Interlock · Ottawa, ON
Interlock patios and walkways in central Ottawa
Interlock patios, walkways and steps for central Ottawa lots, from the Glebe and Sandy Hill to Alta Vista. The base is dug out and compacted for Leda clay, and the patio is planned with the downspout.
- Pavers
- Concrete slabs
- Bedding sand
- Compacted gravel base
- Geotextile fabric
The local picture
Interlock in central Ottawa
Leda clay underlies most of Ottawa and is sensitive to water and disturbance. Topsoil and soft ground come out, geotextile fabric keeps the base gravel from mixing into the clay, and the gravel base is compacted in stages before any sand goes down.
On a narrow lot the patio, the walkway and the downspout compete for the same few metres. City guidance asks for downspouts to discharge onto grass at least four feet from the foundation, and never onto a neighbour’s yard or the sidewalk. The patio is sloped away from the house, and the downspout outlet is placed with it.
Interlock for central Ottawa’s older streets
The Glebe, Sandy Hill, Old Ottawa South and Alta Vista
Korvex Construction builds, relays and repairs interlock in central Ottawa: front walks out to the sidewalk, back patios, side paths and the steps at the door. We work on the older streets of the Glebe, Sandy Hill and Old Ottawa South and on the post-war lots of Alta Vista. The estimate is free and starts with a visit to the yard; book it online or call 613-880-7679.
Most Glebe houses were built before 1914. A front walk on a street that old may have been patched, topped or relaid several times, each time on whatever was underneath. We take out the old surface and the layers below it, so the new walk starts on a base built and compacted for it.
Where your front walk meets City land
Boulevards, street trees and the Access By-law
The last stretch of a front walk often crosses the City boulevard between your lot and the sidewalk or curb. Since April 2026 the Access By-law calls that stretch a pedestrian access. A separate walkway there needs no permit when it is at most 1.8 m wide, stays out of the root zone of a City tree, keeps 1.0 m from City equipment at grade, 0.6 m from a fire hydrant and 1.8 m from the driveway, and leaves the curb and sidewalk as they are.
Narrow lots hit one more rule. Where the frontage is 12 m or less and a driveway already crosses it, a second, separate walkway to the street is not allowed unless the City approves it. We measure the frontage at the site visit before drawing the walk.
A tree that stands even partly on City land counts as a City tree under the tree by-law. Work in its critical root zone that may injure it, grade changes and soil compaction included, needs the City’s written approval. That zone reaches 10 cm out for every 1 cm of trunk, so a large boulevard tree can claim much of a small front yard.
Front steps and heritage houses
Landscaping is on the City’s list of projects that need no building permit. That list stops at designated heritage buildings and buildings in a Heritage District Overlay, where the City asks owners to contact a Building Client Service Centre representative first. On an older central street we ask about designation at the site visit.
Steps built from pavers, block or stone at a door follow the City’s advisory on landscape materials. They should stand clear of the foundation unless a professional engineer designs the connection, and their rise, run and landing size must meet the building code even when no permit is required.
At the site visit
What we check on a lot in central Ottawa
- 01
Frontage width, the driveway and the route of the walk to the sidewalk
- 02
City trees on the boulevard and how far their root zones reach
- 03
Rocking slabs, dips and patched sections that show what the old walk sits on
- 04
Height from the walk to the door sill, which sets the number of steps
- 05
How pavers, base stone and the compactor reach a backyard with tight side access
What we plan around
Local conditions in central Ottawa
Each point links to the public source it was checked against. At the site visit we check how it applies to your lot.
- Clay under most of the city
Leda clay underlies most of Ottawa and is sensitive to water and disturbance. Excavation, compaction and a granular base are sized for that soil.
- Downspouts on tight lots
Downspouts should discharge onto grass at least four feet from the foundation, and never onto a neighbour's yard or the sidewalk. On a narrow lot that leaves little room, so the downspout is planned together with the patio or deck.
How we build it
What goes under an interlock patio
A patio stays flat when the base under it is deep enough, compacted and sloped.
- Excavation
Grass, topsoil and roots come out. Organic soil compresses and rots.
- Slope
The surface falls away from the house, so water runs off, away from the foundation.
- Compaction
Compacted and checked before the sand. Loose base is the main reason pavers sink.
- Edges
Edges are held in place so pavers stay tight and in line.
- Pavers or slabsSet on a slope so rain runs off the surface and away from the house.Set on the bedding
- Sand bedding layerScreeded flat by hand so every paver sits evenly.Screeded flat
- Compacted gravel baseCompacted in stages. This layer carries the load through freeze and thaw.Placed in lifts
- Geotextile fabricKeeps the base gravel from mixing into the soil below.Laid over the soil
- Excavated native soilTopsoil and soft ground are dug out before the base goes in.To firm ground
Projects
Interlock we have built
Recent jobs from across Ottawa.
“Vlad and his crew installed my patio in 2 days. Did excellent work and vlad answered any and all questions I asked. I highly recommend Korvex Development for any job you may require.”
Joe Ayoub · Patio installed
FAQ
Interlock in central Ottawa: common questions
Do I need a permit to rebuild the front walk out to the sidewalk?
The part on your lot is landscaping, which needs no building permit. The part on the City boulevard is covered by the Access By-law: a separate walkway up to 1.8 m wide can be built there without a permit when it stays clear of City tree roots, the hydrant and City equipment and leaves the curb alone. We check your frontage against those rules at the site visit.
The City tree out front has lifted our walk. Can you still replace it?
Yes, with the City’s rules for the tree built into the plan. Grade changes and compaction in a City tree’s root zone need written City approval, and the City can require tunnelling, boring or another approved digging method there. We lay out the new walk around the root zone where the yard allows and tell you what needs approval before any work starts.
Can the downspout drain onto our new patio?
City of Ottawa guidance asks for downspouts to discharge onto grass at least four feet from the foundation. We plan the patio and the downspout together at the site visit, so roof water has a place to go that keeps it away from the wall.
Do you work in central Ottawa neighbourhoods?
Yes. Korvex Construction builds decks, fences, interlock and drainage across the City of Ottawa, from the Glebe, Sandy Hill and Old Ottawa South to post-war streets like Alta Vista and the suburbs beyond. On older central lots, the free on-site estimate also covers how materials reach the yard. Request an estimate or call 613-880-7679 with the address.
Why are my pavers sinking?
Pavers sink when the base under them is too thin, was never properly compacted, or sits on soft or organic soil. Water gets into the low spots, freezes and moves the surface a little more each winter. Korvex fixes it at the source: the pavers come up, the base is dug out and rebuilt in compacted layers, and the surface goes back on a slope.
Book a free interlock estimate in central Ottawa
Tell us what you want built and send a few photos. We come out, look at what sits under the job, and give you the scope and the price in writing.