Residential Concrete Contractor in Hamilton: What CDS Does for Homeowners

The Other Kind of Concrete Contractor

Concrete Drilling & Sawing Ltd (CDS) is a residential concrete contractor in Hamilton that cuts, cores, scans and removes existing concrete — it does not place new concrete. Family-run since 1967 and based at 276 Ferrie St E, CDS handles slab removal, egress window cutting, core drilling, GPR scanning and selective demolition. Its mobile crews serve all of Ontario.

Family-run since 1967 and based at 276 Ferrie St E in Hamilton’s north end, CDS is the longest-running concrete cutting company in Ontario. A surprising amount of that work happens in ordinary backyards and basements. Here’s how to know which kind of contractor your project needs — and what we actually do for homeowners.

What Residential Concrete Contractors Hamilton Homeowners Call CDS For

If your project involves existing concrete, this is our lane. The most common residential jobs we handle:

• Backyard and patio slab removal. Old pads, walkways and patios cut into liftable sections and hauled away without tearing up the lawn around them. Our guide to cut-and-lift versus jackhammering explains why cutting first makes for a cleaner job.
• Egress window cutting. Precise openings sawed into foundation walls so a basement bedroom or basement apartment can meet Ontario Building Code egress requirements.
• Core drilling. Clean, round holes through foundations and slabs for plumbing, HVAC lines, dryer vents and sump discharge lines. Our concrete coring crews drill these every week.
• GPR scanning before renovations. Ground-penetrating radar locates rebar, conduit and other hazards hidden inside concrete before anyone cuts into it — cheap insurance against an expensive surprise.
• Selective demolition. Taking out one wall section, a set of concrete stairs or part of a slab during a renovation while leaving everything around it intact.

Recent Residential Jobs Around Hamilton

One Hamilton homeowner had a series of twenty 3×5-foot slabs cluttering the backyard. Our crew removed the lot in a few hours, left the area clean, and the same customer later called us back to take out another slab.

Another recent customer had four egress windows cut and installed, and made a point of praising the communication and the quality of the finished openings. Crew members like Brody, Kaleb, Devin and Jody get mentioned by name in our reviews — and every Google review CDS has received is five stars.

Cutting vs. Placing: An Honest Distinction

We’d rather point you to the right contractor than sell you the wrong service. A simple rule of thumb:

• Need new concrete placed and finished? A new driveway, patio or garage floor is the work of a placing and finishing contractor.
• Need existing concrete cut, cored, scanned or removed? That’s us — see the full range of concrete cutting services we offer.

The two trades often work on the same project. We also work alongside placing contractors on concrete construction projects, so if your job blurs the line — removing a cracked pad before a new one goes in, for example — talk to us first and we’ll tell you honestly what we should do and what a finisher should.

Why Homeowners Trust CDS

We’ve been cutting concrete as a family business since 1967, longer than any other company in Ontario. Our mobile crews work across the Hamilton area and travel to communities all over Ontario, bringing the same equipment and experience to a single dryer-vent core hole as to a commercial site. As our tagline puts it: residential, commercial and industrial, we do it all.

Curious how the cutting actually happens? Our overview of slab, wall and wire sawing methods walks through the tools we choose for different jobs.

See our full range of concrete services.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you place new driveways or patios?

No. Placing and finishing new concrete is its own trade, and we’ll say so up front. CDS cuts, cores, scans and removes existing concrete, and we support concrete construction projects as the cutting and removal specialist. Many homeowners use both trades on one project: we remove the old slab, a finishing contractor places the new one.

How much does concrete slab removal cost?

It depends on the slab’s size and thickness, how easy it is to get equipment into the yard, and what’s buried inside the concrete — so we don’t quote prices sight unseen. Send us photos and rough dimensions and we’ll give you a straightforward number for your specific job.

Do I need a permit for an egress window in Hamilton?

Usually, yes. Cutting a new or enlarged opening in a foundation wall is structural work, and it’s typically part of a permitted project such as a legal basement bedroom or apartment. Requirements vary, so confirm with the City of Hamilton’s building division before work starts. Once your plans are approved, we cut the opening to the exact dimensions they call for.

Do you only work in Hamilton?

Our shop is at 276 Ferrie St E in Hamilton’s north end, but our mobile crews serve all of Ontario. Hamilton jobs are close to home; work farther afield just takes a little more scheduling.

Concrete in the Way? Talk to Us

If existing concrete is standing between you and your next project, call the people who’ve been cutting it since 1967. Reach CDS at (905) 529-6029 or toll-free at 1-800-241-5708, or request a quote online — we’ll tell you honestly whether we’re the right contractor for the job.

Related CDS services: Electric Slab Sawing.