Late April in Toronto means one thing for a lot of homeowners — the urge to finally sort out that backyard, driveway, or front walkway that got pushed to “next year” last fall. Patio season is back, and so are the booking headaches.
After 50 years in the trade, I can tell you: the homeowners who wait until May to start calling are usually the ones who end up doing the project in August (at best) or pushing it to next spring (at worst). Here’s an honest breakdown of where things stand right now.
Most GTA contractors are already booked 6-8 weeks out
This isn’t new, but 2026 feels particularly tight. Strong demand from homeowners who held off during the higher interest rate years, combined with ongoing labour shortages in the trades, means quality interlocking and patio contractors across the GTA aren’t sitting idle. If you want your patio done before Canada Day, you should be making calls now.
That said, not all spots are gone. Mid-July and August sometimes open up as smaller jobs come in and schedules shuffle. It’s worth asking about those windows if early summer is already full.
The base matters more than the pavers
One thing we see every spring on this forum: homeowners frustrated that their patio or walkway from two or three years ago is already shifting, heaving, or cracking. Nine times out of ten, the problem isn’t the product — it’s what’s underneath.
Ontario’s freeze-thaw cycle is brutal on anything that wasn’t built with a properly compacted gravel base. For a typical patio, you want a minimum 8-12 inch compacted gravel base, properly graded for drainage. Skip that step (or hire someone who does), and you’ll be calling someone back by year two.
When you’re talking to contractors this spring, ask directly: how deep is your base, and what’s your compaction process? A contractor who brushes past those questions is a red flag.
What does interlock actually cost in the GTA right now?
Based on current market rates in Ontario for 2026:
- Basic concrete pavers: $17-22 per sq ft installed
- Mid-range (tumbled or textured stone): $22-28 per sq ft
- High-end (natural flagstone, complex patterns): $28-35+ per sq ft
For a modest 200 sq ft patio, budget $4,000-$6,500 all-in. A larger 400-500 sq ft project runs $8,000-$15,000. Those numbers include excavation, base, materials, and install — but not always disposal fees. GTA landfill tipping fees have climbed to around $160-$170 per tonne, and a mid-size project generates real tonnage. Confirm this line item in your quote before you sign.
Watch the drainage near your foundation
This one’s specific to interlock work near the house. Poor grading around a new patio can redirect water toward your basement walls rather than away from them. Make sure your contractor grades the surface so water flows away from the structure — the rule of thumb is a minimum 2% slope away from the foundation.
If your basement has had any moisture issues, have that conversation before the patio goes in, not after. Waterproofing problems are much cheaper to address before new interlock is laid on top of them.
For more on waterproofing and how it intersects with exterior work, it’s worth reading through the frequently asked questions thread where we cover this kind of foundation-to-finish thinking.
Get it in writing
Spring busy season is also high season for misunderstandings. A solid quote should include: total square footage, base depth and materials, paver brand and model, disposal costs, payment schedule, and timeline. A contractor confident in their work will have no issue putting all of that on paper.
If you’ve got quotes to compare, questions about specific products, or want to share who you’ve used (or avoided) in the GTA, drop it below. Local intel on contractors is exactly what this community is built for.
What’s your patio or interlock situation looking like this spring?