Excavation Contractor in Scarborough, ON | OCM Excavation

We are OCM Excavation, an excavation contractor working across Scarborough and the GTA. We dig basements, prep driveways, trench drainage, and handle pool and addition excavations from Birch Cliff down by the bluffs to Guildwood, Cliffside, and West Hill. Most Scarborough residential excavation jobs we quote land between $4,200 and $32,000 depending on access, depth, and soil. Call 416-317-3090 for a free Scarborough site visit and a fixed-price quote.

Why Scarborough homeowners and builders choose OCM

Scarborough is huge and the soil changes block by block. The bluffs side (Birch Cliff, Cliffside, Guildwood) sits on sandy fill and clay over the lake escarpment. Inland Scarborough, around Agincourt and Wexford, is heavy clay. We pick the machine and the dig plan based on what is actually under your lot, not a generic Toronto playbook.

Bluffs-aware excavation

If your property is anywhere near the Scarborough Bluffs, slope stability matters. The bluff face has lost an average of about 30 to 50 centimetres of shoreline a year in the most active sections, and the city is in the middle of a long Bluffer’s Park shoreline-protection program with the TRCA. What that means for a homeowner: any dig within 60 metres of the brow needs a slope-stability review before a permit gets issued, and the inspector pays attention to surcharge loads (where the spoil pile sits, where the machine parks) more than they would on a normal city lot. We have run jobs in that zone and know the extra steps before any earth moves.

Recent Birch Cliff foundation job

A recent job on Fallingbrook Road in Birch Cliff is a good example of how Scarborough digs are different. The house sat about 80 metres back from the bluff brow, and the homeowner wanted weeping tile replacement plus a 600 mm grade adjustment around the foundation. We staged spoil away from the slope, used a 3-tonne machine instead of the 5 we would normally bring to that depth, and trucked off in smaller half-loads so the loaded trucks never crossed the rear yard. The whole job came in at $13,400 and the inspector signed off without a re-grade callback.

Licensed, insured, and used to City of Toronto permits

$2M liability and. Scarborough permits go through Toronto Building like the rest of the city. See our licensed and insured page for paperwork.

Excavation services we provide in Scarborough

Basement excavation and underpinning prep

Lowering basement floors in older Birch Cliff and Cliffside bungalows, full underpinning excavation, and prep for a finished walkout. Scope and pricing on our excavation services page. Typical excavation portion: $18,000 to $42,000.

Driveway dig and base prep

Strip the old driveway, regrade for drainage, and lay proper Granular A. Scarborough two-car driveways run $3,800 to $7,200. Read the 2026 driveway excavation cost guide.

Foundation waterproofing excavation

Wet basements are common in heavy-clay Scarborough neighbourhoods like Wexford and Agincourt. We expose the foundation wall down to the footing for a waterproofing crew. See the basement waterproofing excavation cost guide.

Trenching and post drilling

Drainage trenches, sewer line trenches, electrical and gas runs, fence and deck post holes. Worth knowing if you are in the east end of Scarborough: any trench within 30 metres of Highland Creek or the Rouge River corridor crosses TRCA-regulated land, and even a fence-post line at that distance can need a TRCA work permit on top of the city locates. We figure that out on the site visit so it does not surprise you on the quote. See trenching and post drilling.

Topsoil removal and land grading

Lot strips for new sod, regrading for drainage, and full site prep. See topsoil removal cost, land grading, and site prep services.

Pool excavation

Inground pool digs in Scarborough usually run $9,500 to $16,000 depending on shape, depth, and access. Wider lots in Guildwood and Highland Creek are friendlier to large pools.

Permit and regulatory notes specific to Scarborough

Scarborough is part of the City of Toronto, so building permits go through Toronto Building at toronto.ca/services-payments/building-construction. A few Scarborough-specific notes:

• Structural excavation (basement lower, underpinning, addition footings) needs a building permit. Plan 6 to 10 weeks from drawings to issued permit.
• If you are near the Scarborough Bluffs or any ravine you may be inside a TRCA-regulated area and need a TRCA permit on top of the City permit. We check by address before we quote.
• The east end of Scarborough has two big TRCA-regulated corridors that catch a lot of homeowners off guard: Highland Creek (through Morningside and West Hill) and the Rouge River (through Centennial). Lots that back onto either of those need a TRCA work permit even for relatively small digs.
• Toronto’s private tree by-law applies in Scarborough. Trunks 30 cm or larger are protected. Many Guildwood and Cliffside lots have mature trees we plan around.
• Ontario One Call locates are required and free. We book them at least 5 business days before digging.

Recent projects and typical costs in Scarborough

• Foundation waterproofing dig, Wexford clay lot: $13,800
• Two-car driveway strip and base, Birch Cliff: $5,100
• Basement lower with bench footing, Cliffside bungalow: $24,600
• Pool excavation, 18×36 with diving area, Guildwood: $14,700
• Drainage trench 120 ft, Agincourt: $5,900
• Sewer service line replacement excavation, Birch Cliff: $7,800

Get a free quote for your Scarborough project

Call 416-317-3090 or fill in our free quote form. We walk the Scarborough site, talk through what you want, and send a written price. No deposit to quote.

FAQs

Do you dig on Scarborough Bluffs properties?

Yes, but only with a TRCA permit in hand for properties inside the regulated area. The bluffs side of Birch Cliff, Cliffside, and Guildwood requires slope-stability review before any excavation. We will tell you on the first site visit whether your lot is inside the TRCA boundary.

How much does basement excavation cost in Scarborough?

Bench-footing basement lower in Scarborough usually runs $18,000 to $30,000 for the excavation portion on a 1,000 sq ft footprint. Full underpinning excavation runs $28,000 to $50,000 because of the shoring and segmented digs. Heavy clay neighbourhoods like Wexford add a few thousand for disposal.

How long does a Scarborough driveway dig take?

A standard two-car Scarborough driveway dig and base prep takes 1 to 2 days. If we are removing old concrete add a day. We coordinate with paver or asphalt crews so you are not left with an open hole.

Can you do emergency water line excavation in Scarborough?

Yes. We respond same-day or next-day for water service breaks and sewer line failures in Scarborough when our schedule allows. Emergency water line digs typically run $3,500 to $8,500 depending on depth, location, and whether the break is under a driveway.

Do you do pool excavation in Scarborough?

Yes. Standard 16×32 inground pool excavation in Scarborough runs $9,500 to $13,500. Bigger pools or pools with diving areas run $14,000 to $18,000. We coordinate with your pool installer on dig depth and shape.

What happens to the soil from my Scarborough lot?

Disposal is in the quote. From most of Scarborough we run loads east on the 401 to Reg 406/19 receiving sites in Pickering or Whitby. Bluffs-side jobs need an extra step: the sand-and-silt mix the slope is built on tests differently than inland clay, so the receiving site sometimes asks for an Excess Soil Sampling and Analysis Plan before they accept the load. We arrange the sampling and bake the lab fee into the quote when the address is south of Kingston Road.

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