Deck Builders in Burlington — Pressure-Treated, Cedar, Composite

OCM Excavation & Construction builds decks across Burlington — Aldershot, downtown, Roseland, Tyandaga, and Headon Forest. We pour frost-rated footings, frame to current Ontario Building Code, and finish in pressure-treated SPF, western red cedar, or capped composite. Whether you want a low single-level platform off the kitchen or a multi-tier wrap-around with stairs to grade, we handle the dig, the structure, and the permit drawings. Call 416-317-3090 for a free on-site quote in Burlington.

Materials we build in across Burlington

Material drives both budget and how the deck ages through a Burlington winter. The three we install most often:

• Pressure-treated SPF — the workhorse. Lowest material cost, accepts stain, lasts 20+ years on a properly ventilated frame. Best fit for back-of-house decks in Headon Forest and Alton subdivisions where the deck will be screened by fence and planting.
• Western red cedar — natural rot resistance, tight grain, weathers to silver-grey if left unstained. Common request in Roseland and downtown Burlington heritage zones where homeowners want a softer look against brick and stone.
• Capped composite — Trex, TimberTech, Fiberon. Higher upfront cost, near-zero maintenance, 25-year stain and fade warranties from the manufacturer. Popular for elevated decks in Tyandaga and Aldershot where escarpment views mean the deck gets full sun and weather year-round.

Frames are pressure-treated regardless of decking choice — that’s standard. We use joist hangers, hot-dip galvanized or stainless fasteners, and ledger flashing where the deck attaches to the house.

Our deck building process in Burlington

Every Burlington deck job follows the same sequence so there are no surprises:

1. Site visit and measure — we walk the yard, mark proposed footprint, confirm height off grade, and check for grade changes, drainage, and tree roots.
2. Drawings and permit — Burlington requires a Building Permit for any deck attached to the house or for any freestanding deck more than 24 inches (610mm) off grade. We prepare the site plan, framing plan, and footing detail.
3. Locates and excavation — Ontario One Call before we dig. Helical piles or sonotube footings, dug to a minimum 4-foot (1.2m) frost depth as required by the OBC for southern Ontario.
4. Frame and deck — beams, joists at 16″ on centre (12″ for some composite boards), blocking, then the decking surface.
5. Rails, stairs, and finish — guards at 42″ for surfaces over 5’11” off grade, aluminum or wood pickets, closed risers as required.
6. Final inspection — we meet the Burlington inspector on site and clear the permit.

Permits, NEC, and Conservation Halton

Three regulatory layers can apply to a deck in Burlington:

• City of Burlington Building Permit — required for attached decks and freestanding decks over 24″ off grade. Phone the city at 905-335-7777 if you want to confirm before you call us; we handle the application on every job we take in Burlington.
• Niagara Escarpment Commission — Regulation 826/90 covers Mount Nemo and Rattlesnake Point in north Burlington. If your property is inside the NEC Area of Development Control, you need an NEC Development Permit on top of the city permit. There’s no NEC application fee, but it adds review time.
• Conservation Halton — administers Ontario Regulation 41/24 in a 15-30m regulated buffer from stable top of bank or floodplain. If you back onto a ravine, Bronte Creek, or a tributary, CH approval is required before we excavate.

We’ve worked with all three bodies and know what drawings each one wants. If your Burlington lot is clear of NEC and CH overlays, the city permit usually clears in two to four weeks.

Why Burlington homeowners hire OCM

• We dig our own footings — no subbing out the excavation to a separate crew.
• Footings poured to full 4-foot frost depth, every job. We don’t shortcut that to save a half day.
• Ledger flashing and proper attachment to the house — the most common point of failure on rebuilt decks we tear out.
• One point of contact from quote through final inspection.
• We work across the full GTA — see our service areas — and pair deck builds with fence installation in Burlington when you want both done at once.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit for a deck in Burlington?

Yes if the deck is attached to the house, or if a freestanding deck sits more than 24 inches (610mm) above grade at any point. Ground-level platforms under that threshold and not attached to the house generally do not need a building permit, but zoning setbacks still apply. We confirm the answer for your specific Burlington address before we quote.

How deep do deck footings need to go in Burlington?

The Ontario Building Code requires footings to bear below the frost line. In Burlington that’s a minimum 4 feet (1.2m) below finished grade. We dig sonotubes or install helical piles to that depth and pour on undisturbed soil. Shallower footings heave in spring and lift the deck off the ledger — a problem we see often on older builds.

Cedar or composite — what’s better for a Burlington deck?

Cedar looks softer and costs less upfront but needs staining or sealing every two to three years to hold colour. Composite costs more per square foot but doesn’t need refinishing and carries a long manufacturer warranty against fading and staining. If the deck is in full sun in Tyandaga or Aldershot, composite usually wins on lifecycle cost. Shaded decks in Roseland do fine in cedar.

Does my Burlington property need Conservation Halton approval?

If you back onto a ravine, watercourse, or wetland — including parts of Bronte Creek, Grindstone Creek, or their tributaries — Conservation Halton regulates a 15-to-30m buffer under Ontario Regulation 41/24. CH approval is needed before excavation. We check the CH mapping for your lot during the site visit and tell you up front.

How long does a Burlington deck build take?

Once the permit is in hand, a straightforward 200-300 sq ft deck takes about one to two weeks on site — a day for excavation and footings, two to three days for framing, two to four days for decking and rails. Larger multi-level builds in Headon Forest or Aldershot run three to four weeks. NEC and CH reviews can push permitting out further.

Will you remove my old deck before building the new one?

Yes. Tear-out, disposal, and footing removal are part of any rebuild quote. If the old footings are sound and properly placed we’ll re-use them, but most decks we tear out in Burlington have shallow or undersized footings that won’t carry a code-compliant frame.

Ready for a deck quote in Burlington?

Call OCM at 416-317-3090 or request a free quote online. We cover all of Burlington — Aldershot, downtown, Roseland, Tyandaga, Headon Forest, and the rural north — and we’ll walk your yard, talk through materials, and quote the full job including permit, footings, frame, and finish. One call, one crew, one Burlington deck done right.

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