Planting & finishing
Design & Build
One plan for the whole yard, from the first layout to the finished build.
Go to Design & BuildPool Installation
Fibreglass, vinyl liner and concrete pools, with the patio, fence and landscaping around them.
Pool Installation overviewFire Features
Gas fire pits, wood fire pits and outdoor fireplaces, planned around your city's burn rules.
Fire Features overviewWater Features
Ponds, pondless waterfalls and fountains, with the depth, power and winter care planned first.
Water Features overviewRetaining Walls
Armour stone, interlocking block and natural stone walls, built to hold the grade.
Retaining Walls overviewPrepare the site
AntoineAsphalt.ca
Block walls · steel ring · spark screen
A wood fire pit is simple to build well and easy to get wrong on the rules. We check your city and lot first, then build it on a compacted base with a steel ring and screen.
Step 1 of 6 — Lay out and dig
We mark the circle, confirm it can sit at least 3 m (10 ft) from structures and lot lines where the local by-law asks for it, and dig out the base.
In Oakville a wood pit is allowed without a permit if it meets By-law 2006-174 s. 2.2: 10 a.m.–11 p.m., no bigger than 61 × 61 cm, screened, 3 m from lot lines. In Hamilton and Burlington urban areas wood fires count as open-air burning and are not permitted without a permit; rural lots can apply for one. Cooking fires on a grill or barbecue are exempt.
Step by step
Step 1 of 6 — Lay out and dig
We mark the circle, confirm it can sit at least 3 m (10 ft) from structures and lot lines where the local by-law asks for it, and dig out the base.
Crushed gravel goes in and is compacted so the pit can't heave or settle. Unilock calls for 6–8 in of compacted aggregate under its fire pit walls.
Wall units are levelled course by course and bonded with a high-heat concrete adhesive, as the block maker specifies.
A steel insert lines the inside so the flame hits steel, not the face of the block. Gravel in the bottom lets rain drain away.
Caps finish the top. In Oakville a backyard pit must be covered by a grill or metal screen; the screen also keeps sparks in everywhere else.
Burn clean, dry seasoned wood, keep it attended and keep water or an extinguisher close. Wood pits are only allowed where the local by-law allows open-air fires.
By-laws
Open Air Burning By-law 02-283
Wood ! Permit + inspection
Not permitted in the urban area without a permit, and no permit is issued until the Fire Department inspects the site (s. 2.4, s. 4.1). Outdoor fireplaces and chimineas are rural-only, with a permit (Guideline 11). A small, supervised cooking fire on a grill or barbecue needs no permit (s. 4.2).
Open-air Burning By-law 065-2019
Wood ! Rural permit only
Open-air burning is not permitted in urban areas; fire pits, chimineas and outdoor fireplaces count as open-air burning. Small supervised cooking fires on a grill, barbecue or spit are the exception. Designated rural areas can get a free Open-Air Burning Permit (online or 905-637-9536).
Open Burning By-law 2006-174
Wood ! Allowed with conditions
Allowed without a permit 10 a.m.–11 p.m. in a pit no bigger than 61 × 61 cm (2 × 2 ft) at ground level, covered with a grill or metal screen, burning clean dry seasoned wood or commercial charcoal, at least 3 m (9.8 ft) from lot lines and combustibles, attended, with an extinguishing agent on hand (s. 2.2).
Rules change and burn bans happen in dry weather; check with your fire department before lighting.
Oakville By-law 2006-174, s. 2.2
Rules change and burn bans happen in dry weather; check with your fire department before lighting.
Country lots
Burlington: designated rural areas can get a free Open-Air Burning Permit online or at 905-637-9536, for camp fires, cooking fires and approved materials (wood, brush, leaves) — no garbage or petroleum products. See country & estate properties.
Rules change and burn bans happen in dry weather; check with your fire department before lighting.
Built to last
Neighbours
Clean Air Hamilton notes that wood smoke contains PM2.5, PM10, VOCs, carbon monoxide and carcinogenic compounds, and that "open air burning is highly polluting". If you're on an urban lot, a gas fire pit gets the look without the smoke.
Typical market ranges
| Item | Typical range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Interlock fire pit, installed | $1,500–$6,000 | Project Landscaping, May 2026 |
| Wood-burning concrete wall block pit | $1,500–$3,500 | Project Landscaping, May 2026 |
| Interlock patio around it | $17–$35 per sq ft | Project Landscaping, May 2026 |
| Item | Typical range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Fire pit, installed | $200–$3,000 (avg $850) | Angi, Aug 2026 |
| In-ground fire pit | up to about $5,000 | Angi, Aug 2026 |
Prices are typical market ranges from the named third-party sources and dates, not Antoine's prices. Your exact price comes from an on-site quote.
Other options
One plan
A level, non-combustible patio around the fire.
Plan together →Try paver patterns and colours for the patio.
Plan together →Plan the pool, patio and fire feature together.
Plan together →Ponds, waterfalls and fountains.
Plan together →Rules, costs and all three types.
Plan together →Guides: fire pit rules by city · gas vs wood · fire pit cost in Ontario
Straight answers
It depends on the city. Oakville allows one without a permit under By-law 2006-174 s. 2.2. In Hamilton's urban area it's not permitted without a permit, and none is issued until the Fire Department inspects (By-law 02-283, s. 2.4). Burlington doesn't permit open-air burning in urban areas; designated rural areas can get a free permit.
No larger than 61 cm × 61 cm (2 ft × 2 ft), at ground level and covered with a grill or metal screen (By-law 2006-174, s. 2.2). It must sit at least 3 m (9.8 ft) from adjacent properties and combustible structures, and burns are allowed only from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Clean wood only. Oakville allows commercially produced charcoal or briquettes and clean, dry seasoned wood (s. 2.2). Hamilton's rural permit conditions call for clean wood, and Burlington's rural permits cover wood, brush and leaves, never garbage or petroleum products.
Hamilton's guidelines limit recreational campfires to 0.6 m (2 ft) across and confined (Guideline 6), with 3 m clearance from buildings and combustibles (Guideline 7). The fire must be attended by someone 18 or older, with extinguishing equipment on site, and there's no burning during a smog alert (By-law 02-283, s. 4.3).
A steel insert lines the inside so the flame hits steel rather than the face of the block (industry practice). The wall units themselves are bonded with a high-heat concrete adhesive, as Unilock's fire pit spec calls for, and gravel in the bottom lets rain drain away.
In Oakville yes: a backyard pit must be covered with a grill or metal screen (By-law 2006-174, s. 2.2). Everywhere else a screen keeps sparks in, which is why we include one with wood pits.
In Hamilton, illegal or non-compliant fires can be charged response costs (Guideline 14) and penalties under the Provincial Offences Act (s. 4.5). Oakville applies Provincial Offences Act penalties (s. 4.1) and can add unpaid Fire Department costs to the tax roll (s. 4.3).
Project Landscaping lists a wood-burning concrete wall block pit at $1,500–$3,500 and an installed interlock fire pit at $1,500–$6,000 (May 2026). Access through narrow gates adds labour. These are market ranges, not our prices; we quote after a site visit.
Start with the yard
Tell us your city and what you'd like to burn. We'll check the rules for your lot and arrange a free on-site consultation.
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