How much does a concrete garage pad cost in Toronto?

A standard 20'×20' (400 sq ft) garage pad installed by a GTA subcontractor runs $5,000–$8,000, or about $12.50–$20 per square foot including excavation and gravel base (2AZ Group, 2026). Higher-spec builds with under-slab insulation and 6-inch reinforced concrete run $26–$31 per square foot. Add 13% HST - contractors quote before tax.

How much does a concrete shed pad cost in the GTA?

GTA installers price shed pads at $15–$25 per square foot installed, so a common 10'×12' pad lands at $1,800–$3,000 (Nice Guy Concrete, Milton/Oakville/Mississauga). That includes 8–10 inches of excavation, 4–6 inches of compacted gravel, wire mesh and a 4–5 inch broom-finished slab. Sloped or tight-access yards push toward the top of the range.

What does it cost to re-pour a basement floor in Toronto?

Pouring a new 4-inch basement slab starts around $10 per square foot in Toronto (Strong Basements). A full replacement stacks up fast: removing the old floor adds $10+, 5-inch gravel bedding $5, 2-inch rigid foam $4 and wire mesh $2 - roughly $25–$31 per square foot all-in, so a 600 sq ft rebuild can reach $15,000–$18,000.

Do I need a permit for a garage pad or shed pad in Toronto?

For garages, yes: any detached structure over 10 m² (107 sq ft) needs a City of Toronto building permit, with fees starting around $220. Sheds under 15 m² (161 sq ft) are exempt, though zoning still applies. Front-yard parking pads need a separate licence - $315.45 plus HST annually - and many central wards have moratoriums on new pads.

How thick should a concrete garage pad be?

Sheds need 4 inches; garage floors carrying vehicles should be 5–6 inches of 32 MPa concrete with rebar (Strong Basements builds 6-inch reinforced garage slabs). Thickness drives cost: rebar reinforcement runs about $8 per square foot versus $2 for wire mesh, and a 6-inch slab needs roughly 50% more ready-mix at $250–$350 per cubic metre delivered.

Can you pour a concrete slab in winter in Toronto?

Yes, but it costs more and most contractors avoid it. GTA ready-mix suppliers add a $20–$40 per cubic metre heated-concrete surcharge from November to March (2AZ Group), and crews need hoarding, heaters and accelerating admixtures. The practical residential pour season is roughly April to November; a mid-season booking usually beats a rushed late-fall pour on price.

Is HST included in concrete quotes in Ontario?

Almost never - Ontario contractors quote before tax, so add 13% HST when comparing bids. A $6,500 garage pad quote actually costs $7,345; an $8,000 quote becomes $9,040. There's no HST rebate for replacing a pad or slab; the renovation rebate only applies to substantial whole-home projects meeting CRA tests. Get 'plus HST' confirmed in writing.

How much do under-slab insulation and a vapour barrier add?

Budget from $4 per square foot for 2-inch rigid foam under the slab (Strong Basements) and $80–$120 per 1,000 sq ft roll for 6-mil poly vapour barrier material (2AZ Group). The Ontario Building Code doesn't require insulation under basement floors, but it's strongly recommended with in-floor heating - roughly $2,500–$3,000 extra on a 600 sq ft basement.

How Much Does a Concrete Slab or Garage Pad Cost in Toronto in 2026?

Last updated: August 2, 2026By ConcreteFinder Research Team

A standard 20-by-20-foot (400 square foot) garage pad runs about $5,000 to $8,000 installed in the GTA, or $12.50 to $20 per square foot including excavation and gravel base, according to 2AZ Group. Higher-spec insulated, reinforced slabs reach $26 to $31. Shed pads run $15 to $25 per square foot, and re-pouring a basement floor is roughly $25 to $31 all-in.

What does a garage pad, shed pad or slab cost?

ConcreteFinder compiled this table from 12 named Canadian sources; where they disagreed, we widened the range rather than pick one.

Researched July 2026. CAD, sources named per row. Add 13% HST unless noted.
Item	Typical range	Unit	Source
Garage pad, subcontractor-installed (20'×20' incl. excavation + gravel base)	$12.50–$20(typ. $15 ($5,000–$8,000 total for 400 sq ft))	per sq ft installed	2AZ Group (Mississauga/Brampton/Pickering, Feb 2026)
Garage slab, high-spec build (insulated formwork, ~6" reinforced)	$26–$31(typ. $28 ($16,612 for a 24'×24' example))	per sq ft installed	Compare Paving Contractors (Canada, Apr 2024)
Basic broom-finish concrete pad, Ontario benchmark (5–7" with A-gravel base)	$15–$30(typ. $20 (100 sq ft project: $2,500–$5,000))	per sq ft installed	The Art of Concrete (Kitchener, ON, Jan 2025)
Shed pad, 4–5" slab incl. excavation, compacted gravel and mesh	$15–$25(typ. $1,800–$3,000 for a 10'×12' (120 sq ft) pad)	per sq ft installed	Nice Guy Concrete (Milton/Oakville/Mississauga)
Basement/garage interior floor pour only (4" basement at 32 MPa; 6" garage)	$10–$15(typ. $10–$12 for a basement, $15+ for a garage floor)	per sq ft	Strong Basements (Toronto/Etobicoke)
Existing floor removal + excavation (before re-pour)	$10–$20(typ. $10+ basement, $20+ garage)	per sq ft	Strong Basements (Toronto/Etobicoke)
Gravel bedding base, 5" compacted	$5–$5(typ. $5)	per sq ft	Strong Basements (Toronto/Etobicoke)
Rigid foam under-slab insulation add-on, 2"	$4–$6(typ. from $4 (thicker R-10 installs run higher))	per sq ft	Strong Basements (Toronto/Etobicoke)
Vapour barrier, 6-mil poly (material only)	$80–$120(typ. $100)	per 1,000 sq ft roll	2AZ Group (GTA, Feb 2026)
Reinforcement add-on: wire mesh vs rebar grid	$2–$8(typ. $2+ wire mesh (basement) / $8+ rebar (garage))	per sq ft	Strong Basements (Toronto/Etobicoke)
Ready-mix concrete delivered, 25–32 MPa residential mix	$250–$350(typ. $270–$320 for 30 MPa)	per m³ delivered	2AZ Group (GTA, Feb 2026)
Concrete pump truck for tight-access pours (rear-lane garages, basements)	$800–$1,200(typ. $1,030 (Compare Paving 24'×24' example))	per pour (flat fee)	2AZ Group (GTA, Feb 2026)

What drives the price?

Not every quote is the same job. These are the variables that move concrete slab pricing most in Toronto, so you can read a quote and see where the money goes.

Slab thickness and mix strength: 4" for sheds and basement floors vs 5–6" at 32 MPa for garage pads that carry vehicles - a 6" slab needs ~50% more ready-mix than 4"
Access: rear-laneway garage pads or basement pours with no truck access add a pump truck ($800–$1,200) or wheelbarrow labour hours
Base condition: excavation depth (8–12" typical), Granular A tonnage ($35–$50/tonne), and corrections for wet, sloped or disturbed soil
Reinforcement choice: wire mesh (~$2/sq ft) vs tied rebar grid (~$8/sq ft) - rebar is standard for garage pads
Demolition: breaking out and disposing of an existing slab adds $10–$20/sq ft before any new work starts
Finish level: broom finish is the baseline; exposed aggregate or stamped finishes push pads to $20–$40/sq ft; epoxy coating adds $3–$10/sq ft
Season: heated ready-mix surcharge of $20–$40/m³ from November to March, plus hoarding/heating costs on winter pours
Insulation and moisture add-ons: 2" rigid foam from $4/sq ft; 6-mil poly vapour barrier $80–$120 per 1,000 sq ft roll (material)

What's specific to Ontario and Toronto?

Ontario rules and Toronto's climate change the math in ways national price guides miss. Here is what applies locally, from HST to permits to freeze-thaw.

Permits: a detached garage or any accessory structure over 10 m² (107 sq ft) needs a City of Toronto building permit; sheds under 15 m² (161 sq ft) are exempt from a permit but must still comply with the Zoning Bylaw. Garage-project permit fees start around $220 (Toronto General Contractors, 2025).
Front-yard parking pads: many central wards (e.g., areas south of Bloor, Riverdale) have moratoriums on new pads. Legal pads pay the City an annual renewal of $315.45 + HST and a $157.72 + HST transfer fee on sale (City of Toronto, 2025). Any work touching the boulevard, sidewalk or curb needs a right-of-way street work permit, and Toronto only issues those to licensed contractors; at least 75% of the remaining front yard must stay soft landscaping (JG Contracting, Nov 2025).
Basement underpinning (floor lowering) is a permit-and-engineering job, not just a concrete pour: engineer-stamped drawings are mandatory with P.Eng field review at first and final stages. Strong Basements publishes $350–$480 per linear foot for the structural work, ~$80–$105/sq ft for complete lowering projects, engineering drawings $2,000–$5,000, city permit ~$400 direct (contractors quote $1,000–$3,000 with admin), and ~$15/sq ft for the new slab within the project.
HST: Ontario contractors quote before tax - add 13% HST to every figure in this guide. There is no rebate for repairing or replacing a pad or slab; the HST new-housing/substantial-renovation rebate only applies to major whole-home renovations meeting CRA tests.
Seasonality: the practical residential pour season in the GTA is roughly April to November. Ready-mix suppliers add a $20–$40/m³ heated-concrete surcharge from November to March (2AZ Group), and cold-weather pours need hoarding, heaters and accelerating admixtures, so winter exterior flatwork costs more and many contractors simply pause it.
Ontario Building Code: under-slab insulation is not required for basement floors (unlike basement walls), but 6-mil polyethylene is the standard vapour/moisture layer under new slabs and R-10 rigid foam is recommended when installing in-floor heating (TrueForm Reno OBC guide; OBC vapour barrier sections).

How can I pay less?

You can keep concrete slab costs down without cutting the parts that matter. These are the levers GTA homeowners actually use, each tied to a real number above.

Get three itemized quotes and compare specs, not totals - the $12.50–$31/sq ft spread in published GTA garage-pad pricing is mostly thickness, insulation and reinforcement differences hidden in the fine print.
Confirm the quote includes excavation, gravel base, disposal and forming; 'pour only' pricing (from $10/sq ft) can double once site prep is added.
Book mid-season (May–October): you avoid the $20–$40/m³ winter concrete surcharge and hoarding/heating charges, and crews aren't charging rush premiums.
For a shed under 15 m² you don't need a Toronto building permit - keep it under that threshold and you save both the fee and drawings.
If your lot has truck access, let the ready-mix truck chute directly instead of paying $800–$1,200 for a pump.
Combine small pours: contractors carry minimum charges and part-load ready-mix fees, so pouring the shed pad and walkway on the same day is cheaper than two visits.
Skip decorative finishes on utility slabs - broom finish (~$20/sq ft installed in Ontario) vs stamped/exposed aggregate ($20–$40/sq ft) is the single biggest optional cost swing.

How did we research these numbers?

Every price on this page comes from a named Canadian source, and where sources disagreed we widened the range rather than pick a favourite. Here is how ConcreteFinder reconciled the numbers.

Installed garage-pad pricing conflicts widely between sources, so the guide range is deliberately wide: 2AZ Group's GTA subcontractor pricing works out to $12.50–$20/sq ft, while Compare Paving Contractors' insulated 6-inch spec runs $26–$31/sq ft. Spec drives the gap - thickness, insulation under the slab, rebar vs mesh, and whether excavation/disposal is in the quote.
2AZ Group's $3,090–$4,340 '20×20 garage slab' figure is a materials-plus-labour cost breakdown, not a retail quote; the same source lists $5,000–$8,000 as the realistic subcontractor-installed price. Retail quotes from established Toronto firms trend higher again.
The Art of Concrete's $15–$30/sq ft benchmark is published from Kitchener-Waterloo; Toronto-proper quotes typically land mid-to-upper range due to higher labour rates and lane-access complications.
Small jobs carry a per-square-foot premium: a 10'×12' shed pad still costs $1,800–$3,000 because mobilization, forming and a ready-mix minimum load are fixed costs regardless of size.
Basement floor 'pour only' pricing (from $10/sq ft) is misleading for full replacements - stacking Strong Basements' own line items (removal $10 + gravel $5 + insulation $4 + mesh $2 + pour $10) puts a complete tear-out-and-re-pour at roughly $25–$31/sq ft.
All figures are CAD from Canadian publishers. US guides surfaced in search (HomeGuide, Angi, HomeAdvisor, Modernize) were excluded rather than converted because their labour bases don't map to GTA rates. HomeStars' Canadian slab guide could not be verified directly (page blocked) and is not used in price rows.
Source freshness: 2AZ Group (Feb 2026) and Strong Basements (live 2026 pages) are current; The Art of Concrete is Jan 2025; Compare Paving Contractors is Apr 2024 - the oldest source, so its $26–$31/sq ft may now be modestly understated.

Sources

Who can do the work?

ConcreteFinder tracks 12 concrete slab contractors across the Greater Toronto Area, rated 4.89★ on average. The three below rank highest on our review-weighted score, based on ConcreteFinder's analysis of 12 GTA businesses, July 2026.

1
Verified listingTop rated
Concrete Pump Rental Inc.
Islington-City Centre WestConcrete Contractors
Concrete pump rental in Toronto GTA with line pumps, pump trucks, and experienced operators. Reliable service for residential, commercial, foundation, and hard-access pours. Call now.
(647) 222-7209 Get Quotes
2
Verified listingTop rated
Poly-Mor Canada Inc
WillowdaleConcrete Contractors
Poly-Mor Canada Inc offers concrete lifting, leveling, repair, leak sealing, mud jacking, and soil stabilization in Edmonton, Vancouver, Calgary, & Winnipeg.
+1 866-887-3835 Get Quotes
3
Verified listingTop rated
BullEpoxy Coating
WillowdalePolished Concrete & Epoxy Floors
If you're looking for a concrete floor coating in the Greater Toronto Area, look no further than Bull Epoxy Coating! Click here to learn more.
(416) 736-2999 Get Quotes

See all 12 concrete slab contractors on ConcreteFinder

Frequently asked questions

How much does a concrete garage pad cost in Toronto?: A standard 20'×20' (400 sq ft) garage pad installed by a GTA subcontractor runs $5,000–$8,000, or about $12.50–$20 per square foot including excavation and gravel base (2AZ Group, 2026). Higher-spec builds with under-slab insulation and 6-inch reinforced concrete run $26–$31 per square foot. Add 13% HST - contractors quote before tax.
How much does a concrete shed pad cost in the GTA?: GTA installers price shed pads at $15–$25 per square foot installed, so a common 10'×12' pad lands at $1,800–$3,000 (Nice Guy Concrete, Milton/Oakville/Mississauga). That includes 8–10 inches of excavation, 4–6 inches of compacted gravel, wire mesh and a 4–5 inch broom-finished slab. Sloped or tight-access yards push toward the top of the range.
What does it cost to re-pour a basement floor in Toronto?: Pouring a new 4-inch basement slab starts around $10 per square foot in Toronto (Strong Basements). A full replacement stacks up fast: removing the old floor adds $10+, 5-inch gravel bedding $5, 2-inch rigid foam $4 and wire mesh $2 - roughly $25–$31 per square foot all-in, so a 600 sq ft rebuild can reach $15,000–$18,000.
Do I need a permit for a garage pad or shed pad in Toronto?: For garages, yes: any detached structure over 10 m² (107 sq ft) needs a City of Toronto building permit, with fees starting around $220. Sheds under 15 m² (161 sq ft) are exempt, though zoning still applies. Front-yard parking pads need a separate licence - $315.45 plus HST annually - and many central wards have moratoriums on new pads.
How thick should a concrete garage pad be?: Sheds need 4 inches; garage floors carrying vehicles should be 5–6 inches of 32 MPa concrete with rebar (Strong Basements builds 6-inch reinforced garage slabs). Thickness drives cost: rebar reinforcement runs about $8 per square foot versus $2 for wire mesh, and a 6-inch slab needs roughly 50% more ready-mix at $250–$350 per cubic metre delivered.
Can you pour a concrete slab in winter in Toronto?: Yes, but it costs more and most contractors avoid it. GTA ready-mix suppliers add a $20–$40 per cubic metre heated-concrete surcharge from November to March (2AZ Group), and crews need hoarding, heaters and accelerating admixtures. The practical residential pour season is roughly April to November; a mid-season booking usually beats a rushed late-fall pour on price.
Is HST included in concrete quotes in Ontario?: Almost never - Ontario contractors quote before tax, so add 13% HST when comparing bids. A $6,500 garage pad quote actually costs $7,345; an $8,000 quote becomes $9,040. There's no HST rebate for replacing a pad or slab; the renovation rebate only applies to substantial whole-home projects meeting CRA tests. Get 'plus HST' confirmed in writing.
How much do under-slab insulation and a vapour barrier add?: Budget from $4 per square foot for 2-inch rigid foam under the slab (Strong Basements) and $80–$120 per 1,000 sq ft roll for 6-mil poly vapour barrier material (2AZ Group). The Ontario Building Code doesn't require insulation under basement floors, but it's strongly recommended with in-floor heating - roughly $2,500–$3,000 extra on a 600 sq ft basement.

Questions to ask your contractor

What granular base depth and compaction go under the slab? What base prep costs
What slab thickness and reinforcement, rebar or mesh, for this load?
Is a vapour barrier included for an interior or heated floor?
Where do the control joints go, and will you thicken the edges?
Does this pad need a permit, and will you handle it?

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