Brick & Stone Steps

Brick and natural stone steps sit between building and landscaping. The City's Building Code Services advisory on landscaping materials names natural stone as a landscape material, and says a permit is triggered where the structure provides access to the building or serves a required exit, or where there is more than 600 mm difference in elevation between adjacent surfaces.

Ontario's Building Code says the foundations of exterior steps must go to the depth set out in Section 9.12, and that exterior concrete stairs with more than 2 risers and 2 treads must rest on masonry or concrete walls or piers at least 150 mm across, or be cantilevered from the foundation wall. Ask your mason how the steps will be supported and how deep the footings go.

The City's Licensing By-law (No. 2002-189) requires a hardscaping contractor licence for businesses installing or altering hard landscaping features on private property, including steps of brick, flagstone or similar materials. It excludes "performing minor repairs or minor alterations" (By-law 2026-222), a phrase we found no definition for, so ask the City whether your job counts, and check the City's list of licence holders.

In the Wilbrod/Laurier heritage district, repairing existing porches and steps with the same materials needs no heritage permit; elsewhere, check your district's plan. Concrete steps are covered by ottawaconcretepros.ca.

We found too few published prices for brick or stone steps to quote a range. Ask what the quote includes for removing old steps, footings and disposal.