# Demolition + Excavation Toronto | Pro Excavation Toronto

> Knock-down rebuilds in Toronto with one contractor for demolition and excavation. One permit path, one schedule, one quote. $25K-$150K, written quote in 24h.

URL: https://proexcavationtoronto.ca/demolition-excavation/

![Knock-down rebuild site in Leaside with an excavator breaking out old basement walls](/images/misc/knock-down-rebuild-site-in-leaside-toronto-with-ex.webp)

24-Hour Written Quote

# Demolition Excavation Toronto, ON | Combined Demo + Dig

Last updated: October 13, 2026

Pro Excavation Toronto

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 provides engineered excavation, shoring and underpinning throughout Toronto, backed by 22+ years combined Toronto excavation and underpinning experience. 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, and the same crew removes the old house, breaks out the old footings and basement slab, then digs the new foundation to the P.Eng and architect's drawings. One company owns site safety, neighbour notice and soil export from start to finish, and shoring or underpinning of a neighbour's footing is priced in the same quote.

$25K-$150K per project

-   One Contractor
-   No Trade Handoff
-   Shoring Ready
-   $5M liability + WSIB + Tarion

Plan My Knock-Down Rebuild

[#quote →](#quote)

 

Call (647) 277-2002

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

22+

Years Combined

100%

P.Eng Stamped

24h

Written Quote

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
    

Quick Answers

## Demolition + Excavation in Toronto, Explained

Demolition excavation combines the teardown of an existing house with the excavation for the new foundation, done by one contractor. In Toronto knock-down rebuilds, the gap between the demolition sub leaving and the excavation sub arriving is a common source of delay, finger-pointing and extra cost. One crew, one permit path and one schedule removes it.

### What demolition and excavation cost in Toronto

Combined demolition and excavation for a Toronto knock-down rebuild usually costs $25K to $150K. A bungalow teardown with a similar-depth new basement is often $25K to $55K. A two-storey house replaced with a deeper, larger basement is commonly $55K to $100K. Tight infill lots where the neighbour's footing needs shoring can reach $150K. Combining the scopes usually costs less than two separate contracts because mobilization, permits and trucking are shared.

### The rules for knock-down rebuilds

Toronto Building needs a demolition permit, with hydro, gas and water disconnect letters, and a building permit for the new house. A designated substance survey must come before demolition. If the new house needs a variance, the Committee of Adjustment decision usually comes before either permit. Excavation deeper than 1.2 m must be sloped, benched or shored under O. Reg. 213/91, and surplus soil is tracked under O. Reg. 406/19.

### Who does demolition and excavation in Toronto

Look for a contractor who holds both scopes in-house, with an engineer for shoring next to existing homes, its own fleet and trucks, WSIB clearance and $5M liability. Ask for one schedule with a firm hand-off date for your forming crew. Pro Excavation Toronto runs knock-down rebuilds across Toronto, Markham and Vaughan this way.

What We Do

## What Is Included in Our Demo + Dig Work?

One crew, one schedule and one quote from teardown to a foundation-ready hole for knock-down rebuilds.

-   Single permit path for demolition and new foundation
-   Old footing and basement removal
-   New foundation excavation to drawings
-   Neighbour footing protection and shoring where needed
-   Single schedule, single quote, one site-safety owner

**Includes:** Disconnects, demo, footing removal, dig. **Timeline:** 3-6 weeks from disconnects to foundation-ready hole.

![Hydraulic hammer breaking out old footings before the new foundation dig](/images/content/old-concrete-footings-and-basement-slab-being-brok.webp)

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

## What Is Demolition Excavation?

Demolition excavation is a single scope for knock-down rebuilds: the old house comes down, the old basement and footings come out, and the new foundation is dug, all by one contractor on one schedule. It is the most common way custom builders and homeowners in Leaside, North York, Etobicoke and Markham replace an older house with a new one.

The reason it matters is the handoff. With separate demolition and excavation subs, the lot often sits for one to three weeks between them. The excavator then finds old footings, buried debris or a hidden cistern the demolition crew was not paid to remove, and the arguments start. When one 

Toronto excavation and demolition company

[/ →](/)

 owns both, those gaps and disputes disappear.

## What the Combined Scope Includes

### Before demolition

A designated substance survey, licensed abatement if asbestos is found, utility disconnects from Toronto Hydro, Enbridge and Toronto Water, the demolition permit and coordination with your building permit. See 

demolition services

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

 for the detail on each.

### Demolition

The house comes down with water spray for dust, site hoarding and Noise By-law hours. Concrete, metal and wood are sorted for recycling.

### Foundation removal

Old basement walls, footings and slabs are broken out with a hydraulic hammer and hauled away. Buried debris, old oil tanks and abandoned services are found and dealt with now, not after the new footings are poured.

### New foundation excavation

The new basement is dug to the architect’s and engineer’s drawings, from survey stakes, with the working room your forming crew needs. Our 

foundation excavation

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

 page explains frost depth, bearing and backfill.

### Neighbour protection

If the new basement is deeper than the house next door, their footing needs support. Our P.Eng designs 

shoring

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

 or underpinning and we document the condition of their house before work begins.

![Hydraulic hammer breaking out old footings before the new foundation dig](/images/content/old-concrete-footings-and-basement-slab-being-brok.webp)

## The Permit Path for a Knock-Down Rebuild

Toronto rebuilds involve several approvals that have to line up. If the new house needs a minor variance, the Committee of Adjustment hearing usually comes first. Then the building permit for the new house and the demolition permit for the old one. The demolition permit needs disconnect letters, and the disconnects take weeks. Our expeditor runs these in parallel so the house does not come down until the building permit is close, which keeps the lot from sitting idle and keeps your carrying costs down.

| Approval | Typical timing | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Committee of Adjustment (if needed) | 2-4 months | Usually before permits |
| Building permit (new house) | 6-12 weeks | Filed by your designer or our expeditor |
| Designated substance survey | 1-2 weeks | Required before demolition |
| Utility disconnects | 2-4 weeks | Hydro, gas and water separately |
| Demolition permit | 2-6 weeks | Needs disconnect letters |

## Why Builders Use One Contractor

Builders who work with us on rebuilds mention three things: one phone number, one schedule and one owner for site safety. Neighbours deal with one crew. The City sees one contractor on the hoarding. And when the forming crew is booked, they arrive to a clean, accurate hole on the day promised. On a Leaside knock-down rebuild with a nervous neighbour on each side, that meant shoring the east side to the P.Eng design, washing the road every afternoon and handing over nine days early.

## Planning Your Rebuild

Bring us in once you have preliminary drawings. We will walk the site, check heritage status and access, and give you a written quote covering demolition, foundation removal, the new dig, any neighbour protection and soil export. 

Request a site visit

[/contact/ →](/contact/)

 and the quote follows within 24 hours.

Toronto Pricing

## How Much Does Demolition Excavation Cost in Toronto?

Typical range, per project

$25K to $150K

House size, basement depth, shoring and soil export drive cost.

**Timeline:** 3-6 weeks from disconnects to foundation-ready hole

-   Bungalow teardown, similar-depth basement$25K-$55K
-   Two-storey teardown, deeper new basement$55K-$100K
-   Tight infill with neighbour shoring$100K-$150K

Get My Written Quote

[/contact/ →](/contact/)

CAD, before HST. Fixed price once signed, paid in 5 stage draws.

### What Moves the Price

| Cost driver | How it affects your quote |
| --- | --- |
| Size of the old house | A one-storey frame bungalow comes down far faster than a two-storey brick house with a full basement. |
| Old foundation | Thick poured or block walls and footings take hammer time and add concrete disposal. |
| New basement depth | Deeper basements and larger footprints mean more excavation and more soil export. |
| Neighbour protection | If the new dig goes below a neighbour's footing, shoring or underpinning is needed and priced on the same quote. |
| Abatement | Asbestos found in the designated substance survey must be removed first by a licensed firm. |

We do not give verbal estimates. Every number on this page is a planning range; your firm price comes in writing on letterhead within 24 hours of the site visit, with every line item shown.

Why Us

## Why Choose Pro Excavation Toronto for Demo + Dig?

### No Gap Between Trades

One crew goes straight from demolition to digging, saving the one to three weeks most rebuilds lose waiting for the next sub.

### One Permit Path

Our expeditor runs the demolition and building permits together, so neither one holds up the other.

### Neighbours Protected

Our P.Eng designs shoring or underpinning where the new basement goes deeper than the house next door.

### One Safety Owner

Site safety, hoarding, neighbour notice and soil export are owned by one company from start to finish.

### Builder Schedules Kept

We commit to a hand-off date for your forming crew in writing, and we have a habit of beating it.

5-Stage Process

## How Does Our Demo + Dig Process Work?

Every contract is fixed-price and paid in draws tied to these stages, so you only pay for work that is done and inspected.

1.  1
    
    ### Permit
    
    4-8 weeks
    
    Designated substance survey, disconnects, demolition permit and building permit coordinated as one path by our expeditor.
    
2.  2
    
    ### Demolition
    
    1-2 weeks
    
    Abatement if needed, then the house comes down with dust control, recycling and Noise By-law hours.
    
3.  3
    
    ### Excavation
    
    1-2 weeks
    
    Old basement and footings broken out, then the new foundation dug to layout with benching or shoring.
    
4.  4
    
    ### Structural
    
    As designed
    
    Neighbour footing protection, shoring or underpinning installed and inspected where the engineer requires it.
    
5.  5
    
    ### Final
    
    1-2 days
    
    Hole handed to the forming crew, soil records closed out, and we return to backfill once walls are ready.
    

## Not sure if you need underpinning or a bench footing?

Book a free site visit. Our P.Eng reviews the foundation before any deposit and tells you in writing which method fits your house and budget.

(647) 277-2002

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

 

Request a Free Site Visit

[/contact/ →](/contact/)

Our Work

## Demo + Dig Project Photos

Real Toronto and GTA job sites. Click any photo to enlarge.

 

Client Results

## What Toronto Clients Say About Our Demo + Dig

> "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

> "Rail-adjacent earthworks on a brownfield lot with impacted soil. They segregated and tested the soil, tracked every load under O. Reg. 406/19 and kept the haul records clean for our MOECP file. Cut and fill came in more balanced than the civil estimate, which saved real money on export. Their superintendent sent photo reports daily, and the fixed price held to the dollar."

Dana W.

Project Director, industrial developer, Scarborough

Project value $420K

> "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

Straight Answers

## Demo + Dig FAQs

### How much does demolition and excavation cost for a knock-down rebuild in Toronto?

Most combined demolition and excavation projects in Toronto cost $25K to $150K. A one-storey bungalow replaced with a basement of similar depth is often $25K to $55K. A two-storey brick house replaced with a deeper, larger basement commonly runs $55K to $100K. Tight infill lots, where the new basement goes below the neighbour's footing and needs shoring or underpinning, can reach $150K. The biggest drivers are the size and construction of the old house, how much old foundation has to be broken out, the depth and footprint of the new basement, soil export and any abatement. One contract is usually cheaper than two because mobilization, permits and trucking are shared.

### How much time does combining demo and excavation save?

Usually one to three weeks. With separate contractors, the demolition sub finishes, the lot sits while the excavation sub is scheduled, and the excavator often finds old footings or debris the demolition crew left behind. With one contractor, the same crew moves straight from taking the house down to breaking out the footings and digging the new foundation. On a Leaside rebuild this approach handed the hole to the forming crew nine days ahead of the builder's schedule.

### Do you handle the permits?

Yes. Our expeditor manages the designated substance survey, the utility disconnects, the demolition permit and the coordination with your building permit, so the demolition permit is not issued weeks before the building permit and the lot does not sit empty.

### What if the new basement is deeper than my neighbour's?

Then their footing needs protection. Our P.Eng designs shoring or underpinning, we survey the condition of their house first, and we include it in the same quote so there are no surprises.

### Do you remove the old foundation completely?

Yes. Old basement walls, footings, slabs and buried debris come out, so the new foundation sits on clean native soil as the engineer requires.

### Can you work on a tight infill lot?

Yes. Most Toronto rebuild lots are tight. We size machines to the lot, stage trucks carefully and use shoring where there is no room to slope.

### Do you backfill after the foundation is poured?

Yes. We come back once the walls are poured and waterproofed to backfill and compact around them.

### Do you work outside Toronto?

Yes. Knock-down rebuilds in Markham, Vaughan and North York custom-home areas are common for us.

Often Paired With

## Related Services

Most projects touch more than one trade. These are the services we most often combine with this one, quoted on the same letterhead.

![Excavator demolishing an old brick bungalow in Toronto with water spray for dust control](/images/misc/excavator-with-demolition-grapple-taking-down-an-o.webp)

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

### 

Demolition Services

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

$10K-$80K

Full house, partial and interior demolition with permits, disconnects, dust control and recycling handled in-house.

Permits + DisconnectsDust ControlledRecycling Sorted

Get a Demolition Quote for Demolition Services

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

![Custom-home foundation excavation on a Toronto infill lot with an excavator and 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

Accurate foundation digs for custom homes and additions, benched or shored to the P.Eng design and handed over on schedule.

GC Schedule ReadyFrost Depth 1.2 mBackfill Included

Book a Foundation Dig for Foundation Excavation

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

![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

Engineered earth retention that keeps excavations safe and neighbouring foundations still, designed and inspected by our P.Eng.

P.Eng StampedMovement MonitoredO. Reg. 213/91

Request a Shoring Design for Shoring Services

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

![Site preparation in the GTA with an excavator and dozer cutting and filling to engineered grades](/images/misc/large-gta-site-preparation-with-excavator-and-bull.webp)

[/site-preparation/ →](/site-preparation/)

### 

Site Preparation + Earthworks

[/site-preparation/ →](/site-preparation/)

$15K-$250K

Clearing, cut and fill, grading, stormwater and erosion control that hands builders a balanced, compacted, inspection-ready site.

Cut + Fill BalancedTRCA AwareCompaction Tested

Quote My Site for Site Preparation + Earthworks

[/site-preparation/ →](/site-preparation/)

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

Site visit in 48 hours

## Ready for Demo + Dig Done Properly?

We walk your site within 48 hours and send a fixed-price CAD quote on letterhead within 24 hours after. P.Eng stamped where required, and no change orders without your written approval.

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