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Industrial + Commercial + Residential P.Eng Stamped $5M Insured
Excavation crew working a clean Toronto residential job site
Serving Bayview to Thorncliffe Park (edge)

Excavation in Leaside, From Bayview Rebuilds to Line 5 Corridor

Pro Excavation Toronto provides teardown rebuild excavation, premium underpinning and 10-ft basement dig-outs throughout Leaside, backed by 22+ years combined Toronto excavation and underpinning experience. Leaside stretches from Bayview Avenue east to the CPR tracks and from Eglinton north to Sunnybrook, planned by Frederick Todd in 1913 and built out mainly after the 1927 Leaside Viaduct and the Second World War. The housing is 1930s-1950s detached brick and stone homes on 35-to-55-foot lots, with a strong teardown-rebuild market and the Line 5 Eglinton Crosstown LRT reshaping Eglinton access. Our typical Leaside project is either a deep-basement foundation dig for a new build or a 10-ft underpinning of a kept 1940s detached.

  • Site visit within 48 hours
  • Permits via Toronto Building, East York Civic Centre
  • P.Eng stamped, $5M + WSIB
  • 24h emergency water + sewer
Request a Free Site Visit Call (647) 277-2002
22+
Years
24h
Written quote
4h
Emergency
Fixed-Price Proposal

Book a Free Site Visit

Site visit in 48 hours. Written quote on letterhead in 24 hours after that. Fixed-price. P.Eng stamped where required.

No obligation. Written quote on letterhead before any contract.

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

Teardown Rebuild or Deep Dig-Out in Leaside?

Leaside teardown with lead service and Line 5 vibration zone

The 1938 detached needs to come down, the lot is 25 m from the Line 5 tunnel alignment, and the water service is 1930s lead that needs replacing.

Why it happens here: Multiple regulatory frameworks (Metrolinx vibration monitoring, Toronto Water lead program, demolition and building permits) usually mean three contractors and handoff delays.

How we fix it: We bundle demolition, hazmat, lead service coordination, foundation excavation and vibration-monitored shoring under one fixed-price contract with 12-17 week delivery.

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, East York Civic Centre 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 Leaside

Leaside is Toronto's steady teardown-rebuild market: 1930s-1950s detached homes on wide lots being replaced with new builds featuring deep basements. We also underpin the original houses that stay, typically to 10 feet for finished living space.

Typical housing and sites
1930s-1950s detached brick and stone homes on 35-to-55-ft lots, heavy teardown-rebuild activity along Bayview
Permit office
Toronto Building, East York Civic Centre (City of Toronto (Toronto and East York district))
Why this area is different
Teardown and rebuild under one contract from demolition through to 10-ft basement foundation, with Line 5 Eglinton staging awareness for addresses near Laird and Leaside stations.
Stamped drawings on a site table beside an excavation
Stamped drawings on a site table beside an excavation
Most Requested Here

Excavation Services Most Booked in Leaside

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.

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

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

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

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

Also available

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, East York Civic Centre, 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.

Ready for 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 Request a Free Site Visit
Local Expertise

Site Logistics on Leaside Streets

Leaside lots are wide and most have good driveway access for full-size machines. The constraints are Line 5 Eglinton construction on the south edge and the Residents' Association's close monitoring of site conduct.

  • Full-size excavators on most lots.
  • Bins on driveways by default; street permits only when absolutely needed.
  • Line 5 Eglinton coordination for addresses near Laird, Leaside and Science Centre stations.
  • Ontario One Call locates and hydrovac on every front dig because 1930s-era services (gas, water, lead) often need updating during a new build.
  • Noise By-law scheduling for loud phases midday rather than morning or evening.

From the Bayview Extension, Eglinton Avenue East and the Don Valley Parkway, Pro Excavation reaches Leaside addresses within 20 minutes.

Local Expertise

1930s Detached, Teardown Rebuilds and Deep Basements

Three Leaside scope types:

  • 1930s-1950s detached brick homes across most of Leaside. Many are kept and underpinned to 10 ft for home gyms, media rooms or legal second suites.
  • Teardown rebuilds along Bayview and the main streets. Demolition excavation takes the old house down, hazmat handles 1930s-era lead and asbestos, and foundation excavation establishes the new 10-11 ft basement.
  • Modern custom homes with deep basements need shoring against neighbour foundations because setbacks can be tight.

Lead water service replacement through Toronto Water's shared-cost program is routinely coordinated with the new foundation.

Local Expertise

Leaside Permits and Line 5 Coordination

Toronto Building East York district office processes Leaside permits. Local considerations:

Teardown permits need a demolition permit, a building permit for the new structure and Toronto Public Health approval for hazmat.

Committee of Adjustment variances are common for new builds that exceed the Leaside height, coverage or massing rules.

Line 5 Eglinton staging for addresses near Laird, Leaside and Science Centre stations; Metrolinx construction schedules affect local road access.

Don Valley ravine edge. Properties along the west edge of Bennington Heights and Governor's Bridge back onto the Don Valley; TRCA review for exterior work.

Leaside Residents' Association monitors construction conduct and site signage.

Local Expertise

Leaside Clay, Old Lead Services and Line 5 Vibration Zones

Leaside sits on firm clay till that holds underpinning pins and new footings well. Along the Don Valley slope on the west edge, the ground includes old valley fill and heritage trees. 1930s lead water services from the property line are common and often need full replacement coordinated with Toronto Water. Line 5 Eglinton vibration zones affect lots within 30 m of the tunnel alignment; Metrolinx requires pre-construction vibration monitoring on adjacent heavy excavation. Our hydrovac truck exposes the lead service, gas service and Toronto Hydro primary at the curb so the new foundation and new water service go in cleanly.

Why Us

Why Leaside Builders and Owners Choose Us

  • Teardown, hazmat, dig and shoring under one fixed-price contract
  • 10-ft basement foundations with waterproofing for premium finishes
  • Lead service replacement coordinated with the new foundation dig
  • Line 5 Eglinton staging awareness and vibration monitoring compliance
  • Don Valley ravine-edge TRCA review for exterior work
  • Written fixed-price quote within 24 hours of the site visit
Client Results

What Our Clients Say

"Knock-down rebuild in Leaside with a tight lot and a nervous neighbour on both sides. One contractor did the disconnects, the demolition, the old footing removal and the new foundation dig, so there was no gap between trades. They shored the east side to the P.Eng design, kept to Noise By-law hours and washed the road every afternoon. We handed the hole to our forming crew nine days ahead of schedule, and the city inspector signed off without a single comment."

Steve L.

Custom Builder, Leaside

Project value $135K

"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

Coverage

Neighbourhoods We Cover in Leaside

Bayview, Laird and the Don Valley Parkway bring our trucks to Leaside addresses, and Eglinton East crosses the south edge of the district.

Neighbourhoods

  • Bayview
  • Laird
  • Bennington Heights
  • Governor's Bridge
  • North Leaside
  • South Leaside
  • Thorncliffe Park (edge)

Postal codes we cover: M4G, M4H

Local landmarks

  • Leaside Memorial Community Gardens
  • Serena Gundy Park
  • Sunnybrook Park
  • Leaside Viaduct
  • Laird station (Line 5)

Highways and transit

  • Truck routes: Bayview Avenue, Eglinton Avenue East, Laird Drive, Don Valley Parkway
  • Transit: Line 5 Eglinton Crosstown (Leaside, Laird), 88 South Leaside bus, 56 Leaside bus
Open in Google Maps
Straight Answers

Leaside Excavation FAQs

How much does Leaside teardown and foundation cost?

At 2026 pricing, Leaside teardown plus new foundation excavation typically costs $180K to $380K. Our $245K case study included demolition, hazmat removal, foundation excavation to 10 ft and lead service replacement under one contract.

Can you underpin a 1940s Leaside detached to 10 feet?

Yes. Many kept-house Leaside projects go from 7 ft 2 in to 10 ft 0 in basements. The structural work is P.Eng stamped and we coordinate waterproofing for home gyms, media rooms or legal second suites.

How do you handle Line 5 construction near my address?

For addresses near Laird, Leaside or Science Centre stations we check the Metrolinx closure calendar before quoting. Lots within 30 m of the tunnel alignment need vibration monitoring during heavy excavation; we handle the pre-construction review.

What about the lead water service?

1930s Leaside homes often have original lead water services from the property line. Toronto Water's shared-cost replacement program covers part of the cost; we expose the service during the new foundation dig and coordinate replacement to avoid digging the front yard twice.

Can my lot back onto the Don Valley?

Some Bennington Heights and Governor's Bridge lots do. These can fall within TRCA regulated areas under Ontario Regulation 41/24 for exterior work. Interior underpinning is usually fine; walkouts and grading need TRCA review.

How long does a Leaside teardown-rebuild foundation take?

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

Can you coordinate with my custom home builder?

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

What permits does a Leaside new build need?

A demolition permit, a building permit, Toronto Public Health approval for hazmat, a plumbing permit for lateral and lead service, Committee of Adjustment variances for height or coverage overages, and TRCA review for ravine-edge lots.

Can you do indoor pool excavation?

Yes. Indoor pools need extra depth below the basement slab and shoring against the pool shell. We design the excavation sequence with the pool contractor.

Where can I find an excavation contractor near me in Leaside?

Pro Excavation Toronto works across Leaside from Bayview and Laird to Bennington Heights, Governor's Bridge and North and South Leaside, with 48-hour site visits and a 24-hour emergency line at (647) 277-2002.

Nearby Service Areas

Areas Near Leaside

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

East York Danforth semis + clay laterals North York Bungalow dig-outs + infill rebuilds The Annex Victorian mansions + U of T edge All Service Areas
Site visit in 48 hours

Get Your Leaside 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 Call (647) 277-2002
  • Fixed-price, 5-stage draws
  • $5M liability + WSIB
  • 24-hour emergency water + sewer line
Call (647) 277-2002Request Site Visit