# Excavation Forest Hill | Premium Teardown + Underpinning

> Need excavation in Forest Hill? Teardown rebuild foundation excavation, mansion underpinning for wine cellars and gyms. Quote in 24h: (647) 277-2002

URL: https://proexcavationtoronto.ca/service-areas/forest-hill/

![Excavation crew working a clean Toronto residential job site](/images/misc/pro-excavation-crew-in-hi-vis-vests-working-a-clea.webp)

Serving Forest Hill South to Yonge-Eglinton (edge)

# Excavation in Forest Hill, Yonge-Eglinton Premium Lots

Last updated: November 13, 2026

Pro Excavation Toronto

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 provides premium teardown excavation, mansion underpinning and multi-level basement conversions throughout Forest Hill, backed by 22+ years combined Toronto excavation and underpinning experience. Forest Hill stretches from Bathurst east to Avenue Road and from Eglinton north to Lawrence, split into Forest Hill South and Forest Hill North. The original housing stock is 1920s-1940s detached brick homes on wide lots, and the dominant scope today is teardown rebuild: old house down, deep foundation in, premium basement finishes. Our Forest Hill crews coordinate demolition, hazardous material removal, foundation excavation and shoring as one fixed-price contract.

-   Site visit within 48 hours
-   Permits via Toronto Building, Downtown District Office
-   P.Eng stamped, $5M + WSIB
-   24h emergency water + sewer

Request a Free Site Visit

[#quote →](#quote)

 

Call (647) 277-2002

[tel:+16472772002 →](tel:+16472772002)

22+

Years

24h

Written quote

4h

Emergency

Thanks, we have your request.

We will call within 24 hours (business hours) to book your site visit. For a water or sewer emergency call (647) 277-2002 now.

-   22+
    
    Years Combined
    
-   100%
    
    P.Eng Stamped
    
-   24h
    
    Written Quote
    
-   $5M
    
    Liability + WSIB
    
-   4h
    
    Emergency On-Site
    

What Goes Wrong

## Teardown Rebuild or Premium Dig-Out in Forest Hill?

### Teardown rebuild with lead service and new 10-foot basement

The owner wants to teardown the 1935 detached, build new with 10-foot basement ceilings and a wine cellar, and replace the lead water service without digging the front yard twice.

**Why it happens here:** Separating demolition, foundation excavation, lead service replacement and shoring into different contractors creates handoff delays, open-dig re-mobilization costs and schedule gaps.

**How we fix it:** We bundle demolition, hazmat, foundation excavation, shoring and lead service coordination under one fixed-price contract so the project runs clean from teardown to backfill in 12-17 weeks.

### Plan rejected on first submission

Underpinning and deep excavation are structural work. Drawings without an Ontario P.Eng stamp, a 1.2 m pin sequence and shoring details come back from Toronto Building, Downtown District Office for revisions, which can add 6 to 10 weeks.

### Neighbour objection mid-project

Shared walls and tight side yards mean the neighbour is part of the job. Skip the notice package and condition survey, and a complaint or variance objection can stop work for months.

### A live utility strike

Gas, hydro, water and telecom lines run under almost every yard. Digging without Ontario One Call locates and hydrovac daylighting risks a strike that costs $15K to $120K and shuts the site down.

Local Overview

## Teardown and Deep Basement Know-How for Forest Hill

Forest Hill is Toronto's premium teardown market: 1930s detached homes being replaced by new builds with 10-11 foot basements, home gyms and wine cellars. We handle the demolition, excavation and shoring under one contract.

Typical housing and sites

1920s-1940s detached brick homes on 40-to-80-ft lots, with heavy teardown-rebuild activity for new large-footprint homes

Permit office

Toronto Building, Downtown District Office (City of Toronto (Toronto and East York district))

Why this area is different

Teardown-rebuild foundation excavation with demolition, hazmat and shoring under one contract; premium 10-foot basement finishes for the new build.

![Stamped drawings on a site table beside an excavation](/images/features/stamped-engineering-drawings-on-a-folding-site-tab.webp)

Stamped drawings on a site table beside an excavation

Most Requested Here

## Excavation Services Most Booked in Forest Hill

The services clients here ask us for most, listed by how often local conditions call for them. Every one is quoted in writing within 24 hours of the site visit.

![Pro Excavation Toronto excavator digging a custom-home foundation on a Toronto infill lot with benched walls](/images/misc/custom-home-foundation-excavation-on-a-toronto-inf.webp)

[/foundation-excavation/ →](/foundation-excavation/)

### 

Foundation Excavation

[/foundation-excavation/ →](/foundation-excavation/)

$8K-$30K

We excavate foundations for custom homes, laneway houses and additions across Toronto, digging to the footing depth your drawings and the 1.2 m frost line require. Our crew works from surveyed layout stakes, cuts the over-dig your forming trade needs, and benches or shores to O. Reg. 213/91 and the P.Eng design. Ontario One Call locates and hydrovac daylighting come before the bucket, and GCs get same-day call-backs, which means the forming crew starts on the day you planned.

GC Schedule ReadyFrost Depth 1.2 mBackfill Included

Includes

Layout, dig, over-dig, haul-off, backfill

Timeline

2-10 working days on site for most residential foundations

Markham custom-home foundation dug and backfilled on the GC's schedule with same-day call-backs ($38K).

Book a Foundation Dig for Foundation Excavation

[/foundation-excavation/ →](/foundation-excavation/)

![Pro Excavation Toronto excavator breaking out old basement walls on a Leaside knock-down rebuild](/images/misc/knock-down-rebuild-site-in-leaside-toronto-with-ex.webp)

[/demolition-excavation/ →](/demolition-excavation/)

### 

Demolition Excavation

[/demolition-excavation/ →](/demolition-excavation/)

$25K-$150K

We take a knock-down rebuild from standing house to foundation-ready excavation without handing the site between trades. The same expeditor files the demolition and building permits, the same crew removes the old house, breaks out the old footings and slab, then digs the new foundation to the P.Eng and architect's drawings. Removing the handoff saves the one to three weeks that usually vanish between a demolition sub and an excavation sub.

One ContractorNo Trade HandoffShoring Ready

Includes

Disconnects, demo, footing removal, dig

Timeline

3-6 weeks from disconnects to foundation-ready hole

Leaside knock-down rebuild handed to the forming crew 9 days ahead of the builder's schedule ($135K).

Plan My Knock-Down Rebuild for Demolition Excavation

[/demolition-excavation/ →](/demolition-excavation/)

![Pro Excavation Toronto soldier pile and timber lagging shoring wall beside a neighbouring building in Toronto](/images/misc/soldier-pile-and-timber-lagging-shoring-wall-with-.webp)

[/shoring-services/ →](/shoring-services/)

### 

Shoring Services

[/shoring-services/ →](/shoring-services/)

$25K-$150K

We design and install temporary shoring that holds back soil and protects neighbouring foundations while excavation and underpinning proceed. Marko Pavlovic P.Eng stamps each system, whether soldier piles and lagging, rakers, tiebacks, trench boxes or 1.2 m benching, and inspects it as each lift is exposed. On narrow lots we pair shoring with a condition survey and movement monitoring, so any shift is caught in millimetres rather than cracks.

P.Eng StampedMovement MonitoredO. Reg. 213/91

Includes

Design, install, inspection, monitoring

Timeline

1-4 weeks install, monitored through excavation

Yonge-Eglinton mid-rise excavation shored with daily monitoring and zero neighbour claims ($310K project).

Request a Shoring Design for Shoring Services

[/shoring-services/ →](/shoring-services/)

 

![Pro Excavation Toronto underpinning a Victorian semi basement with concrete pins formed under the old footing](/images/misc/toronto-victorian-semi-basement-underpinning-in-pr.webp) Hero Service

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### 

Underpinning

[/underpinning/ →](/underpinning/)

$30K-$200K

We lower Toronto basements below the existing footing in engineered 1.2 m pins, so a 6 ft 10 in basement becomes 9 or 10 feet of legal living space. Marko Pavlovic P.Eng stamps every sequence to OBC Part 4 before the permit goes in, our expeditor carries the file through Toronto Building and the Committee of Adjustment, and hydrovac daylighting clears Toronto Hydro and Enbridge lines first. Each pin is inspected before the next is poured, which means your party wall and your neighbour stay protected.

P.Eng StampedToronto Building LiaisonParty-Wall Protection

Includes

Engineering, permits, sequencing, inspections, new slab

Timeline

8-16 weeks contract to final inspection (permit 4-8 weeks, sequencing 3-6 weeks, interior + waterproofing 2-3 weeks)

Leslieville semi lowered from 6 ft 10 in to 9 ft 4 in, finished 3 weeks ahead of schedule ($142K).

Get an Underpinning Quote for Underpinning

[/underpinning/ →](/underpinning/)

Also available

![Pro Excavation Toronto basement dig-out in progress with a mini-excavator inside and a conveyor carrying soil out](/images/misc/toronto-basement-dig-out-in-progress-with-old-slab.webp)

[/basement-excavation/ →](/basement-excavation/)

### 

Basement Excavation

[/basement-excavation/ →](/basement-excavation/)

$12K-$45K

Interior dig-outs, crawlspace conversions and new-build basement digs across Toronto and the GTA, using tight-access conveyors and mini-excavators.

Conveyor SystemsTight-Access RigsClean-Site Protocol

Quote My Dig-Out for Basement Excavation

[/basement-excavation/ →](/basement-excavation/)

![Pro Excavation Toronto mini-excavator digging a backyard pool in a Toronto yard with protected lawn](/images/misc/backyard-pool-excavation-in-a-toronto-residential-.webp)

[/residential-excavation/ →](/residential-excavation/)

### 

Residential Excavation

[/residential-excavation/ →](/residential-excavation/)

$5K-$40K

Pool, driveway, retaining wall and backyard grading excavation across Toronto, with mini-excavators sized for side yards under 1 m.

Tight Side-Yard AccessSame-Day Haul-OffLocates First

Quote My Project for Residential Excavation

[/residential-excavation/ →](/residential-excavation/)

![Pro Excavation Toronto excavator loading a dump truck inside a shored mid-rise commercial excavation in Toronto](/images/misc/mid-rise-commercial-excavation-in-downtown-toronto.webp)

[/commercial-excavation/ →](/commercial-excavation/)

### 

Commercial Excavation

[/commercial-excavation/ →](/commercial-excavation/)

$25K-$500K

Bulk excavation, P.Eng shoring, dewatering and excess soil export for Toronto multi-unit, low-rise and mid-rise builds on tight urban lots.

OBC Part 4Shoring IntegratedExcess Soil Compliant

Request a Commercial Proposal for Commercial Excavation

[/commercial-excavation/ →](/commercial-excavation/)

How It Works

## From Site Visit to Handover in 5 Steps

The same five steps on every project, from the first call to the handover package.

1.  1
    
    ### Site Visit in 48h
    
    Free, no obligation
    
    We walk the property, measure access and the foundation, and our P.Eng reviews structural work before any deposit.
    
2.  2
    
    ### Written Quote in 24h
    
    On letterhead
    
    A fixed-price CAD quote with every line item, the draw schedule and the permit path for your address.
    
3.  3
    
    ### Permit + Notices
    
    2-8 weeks
    
    Stamped drawings filed with Toronto Building, Downtown District Office, neighbour notices sent, locates and hydrovac daylighting booked.
    
4.  4
    
    ### 5-Stage Build
    
    Fixed price
    
    Excavation, structural, backfill and final, each inspected and paid only when complete. No change orders without your signature.
    
5.  5
    
    ### Written Handover
    
    Clean site
    
    Final inspections signed off, site cleaned, and a handover package with photos, engineer letters and permit close-out.
    

## Need a Teardown + Foundation Under One Contract?

Book a free site visit. Our P.Eng reviews the foundation before any deposit, and you get a fixed-price quote in writing within 24 hours. No change orders without your signature.

(647) 277-2002

[tel:+16472772002 →](tel:+16472772002)

 

Request a Free Site Visit

[/contact/ →](/contact/)

Local Expertise

## Teardown Site Logistics in Forest Hill

Forest Hill lots are wide and most have driveway access for full-size machines. The constraints are neighbour proximity on tight setbacks, Line 5 Eglinton construction on the south edge and strict Residents' Association standards.

-   **Full-size excavators** on most lots; mini-excavators only for infill lots in Lower Forest Hill.
-   **Bins on driveways** with scheduled hauls so there is no overnight stacking visible from the street.
-   **Noise and dust control** above the Toronto Noise By-law; residents' associations monitor conduct.
-   **Line 5 Eglinton coordination** for lots south of Eglinton near Forest Hill station.
-   **Ontario One Call locates and hydrovac** on every front dig because large lots often have private irrigation and old lead services from the 1930s construction era.

Avenue Road, Bathurst and the Allen Expressway stub bring our trucks to Forest Hill within 25 minutes.

Local Expertise

## 1930s Brick Detached, Teardown Rebuilds and Deep Basements

Forest Hill scope types:

-   **1920s-1940s brick detached homes** across both Forest Hill North and South. Many are kept and underpinned for additional basement living space with wine cellars, home gyms and media rooms. 
    
    Underpinning
    
    [/underpinning/ →](/underpinning/)
    
     typically deepens from 7 ft 6 in to 10-11 ft.
-   **Teardown rebuilds** are the dominant activity today. 
    
    Demolition excavation
    
    [/demolition-excavation/ →](/demolition-excavation/)
    
     takes the old house down, hazmat handles asbestos and lead, and 
    
    foundation excavation
    
    [/foundation-excavation/ →](/foundation-excavation/)
    
     establishes the new 10 or 11 ft basement.
-   **New custom homes** need 
    
    shoring
    
    [/shoring-services/ →](/shoring-services/)
    
     against the neighbour's foundation because setbacks are often 1.2-1.8 m despite the wide lots.

Lead service replacement (the City-side lead pipe to the house) is routinely coordinated with the new foundation to avoid digging the front yard twice.

Local Expertise

## Forest Hill Permits and Residents' Association Standards

**Toronto Building** processes Forest Hill permits through the Downtown District Office. Local considerations:

**Teardown permits** require a demolition permit separate from the building permit, plus Toronto Public Health review for lead and asbestos removal.

**Committee of Adjustment variances** are common for new builds that exceed height, coverage or lot grading rules.

**Line 5 Eglinton coordination** for lots near Forest Hill station (between Bathurst and Avenue) where Metrolinx construction affects local road access.

**Lead service replacement** on 1930s-era homes often coincides with the new foundation; we coordinate with Toronto Water to replace both the private and public sides during the dig.

**Forest Hill Residents' Association** monitors construction conduct and requires site signs, dust control and schedule communication.

Local Expertise

## Forest Hill Clay and 1930s Lead Services

Forest Hill sits on firm clay till that holds pins and new footings well. **The eastern slope toward Avenue Road** descends slightly and can show old fill. The real ground-condition issue is **1930s lead water services** from the property line to the house; most teardowns require full lead service replacement coordinated with Toronto Water's shared-cost program. Our 

hydrovac

[/hydro-excavation/ →](/hydro-excavation/)

 truck exposes the gas service, water service and Toronto Hydro primary at the front curb so the new foundation and new water service go in cleanly.

Why Us

## Why Forest Hill Builders Choose Us

-   Teardown, hazmat, dig and shoring under one fixed-price contract
-   10-11 ft basement foundations with waterproofing for premium finishes
-   Lead service replacement coordinated with the new foundation dig
-   Line 5 Eglinton staging awareness for south Forest Hill addresses
-   Forest Hill Residents' Association site conduct standards built into the quote
-   Written fixed-price quote within 24 hours of the site visit

Client Results

## What Our Clients Say

> "Quote in 22 hours. Underpinning finished 3 weeks ahead of schedule. P.Eng stamp handled every city inspection. Basement went from 6 ft 10 in to 9 ft 4 in."

Darren K.

Leslieville

Project value $142K

> "Our Victorian semi shares a wall with a neighbour who was nervous from day one. Pro Excavation Toronto delivered a neighbour notice package, surveyed the condition of their side and walked them through the P.Eng sequencing. No objection at Committee of Adjustment, no stop-work order, and our basement went from 6 ft 9 in to 8 ft 10 in. The neighbour now asks for Marko's number."

Chris and Mel A.

Trinity-Bellwoods

Project value $94K

> "I have burned through excavation subs who disappear after the deposit. These guys answer the phone, show up on the day they promise and dig to the drawings. The foundation for our Markham custom home was dug, over-dug for forming and backfilled after the walls with zero callbacks. Same-day answers from the office every time, and they are now my first call on every build."

Gary F.

Custom Home Builder, Markham

Project value $38K

Coverage

## Neighbourhoods We Cover in Forest Hill

Avenue Road, Bathurst and the Allen Road bring our trucks to Forest Hill addresses, and Eglinton Avenue West carries us to teardown sites across the district.

### Neighbourhoods

-   Forest Hill South
-   Forest Hill North
-   Upper Forest Hill
-   Lower Forest Hill
-   Village of Forest Hill
-   Yonge-Eglinton (edge)

**Postal codes we cover:** M5P, M4V, M6C

### Local landmarks

-   Forest Hill Village
-   Upper Canada College
-   Bishop Strachan School
-   Forest Hill station (Line 5)
-   Cedarvale Ravine

### Highways and transit

-   **Truck routes:** Avenue Road, Bathurst Street, Eglinton Avenue West, Allen Road
-   **Transit:** Line 1 Yonge-University (Eglinton West, St. Clair West), Line 5 Eglinton Crosstown (Forest Hill, Chaplin, Avenue), 7 Bathurst bus, 61 Avenue Rd bus

Open in Google Maps

[https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=43.697,-79.418 →](https://www.google.com/maps/dir/?api=1&destination=43.697,-79.418)

Straight Answers

## Forest Hill Excavation FAQs

### How much does Forest Hill teardown and foundation cost?

At 2026 pricing, Forest Hill teardown plus new foundation excavation typically costs $180K to $400K. Our $280K case study included full demolition, hazmat removal, foundation excavation to 11 ft and lead service replacement, all under one fixed-price contract.

### Can you underpin without tearing down?

Yes. Many Forest Hill owners keep the 1930s house and underpin to 10-11 ft for a wine cellar, home gym or media room. Underpinning runs $150K-$300K depending on linear footage, finishes and whether any exterior walkouts are added.

### How do you handle the lead water service?

Toronto Water runs a shared-cost replacement program for lead services. During the new foundation dig we expose the water service at the property line and coordinate the private-side (homeowner) and public-side (City) replacements so the front yard only gets opened once.

### What permits does a Forest Hill teardown need?

A demolition permit, a building permit for the new structure, Toronto Public Health approval for hazmat, a plumbing permit for the lead service replacement, and Committee of Adjustment variances if the new build exceeds height or coverage limits.

### How long does a Forest Hill teardown-rebuild foundation take?

Demolition and site prep is typically 3-5 weeks, foundation excavation and footings 4-6 weeks, foundation walls and waterproofing 3-4 weeks, backfill and site restoration 2 weeks. Full foundation complete in 12-17 weeks.

### Can you coordinate with my custom home builder?

Yes. Most of our Forest Hill work comes through custom builders; we take the structural scope from the architect's drawings and hand over a completed foundation ready for framing.

### How do you handle the Line 5 construction impact?

For south Forest Hill addresses near Forest Hill station, we check the Metrolinx closure calendar before quoting. Truck routing and bin placement adjust to avoid the construction detours.

### What about my protected trees?

Trees above the Toronto Tree Protection By-law threshold need arborist review before excavation within the critical root zone. We use hydrovac to expose roots without cutting them and include tree protection measures in the quote.

### Can you do indoor pool excavation?

Yes. Indoor pools need extra excavation depth (typically 9-11 ft below the basement slab) and shoring against the pool shell. We design the excavation and shoring sequence with the pool contractor.

### Where can I find an excavation contractor near me in Forest Hill?

Pro Excavation Toronto works across Forest Hill South and North, the Village of Forest Hill and the Yonge-Eglinton edge, with 48-hour site visits and a 24-hour emergency line at (647) 277-2002.

Nearby Service Areas

## Areas Near Forest Hill

Same crew, same P.Eng, same written quote. These neighbouring areas are covered from the same dispatch.

Rosedale Toronto's wealthiest + ravine-edge lots

[/service-areas/rosedale/ →](/service-areas/rosedale/)

 

Yorkville High-end mixed-use + condo infill

[/service-areas/yorkville/ →](/service-areas/yorkville/)

 

The Annex Victorian mansions + U of T edge

[/service-areas/the-annex/ →](/service-areas/the-annex/)

 

All Service Areas

[/service-areas/ →](/service-areas/)

![](/images/misc/wide-dusk-view-of-a-clean-organized-toronto-underp.webp)

Site visit in 48 hours

## Get Your Forest Hill Site Visit Booked

Site visit within 48 hours. Written fixed-price quote on letterhead within 24 hours after, P.Eng stamped where required.

Request a Free Site Visit

[/contact/ →](/contact/)

 

Call (647) 277-2002

[tel:+16472772002 →](tel:+16472772002)

-   Fixed-price, 5-stage draws
-   $5M liability + WSIB
-   24-hour emergency water + sewer line