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Industrial + Commercial + Residential P.Eng Stamped $5M Insured
Markham custom-home foundation excavation on a suburban lot
Serving Unionville to Milliken

Excavation in Markham for Custom-Home Foundations and Heritage Rebuilds

Pro Excavation Toronto provides underpinning, basement excavation and demolition throughout Markham, backed by 22+ years combined Toronto excavation and underpinning experience. The city blends large suburban lots, custom-home rebuilds and some of the GTA's most protected heritage streets in Unionville and Markham Village. Builders call us for foundation digs and knock-down rebuilds; homeowners call us for underpinning and waterproofing, often on homes from the 1970s to 1990s.

  • Site visit within 48 hours
  • Permits via City of Markham Building Standards
  • 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

Rebuild Roadblocks in Markham? Plan Around Them

Knock-down rebuild on a Unionville or Markham Village street

The builder is ready to tear down and dig, but the lot sits inside a heritage district and the schedule depends on approvals nobody has filed yet.

Why it happens here: In Markham's Part V districts, demolition and new construction need a heritage permit, and demolition requests go to Council rather than staff.

How we fix it: We sequence the demolition excavation behind the heritage permit, then dig the new foundation to the drawings with compact machines on the narrower village lots.

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 City of Markham Building Standards 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

Markham Excavation for Custom Homes and Heritage Streets

Markham lots usually allow full-size machines, so custom-home foundations and knock-down rebuilds move quickly, while Unionville's heritage districts call for the same care we bring to downtown Toronto.

Typical housing and sites
Custom homes and suburban detached houses, plus heritage stock in Unionville and Markham Village
Permit office
City of Markham Building Standards (City of Markham (York Region))
Why this area is different
Custom home foundation excavation, permits through the City of Markham, Unionville heritage areas, and suburban lot access that differs from downtown constraints.
Heritage homes in Unionville with a compact excavator working behind one house
Heritage homes in Unionville with a compact excavator working behind one house
Most Requested Here

Foundation Digs, Rebuilds and Underpinning

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

Basement Excavation

$12K-$45K

We remove the slab and soil inside your existing basement, or dig a new-build basement from grade, so you gain the height for a family room or a legal second suite. On narrow Toronto lots we work through side yards under 1 m with conveyors and mini-excavators, stage soil in permitted bins and haul it off daily. Every dig-out is paired with the structural method our P.Eng specifies, then finished with weeping tile, clear stone, XPS and a new slab, which means one contractor owns the whole hole.

Conveyor SystemsTight-Access RigsClean-Site Protocol
Includes
Strip-out, dig, haul-off, drainage, slab
Timeline
3-8 weeks on site after permit, depending on access and structural method

Riverdale 1920s semi dug out to 10 ft ceilings with zero cracks on the party wall ($186K incl. underpinning).

Quote My Dig-Out for Basement Excavation

Also available

How It Works

How a Foundation Dig Runs With Us

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 City of Markham Building Standards, 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.

Lock In Your Foundation Dig Date

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

Suburban Access, Builder Schedules

Sites here are usually easier to reach than Toronto infill, so the focus shifts to schedule and coordination.

  • Full-size machines fit most suburban lots, making foundation digs and rebuild excavations faster than downtown.
  • Builder schedules drive the work. One custom builder who had burned through excavation subs now calls us first, because we answer the phone, show up on the promised day and dig to the drawings.
  • Heritage streets in Unionville and Markham Village need smaller machines, protected trees and careful staging.
  • Highway access via the 404, 407 and Highway 7 keeps trucks moving.

Site visits from Thornhill to Cornell are booked within 48 hours, with a written quote 24 hours after.

Local Expertise

Custom Homes, Rebuilds and Heritage Houses

Our work here centres on new construction, with a steady flow of renovation work.

  • Custom-home foundations. We dug, over-dug for forming and backfilled a custom-home foundation on the builder's schedule with zero callbacks, a $38K job.
  • Knock-down rebuilds. Older homes in Thornhill, Milliken and around Markham Village are being replaced. Our demolition excavation service takes the house down and digs the new foundation under one contract.
  • Heritage homes in Unionville and Markham Village. Underpinning and waterproofing older houses here uses the same careful methods we use on Toronto's heritage streets.
  • 1970s to 1990s suburban homes in Cornell, Berczy Village and elsewhere, where owners lower basements for suites or fix water problems.
Local Expertise

City of Markham, Heritage Districts and the Rouge

Approvals run through the City of Markham, not Toronto.

City of Markham Building Standards issues building and demolition permits, with inspections booked through the city. Our expeditor manages the process.

Heritage Conservation Districts. Unionville and Markham Village are designated districts. Demolition, additions and exterior changes need heritage review, and some demolitions are not permitted.

Rouge River and TRCA. Land along the Rouge River and its tributaries is regulated by TRCA. Grading and excavation in these areas can need a permit.

York Region handles some servicing and regional road approvals.

Excess soil under O. Reg. 406/19 applies to rebuilds and new construction alike.

Local Expertise

Clay Till and the Rouge Valley

The uplands are mostly clay till, a good bearing soil for custom-home footings once the topsoil and any fill are removed. The Rouge River valley and its tributaries bring slopes and softer soils, and TRCA regulation along them. Frost depth of at least 1.2 m applies to all footings, including garages and porches.

Why Us

Why Custom Builders Keep Calling Us Back

  • Foundation digs on builder schedules with same-day call-backs
  • Knock-down rebuilds with demolition and excavation under one contract
  • Heritage-sensitive work in Unionville and Markham Village
  • City of Markham permits and TRCA Rouge experience
  • Underpinning and waterproofing for older suburban homes
  • Written fixed-price quote within 24 hours of the site visit
Project Examples

Recent Projects Nearby

Recent work in this area and in similar house and site types across the GTA. No addresses or faces, as our clients prefer.

Warehouse pad site prep in Mississauga with an excavator and dump truck placing compacted granular base Industrial $1.1M

Mississauga

28,000 sq ft Warehouse Pad + Loading Dock

We stripped and proof-rolled the subgrade, replaced soft pockets, then placed Granular B and A in lifts with Proctor testing on every lift. Two loading dock pits were excavated and backfilled in phases so the existing building never lost a shipping door. Fixed-price contract, P.Eng stamped drawings, zero change orders.

Industrial Excavation
Conveyor carrying soil through a narrow Cabbagetown side yard during a Victorian dig-out Residential $168K

Cabbagetown, Old Toronto

Victorian Dig-Out + Underpinning

The 1890s house sits in a Heritage Conservation District. Complete P.Eng drawings got the permit through Toronto Building on first submission. A conveyor carried soil through a 0.8 m side yard to a street bin, and the basement now has 9 ft 6 in ceilings and a new slab.

Basement Excavation
Emergency watermain repair in North York with a hydrovac truck exposing the break Emergency $28K

North York

Emergency Watermain Repair

The call came on a Sunday morning and a crew was on site within 3 hours. The hydrovac exposed the break without touching the gas line beside it, and a trenchless repair was finished by Tuesday. The property manager's adjuster was billed directly.

Sewer and Watermain
Client Results

What Our Clients Say

"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

"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

"1920s semi with heritage brick. Marko's crew hit every structural detail. Zero cracks on the neighbour's party-wall side."

Alex and Jen M.

Riverdale

Project value $186K

Coverage

Neighbourhoods We Cover in Markham

Highways 404, 407 and 7 get our trucks to Unionville, Cornell and Berczy Village lots, with the 48 serving Markham Village.

Neighbourhoods

  • Unionville
  • Markham Village
  • Thornhill (Markham)
  • Cornell
  • Berczy Village
  • Milliken

Postal codes we cover: L3P, L3R, L3S, L3T, L6B, L6C, L6E, L6G

Local landmarks

  • Main Street Unionville
  • CF Markville
  • Pacific Mall
  • Markham Stouffville Hospital
  • Rouge National Urban Park

Highways and transit

  • Truck routes: Highway 404, Highway 407, Highway 7, Highway 48
  • Transit: Markham GO, Unionville GO, Milliken GO
Open in Google Maps
Straight Answers

Markham Foundation Excavation FAQs

How much does foundation excavation cost in Markham?

Most residential foundation digs cost $8K to $30K, with large custom homes sometimes above that. Our most recent custom-home foundation here, dug and backfilled on the builder's schedule, was $38K.

Do you work in Unionville's heritage district?

Yes. Underpinning and waterproofing in Unionville and Markham Village use compact machines and careful staging, and we plan exterior changes around the heritage district rules.

Which permit office handles Markham?

City of Markham Building Standards, with TRCA for regulated areas along the Rouge and York Region for some servicing.

Can you demolish a house in a heritage district?

Only with approval. In Thornhill, Unionville and Markham Village, demolition and new construction need a heritage permit, and demolition requests go to Council. Once approved, we handle demolition, old foundation removal and the new dig under one contract.

Can you lower the basement of a 1980s home?

Yes. Underpinning or a bench footing, chosen by our P.Eng after a site review, with new drainage and a slab, often for a legal second suite.

Do I need a TRCA permit near the Rouge?

If your property is in the regulated area, exterior excavation and grading may need one. We check at the site visit.

How fast can you start a foundation dig?

Usually within one to three weeks of approval, allowing time for locates and daylighting.

Why do suburban lots here dig faster than downtown?

Most of the city was built after 1976, when the population was about 56,000; it has more than quintupled since through new subdivisions. Those lots have driveways and side yards that fit full-size machines, so foundation digs and rebuilds take days rather than weeks.

Nearby Service Areas

Areas Near Markham

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

Scarborough Large lots, ravines + industrial North York Bungalow dig-outs + infill rebuilds Vaughan Subdivision prep + plant work All Service Areas
Site visit in 48 hours

Book a Markham Site Visit

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