Case Study: Front Walkway Redesign in NDG

A couple living in a charming 1940s-era cottage in Notre-Dame-de-Grace contacted us about their front walkway, which had become both unsightly and unsafe. The original concrete path had heaved and cracked over the years, creating uneven sections with nearly two-inch elevation differences between slabs. In winter, water would pool in the cracks, freeze, and create dangerous ice patches. The three concrete entrance steps were also shifting and had pulled away from the front porch landing by over an inch. Beyond the safety concerns, the deteriorating walkway was dragging down the curb appeal of an otherwise well-maintained property. NDG presents specific considerations for front walkway projects. Many homes in the neighborhood are set back from the street with mature maple trees lining the sidewalks, which means root systems often extend under front yards and can interfere with walkway foundations. We planned the excavation route carefully to avoid major root zones, adjusting the walkway alignment slightly compared to the original path to navigate around a large surface root from the street tree. We demolished the old concrete walkway and steps, excavated to a depth of 12 inches, and installed a geotextile membrane to separate the clay subsoil from the new granular base. The base was built with compacted 0-3/4 inch crushed limestone in three lifts, providing a stable, frost-resistant foundation. For the walking surface, the homeowners chose Techo-Bloc Blu 60mm pavers in Onyx Black, laid in a running bond pattern that suits the classic character of NDG homes. The walkway was widened from its original 30 inches to a comfortable 48 inches, allowing two people to walk side by side and making winter shoveling significantly easier. The three entrance steps were rebuilt using Permacon Lafitt Grande precast step units in a complementary charcoal tone, set on a compacted granular footing that extends below the frost line to prevent the heaving that plagued the original concrete steps. We installed concrete edge restraints along both sides of the walkway secured with 10-inch spikes, and finished all joints with polymeric sand. The project was completed in five working days. The homeowners were delighted with the dramatic improvement in both appearance and safety, noting that the wider walkway felt completely different from the cramped original path.