Start with the entrance itself. Montreal's older housing stock, especially those iconic exterior staircases in the Plateau, Villeray, and Rosemont, often means a steep rise from sidewalk to door, and that changes everything about the ramp you need. A safe slope is roughly one foot of ramp for every inch of rise (about 1:12), so a high porch can call for switchbacks and level landings to turn safely. Get someone on site to measure. A guess made from a photo tends to end in a ramp that's too steep to use in January.
Winter is the deciding factor here. You want a non-slip surface that sheds snow and ice, sturdy handrails on both sides, and landings wide enough to pause and open a storm door. Aluminum modular ramps handle freeze-thaw well and won't rot the way wood can, which matters when melt water pools and refreezes. For condos and rentals in areas like Griffintown or the South West, a modular ramp is often the smarter call: it's removable, resaleable, and easier to clear with a condo board or landlord than permanent construction.
When you're comparing installers, prioritize ones with real senior and accessibility experience, proper licensing and liability insurance, and a clear warranty on both the ramp and the labour. Ask how fast they respond if a handrail loosens mid-winter, because that's when you'll need them.
Our honest recommendation: for most Montreal families, go modular and hire a professional to install it rather than building a wood ramp yourself. It costs more up front than lumber from the hardware store, and you give up the fully custom look. But you get a code-appropriate slope, a surface built for our winters, and something you can remove or resell later. A too-steep DIY ramp isn't a bargain if no one can use it safely when it's icy.
