Concrete Repair Plus

Front steps past repairing, dug out & rebuilt in Toronto

Job Full step replacementBase Compacted clear stoneFrost Rigid insulationSteel Tied rebar matPour Monolithic

In one paragraph: These Toronto front steps were past the point where resurfacing does anything useful, so Concrete Repair Plus took them out. The old stair was broken out and hauled away, the ground beneath excavated, and a clear-stone base placed and compacted in lifts. Rigid insulation went in against frost, a steel rebar mat was tied and supported up into the section, and the stair and landing were poured as one continuous placement, then finished with a broom texture for winter grip. Every stage below is a photo from the job.

After: a newly poured monolithic concrete stair and landing with a clean broom finishBefore: worn concrete front steps in Toronto with rounded, spalled treads and a settled walkway alongsideBeforeAfter

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The rebuild, stage by stage

A replacement stair is mostly invisible work. By the time it looks like the last photo, every decision that determines whether it lasts has already been buried. Here is what went under this one.

Before: worn concrete front steps in Toronto with rounded, spalled treads and a settled walkway alongside
Stage 1 · What we started with

Treads worn hollow and rounded off at the nosings, edges broken away, and the walkway beside them settled out of line. At this point the damage is not on the surface any more. It is the stair itself. Coating something like this only buys a season.

The old steps broken out and hauled away, the ground excavated and a compacted clear-stone base going in beside the house
Stage 2 · Out and down

The old stair is broken out and hauled away, then the ground beneath is excavated. Whatever the original was built on is the reason it failed, so it does not stay. Clear stone goes in and gets compacted in lifts to build a base that drains instead of holding water.

Timber formwork built for the new stair with rigid insulation board and a tied rebar mat sitting in the forms over the stone base
Stage 3 · Base, insulation & steel

This is the photo that matters. Forms built to the finished rise and run, rigid insulation board laid in to keep frost from getting under the stair, and a steel rebar mat tied and supported up into where the concrete will be. Everything here disappears the moment the truck arrives, which is exactly why it is the part people cut.

After: a newly poured monolithic concrete stair and landing with a clean broom finish
Stage 4 · Poured & finished

Stair and landing poured monolithically, one continuous placement, so there is no cold joint between the landing and the steps to open up later. Finished with a broom texture that keeps grip in winter, then left to cure before anyone walks it.

Why these could not just be resurfaced

We resurface far more stairs than we replace, and we will say so when resurfacing is the right answer. There is a whole documented job on this site where exactly that was the call. Resurfacing keeps your existing structure and puts a new wearing surface on it, at a fraction of the cost of a rebuild.

But it only works while the structure underneath is sound. These treads had worn hollow and the nosings had gone; the stair had stopped being a solid object with a damaged face and become a damaged object. A coating over that follows the shape of the failure and comes apart along the same lines within a season or two.

The honest test is what is under the surface, not what the surface looks like. If the concrete is sound and the damage is skin-deep, resurfacing wins on cost every time. If the stair has moved, cracked through, or worn past its profile, a rebuild is the only thing that actually ends the problem, and it is the cheaper answer measured over ten years rather than over one invoice.

See the other side of that call, a Toronto stair with the same salt damage where the structure was still good, so it was stripped and recoated instead of replaced.

What a step replacement costs
Priced from the dig

We do not quote a stair from a photo alone, because the number lives underground: how many risers, whether a landing and walkway are in scope, how much has to come out and be hauled away, how deep the base has to go, and whether a truck and equipment can get to the front of the house. The assessment is free, and you get a written, itemized scope before anything is broken out.

  • What moves the number
  • How many risersEvery added riser is more forming, more steel and more concrete, the single clearest multiplier on a stair.
  • What comes out, and where it goesBreaking out an old stair and hauling it away is labour and disposal before a single new thing is built.
  • How deep the base has to goBelow the frost line on compacted stone is not optional here. Soft or wet ground means more excavation.
  • Landing and walkway in scopeA stair alone is one number. A stair, landing and walkway poured as one placement is another.
  • Whether a truck can reach the frontA narrow city lot with no access means the concrete is moved by hand, and that shows up in the labour line.

Questions about replacing concrete steps

When do concrete steps need replacing instead of repairing?

When the damage has stopped being a surface problem. Spalled faces, chipped nosings and worn treads can usually be rebuilt and resurfaced. But once the treads are worn hollow, the structure is cracked through, the stair has settled or moved, or the steel inside has corroded and is breaking the concrete apart from within, you are patching something that is already failing. At that point replacement is cheaper over ten years than repairing it twice.

Why dig out the ground under the old steps?

Because the ground is usually why they failed. Steps that settle, tilt or crack are almost always sitting on fill that was never compacted, or on soil that holds water and heaves every winter. Pouring a new stair onto that same base just resets the clock on the same failure. Excavating and rebuilding with compacted clear stone is what makes the replacement permanent rather than temporary.

What is the insulation for?

Frost. Water in the ground expands when it freezes and lifts whatever is above it, then drops it again in spring. That cycle is what tears stairs away from a house and opens the gap you see at the top step. Rigid insulation keeps the frost line from reaching under the new stair, so it stays where it was poured.

Does the rebar actually matter on a set of steps?

Yes, and its position matters as much as its presence. Steel tied and supported up inside the concrete lets the stair span a soft spot if the ground ever moves. Steel dropped flat on the base before the pour does nothing but rust. It is below the section that carries the load. It is invisible once the concrete goes over it, which is why it is worth seeing photos of this stage on any quote you accept.

Why pour the steps and landing in one go?

A monolithic pour means there is no cold joint between the landing and the stair. Where those are poured separately on different days the two sections never bond properly, and that line is the first place water gets in and the first place it cracks. Pouring it as one piece takes more planning on the day and removes a permanent weak point.

How long before we can use the new steps?

Light foot traffic comes fairly quickly, but concrete gains most of its strength over the following weeks, not days. Rushing back onto a green slab is a good way to damage a stair that would otherwise have lasted decades. Your written scope gives the specific timeline for the pour, the mix and the weather on the day.

What does replacing concrete steps cost in Toronto?

It depends on the stair: how many risers, whether a landing and walkway are in scope, how much has to be excavated and hauled away, how deep the base has to go, and access to the front of the house for equipment and a truck. We assess on site at no charge and give you a written, itemized scope and price before anything is broken out.

Other jobs on record

Every job below is a real Concrete Repair Plus project with the same record behind it: what was failing, what we did about it, the system that went on, and what work at that scale typically costs.

Porch & steps · ScarboroughFailing Jewel Stone removed, porch rebuiltRead the job record →Porch & steps · TorontoSalt-eaten front steps stripped and recoatedRead the job record →Commercial · TorontoBuilding entrance, repairs and traffic coatingRead the job record →Commercial · North YorkHeavy-duty pad, bollards and bulk-tank baseRead the job record →

See all documented work →

Not sure if yours can be saved?

Send us a photo of your steps. If the concrete under the surface is still sound, resurfacing is the smaller job, and that is what we quote. If your stair has gone the way this one did, you get a written, itemized scope for the rebuild before anything is broken out.

Call or text a photo, 647-574-5236Porch & step repairNew concrete & flatwork

Reviews

Five stars, in their words.

Google Reviews

Real reviews from our Google Business Profile, verbatim, verifiable.

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David

3 reviews

TodayNew

Huge shout out to this company. Our concrete porch was showing significant wear and tear and we wanted to take action before a total rebuild would have been required. The team at Concrete Repair Plus was extremely patient, came to the house several times to provide a quote and share Graniflex samples, did fantastic work and (bonus) actually refused payment until every last touch up was complete on our newly finished porch (which looks amazing, BTW). We had spoken to other repair companies but did not love that they used "in-house" epoxy porch repair coatings for which we could not find industry info / reviews. Very happy we chose Concrete Repair Plus to refinish our porch with the Graniflex system, a well-known and very well reviewed product. Thank you!

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Jodi Leigh

6 reviews

4 days agoNew

We redid our porch and the process was seemless from asking for a quote, to scheduling the work, and then the work itself. The workers were friendly and knowledgeable so made the whole process easy for us. Reasonably priced compared to others we compared to and very happy with the final product. Would use them again!

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Natalie F

Local Guide · 27 reviews · 6 photos

A week agoNew

Needed to repair a concrete porch and steps in Vaughan for a detached home, they did a fantastic job prepping and repairing then using the graniflex system. from quote to scheduling everything was easy! All the neighbours were coming over to check it out and say it looks fantastic. Definitely elevated and refreshed the homes curb appeal.

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Daniel Marinelli

2 reviews · 7 photos

2 weeks agoNew

I contacted Concrete Repair Plus a few weeks ago to tear-out and repour a concrete porch and steps leading up to the front of my house in North York. I contacted them after having an awful experience with a previous concrete contractor who took my deposit and strung me around for over a month, never to return. The level of care and respect I received from Concrete Repair Plus was incredible. After explaining the situation I was in, they sent me Nick and his crew (Jeremy and Milton) and told me I would be in good hands; they were absolutely right. Nick was so respectful; always taking the time to ensure he messaged me exactly when he was coming and what he'd be doing. He had a vision for how this job would look and made sure to include me in the planning of it come time for the formwork. Watching Nick work with Milton and Jeremy was really something. They paid attention to small details: perfect corners on the steps, a gentle slope to drain water away from the house, the first step that meets the driveway was deep enough to be paved around properly, the really nice full broom finish. The form work was done so meticulously, ensuring that the final product would be perfect. Milton and Jeremy always cleaned up at the end of every day, leaving the site looking better than when they arrived. And they were just such nice guys too. What more could I ask for? It's now been a couple of weeks since the job was finished and it looks fantastic. I couldn't be happier with the result! I'm looking forward to contacting them again for any future projects.

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Glen Johnstone

Local Guide · 13 reviews · 3 photos

Edited 2 days agoNew

Excellent experience with Concrete Repair Plus! They removed the old concrete jewel stone finish from our porch and applied a Graniflex System, and the results look fantastic. The crew was professional, efficient, and paid great attention to detail. They took great care to remove and reinstall the existing railing, protect the surrounding property, and cleaned everything up when the job was finished. I highly recommend Concrete Repair Plus and will definitely call on them again - Scarborough, ON

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James B

Local Guide · 25 reviews · 20 photos

2 weeks agoNew

Our experience with Concrete Repair Plus was nothing short of exceptional. The crew was extremely professional, on-time and neat. Finished product was above expectations. Crew was knowledgeable and kept us informed all the way through the process. Equipment used was best-in-class. We would strongly recommend Concrete Repair Plus to anyone thinking about replacing their garage slab or interested in doing concrete repairs. Pricing was competitive. We would use them again.

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Clive A

9 reviews · 7 photos

a month ago

I recently had Concrete Repair Plus at my residence in Whitby to remove and replace the 66 year old garage floor. It was explained to me that it was not a good idea to grind and epoxy the floor but complete replacement was the way to go. The price was reasonable and the advice was excellent. Staff were on site had the floor removed and repoured the same day. The driveway was covered to prevent concrete spills/splashes. Saw cuts were completed next day. We are now in the process of covering the walls to clean it up. Definitely a five out of five and I would recommend you reach out for a quotation.

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Richard Fawcett

7 reviews

2 weeks agoNew

We have owned our home for over 40 years and needed to change the garage floor. Last week Concrete Repair Plus removed the old garage floor and replaced it with a new one. The work was done in 2 days. Their team was professional and courteous, and the price was reasonable. We give them 5 stars. R. Fawcett Mississauga July 2026

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Johnny

4 reviews

a month ago

I had these guys out to my property in Bowmanville to do a complete garage floor replacement, and boy am I glad I did. They did an excellent job on the entire project and after one little hiccup they went WELL above and beyond to make sure I was satisfied with the final product. My polished concrete floor looks amazing. Never realized how much better polished concrete can look versus epoxy. I wouldn't hesitate to use Concrete Repair Plus if I ever have another concrete project again

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