Excavation Contractor in North York, ON | OCM Excavation

We are OCM Excavation, a licensed excavation contractor running jobs across North York and the GTA. We dig basements, prep driveways and pool sites, trench for drainage, and strip topsoil for builders from Bayview Village to Don Mills to Willowdale. Most North York residential excavation jobs we quote come in between $4,800 and $40,000 depending on depth, soil, and access. Call 416-317-3090 for a free on-site quote on your North York property.

Why North York homeowners and builders choose OCM

North York is the largest of the old Toronto boroughs and the housing stock is all over the map. Post-war bungalows in Willowdale, high-end teardowns in Bayview Village, mid-century splits in Don Mills, and 50-foot lots in Lawrence Park North all need different machines and different approaches. We size the equipment to the lot, not the other way around.

Teardown and custom-build experience

North York has more teardown-and-rebuild activity than almost any pocket in the GTA. We have stripped lots and dug full basements for custom builds in Willowdale, Lansing, and St. Andrew-Windfields. We coordinate with framers and foundation crews so the hole is ready when the concrete truck arrives.

Licensed and insured under Ontario rules

$2M liability insurance and WSIB. North York falls under the City of Toronto so we work under the same Toronto Building permit process the rest of the city uses. See our licensed and insured page.

Excavation services we provide in North York

Full basement excavation for new builds

Custom-build basement dig with foundation grade, drainage stone, and weeping tile prep. On a typical 40 by 80 foot North York custom build the basement excavation runs $22,000 to $48,000 depending on depth and shoring. See full scope on our excavation services page.

Basement lowering and bench footing prep

Plenty of older Don Mills and Willowdale bungalows still have the original 6-foot basement ceilings. We lower the floor 2 to 3 feet and bench the footings so you can finish a real living space underneath. The excavation portion typically runs $20,000 to $35,000, with the rest of the spread coming from how much shoring the inspector calls for once the floor is open.

Driveway excavation and base

Strip the old driveway, regrade, and put down a proper Granular A base. A standard two-car driveway in North York runs $4,200 to $7,800 for the dig and base. Check the 2026 driveway excavation cost guide for full numbers.

Foundation waterproofing excavation

Wet basement in Hoggs Hollow or Banbury? Both pockets sit low against the West Don Valley and the water table is close to the footing on a lot of those homes. We expose the foundation wall to the footing so your waterproofer can membrane and re-tile it. See the basement waterproofing excavation cost guide.

Topsoil removal, grading, and site prep

Strip topsoil for new sod, regrade a sloped backyard, or prep a builder lot in Lawrence Park North. See topsoil removal cost, land grading, and site preparation.

Trenching and post drilling

Drainage trenches, electrical runs, gas line trenches, and fence and deck post holes. See trenching and post drilling.

Permit and regulatory notes specific to North York

North York is part of the City of Toronto. Permits go through Toronto Building at toronto.ca/services-payments/building-construction. A few North York specifics worth flagging before you sign a quote:

• Any structural excavation (basement lower, underpinning, addition footings) needs a Toronto Building permit. Expect 6 to 10 weeks from drawings to approved permit.
• Tree protection is strict in North York. The City’s private-tree by-law protects trunks 30 cm or larger and the street-tree by-law protects every City tree. Bayview Village and Banbury have a high concentration of protected trees.
• Hoggs Hollow and parts of Don Mills sit next to ravine systems regulated by TRCA. If your job is near a ravine you need TRCA clearance on top of the City permit.
• Ontario One Call locates are required before any dig. We book them 5 business days ahead.

Recent projects and typical costs in North York

• Full basement excavation for a custom build, Willowdale: $34,500
• Basement lower with bench footing, Don Mills bungalow: $26,800
• Two-car driveway strip and base, Bayview Village: $5,400
• Pool excavation 18×36, Lawrence Park North: $13,200
• Foundation waterproofing dig, Hoggs Hollow: $17,400
• Topsoil strip on a 50×140 lot, St. Andrew-Windfields: $6,200

Get a free quote for your North York project

Call 416-317-3090 or fill out the form on our free quote page. We walk the site, ask the right questions, and send a fixed price in writing. No deposit to quote.

FAQs

Do you work with builders on full North York teardowns?

Yes. We are on several active builder rosters in Willowdale, Bayview Village, and Lansing. We handle the demolition removal, full basement dig, foundation grade, drainage stone, and topsoil strip. We schedule around your framer and foundation crew so the hole is open when concrete shows up.

How much does a basement lower cost in North York?

The excavation portion of a North York basement lower with bench footing usually runs $20,000 to $35,000 on a 1,000 sq ft footprint. Underpinning excavation runs higher, in the $32,000 to $55,000 range, because of the shoring and segmented digging. Concrete work is on top of that and is usually a separate trade.

Can you dig near a TRCA-regulated ravine in North York?

Yes, but you need a TRCA permit first. Hoggs Hollow, parts of Banbury, and edges of Don Mills may sit inside TRCA-regulated areas. We check by address before we quote, and we will not break ground on a ravine-lot job until TRCA clearance is in hand. We can refer you to consultants who handle TRCA submissions.

How quickly can you start a North York job?

Driveway and trenching jobs in North York usually start within 2 to 4 weeks of accepted quote. Basement work depends on your permit timeline. Once the permit is in hand we can typically start within 3 to 6 weeks depending on the season.

Do you handle the soil disposal for North York jobs?

Yes. Hauling and tipping fees are inside the quote. From North York we usually truck loads up the 404 to a Reg 406/19 receiving site north of Stouffville. North York soil is often a clay-silt mix with some historical fill from past construction, and we test it on builder lots before disposal where the receiving site requires it.

Do you offer emergency excavation in North York?

Yes. Water service line breaks and sewer line failures get same-day or next-day response when our crews have capacity. Most emergency repairs in North York run $4,000 to $9,000 for the excavation portion, more if the break is under a driveway or near a tree.

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