How much does a new deck landing cost in Riverside South?

A landing is priced like any new deck: published Ottawa and Ontario builder prices for pressure-treated run about $25 to $65 per square foot installed, cedar about $45 to $80, composite about $45 to $95, and PVC about $59 to $110 or more. Those are published Ottawa and Ontario builder prices read in September 2026, and the spread is wide even for a small landing.

What the price depends on for a landing specifically comes down to a few things: how high above grade the landing sits, whether it is attached to the house or freestanding, what material you choose for the boards, what kind of foundation is needed, and whether guards and stairs are included. Some published packages exclude railings and steps, so check whether guards and a stair to grade are in each quote.

Permit and Code rules that apply in Riverside South

A landing attached to or adjacent to the house with a walking surface more than 600 mm (24 in.) above grade requires a building permit from the City of Ottawa. If it is a raised deck providing principal access to the house, a permit is required regardless of size. A freestanding landing needs a permit only if it is both more than 10 square metres (approximately 108 square feet) in area and more than 600 mm above grade. Even a landing that does not need a permit must still comply with the 2024 Ontario Building Code and the Zoning By-law. For applications deemed complete on or after March 11, 2026, Ottawa applies both By-law 2008-250 and By-law 2026-50, with the most restrictive provisions applying, so confirm the setbacks for your property with the City.

If the landing needs a permit, the City's fee is $12.75 per $1,000 of assessed value of the work, with a minimum of $117. The application goes through the My ServiceOttawa portal with scaled drawings, a site plan, a foundation and framing plan, and elevations. A homeowner may take design responsibility for their own home under the Building Code's homeowner exemption, or you can hire a designer; published prices for permit drawings from three drafting and design firms run about $399 to $2,500 per set.

Guards are required on any side where the drop is more than 600 mm within 1.2 m of the edge. Exterior guards on a landing serving one dwelling unit may be not less than 900 mm high where the walking surface is not more than 1 800 mm above finished ground; otherwise the minimum is 1 070 mm. Openings must not pass a 100 mm sphere, and the Ontario no-climb rule applies to every required guard: no member or opening between 140 mm and 900 mm above the walking surface that would facilitate climbing.

Before any footing holes are dug, a locate request must go through Ontario One Call at least five business days in advance. It is free and it is required by the Ontario Underground Infrastructure Notification System Act, 2012.

The City requires three inspections for permitted work: excavation and foundations before backfill, framing at completion of structural framing and guards, and a final inspection, each booked 48 hours in advance.

Ask each builder to spell out the foundation type and depth, the board material and grade, exactly what guards and stairs are included, and whether removal of any existing structure is part of the price.