractor

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8 questions to ask any step contractor

Use this list with every quote you get — including ours.

1. What concrete strength and air content will you order for exterior steps? (Look for 32 MPa, air-entrained.)
2. How deep will you excavate, and how thick is the compacted granular base?
3. Who does the work — your own crew or subcontractors?
4. Is removal and disposal of the old steps included?
5. Will the steps be pinned or anchored to the foundation, or left free-standing — and why?
6. Does the stair meet the Ontario Building Code for rise, run and handrails? Who checks whether a permit is needed?
7. What's in writing: price, scope, finish, start date, and what happens if you find a surprise underneath?
8. What should I do — and not do — in the first winter?

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