Excavation Contractor in Whitby

OCM Excavation & Construction is an excavation contractor in Whitby working across Brooklin in the north, Downtown Whitby, Port Whitby on the lake, Lynde Creek, Rolling Acres and Pringle Creek. We dig foundations, basements, footings, septic beds and grading cuts on lots near Lynde Shores and along the Lake Ontario waterfront. Our crews understand the clay-loam south of Taunton and the sandier pockets near the lake. Call 416-317-3090 for a site visit and a written quote on your Whitby project.

Excavation Services We Run in Whitby

Whitby is a mixed town: tight infill streets in Downtown Whitby, new builds in Rolling Acres and Pringle Creek, rural acreage in Brooklin, and lakefront properties down by Port Whitby and Lynde Shores. Each setting needs a different machine and a different plan.

Foundation excavation for new builds and additions, dug to OBC frost depth of roughly 1.2 m.
Basement digs and lowers on older Downtown Whitby and Port Whitby homes that need more headroom or a walk-out.
Footing trenches for garages, porches, decks and rear additions.
Septic excavation on Brooklin rural lots and unserviced parcels north of Columbus Road.
Grading and drainage to move water away from the foundation and toward swales, not toward the neighbour.
Mini-excavator work for backyard access through narrow side gates in Pringle Creek and Lynde Creek.
Demolition and haul-off for old slabs, pools, sheds and outbuildings, with bins booked and tipping fees handled.

For the full scope of our digging work across the region, see our GTA excavation services page.

Permits, CLOCA and Site Conditions in Whitby

Whitby foundation, addition and septic work goes through Town of Whitby Building Services for permits. Any dig near Lynde Creek, Pringle Creek, the Lynde Shores wetlands or the Lake Ontario shore generally triggers a Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority (CLOCA) permit on top of the building permit, with setbacks measured from the top of bank or wetland edge. We pull soil and grading details into the application so the reviewer is not chasing you for missing information.

Soils shift across town. South of the 401 and east toward Oshawa border, expect heavier clay-loam that holds water and slows drying after a rain. Closer to Port Whitby and the lake, soils get sandier and side-wall stability changes. Brooklin lots can have glacial till with cobbles that snap a cheap bucket. We size the machine and shoring plan to what is actually in the hole.

Typical Whitby Excavation Pricing

Every Whitby site is different, but as a working range:

Garage or addition footing dig: typically in the low thousands.
Full basement excavation on a Downtown Whitby teardown: usually mid five figures depending on shoring, soil and haul distance.
Septic bed excavation in Brooklin: priced after the designer’s plan, since bed size and import fill drive the number.
Grading and drainage corrections: scoped per lot once we walk the property.

If you are pairing the dig with a waterproofing scope, our foundation waterproofing crews can handle the membrane, weeping tile and backfill in one mobilization. For deck footings, fence posts or utility runs, see our trenching and post drilling service.

Why Whitby Homeowners Call OCM

We show up when we say we will, we protect driveways and sod, and we leave the site clean enough that the next trade can start the same week. We coordinate with your structural engineer, septic designer or builder, and we keep the Town of Whitby inspector in the loop so footing and backfill inspections do not stall the schedule. Across Brooklin, Rolling Acres, Pringle Creek and Port Whitby, we treat your lot like ours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a CLOCA permit for excavation in Whitby?

If your Whitby lot sits near Lynde Creek, Pringle Creek, Lynde Shores wetland or the Lake Ontario shore, you likely need Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority approval on top of the Town permit. Setbacks are measured from top of bank or wetland boundary. We check the screening map before we mobilize so there are no surprises.

How deep does a foundation footing have to be dug in Whitby?

The Ontario Building Code frost depth for this part of Durham Region works out to roughly 1.2 m to the bottom of the footing. On Whitby clay-loam south of Taunton, we usually go a touch deeper to get into undisturbed bearing soil. Your engineer’s drawings are the final word on depth and bearing.

Can you dig a septic system on a Brooklin rural lot?

Yes. We excavate septic tanks, beds and trenches on Brooklin acreage and unserviced lots north of Columbus Road. We work to the licensed designer’s plan and the Durham septic permit, import the specified sand or filter media, and finish with grading that sheds water away from the bed.

Do you handle demolition before the dig?

We do. Old slabs, in-ground pools, sheds, garages and small outbuildings can come out under the same mobilization as the new excavation. We book bins, haul the material to a licensed receiving site, and turn the lot over clean and ready for layout.

Will a big excavator damage my Whitby driveway or lawn?

We use steel road plates on driveways, plywood tracks across sod, and we match machine size to access. On Pringle Creek and Lynde Creek streets with narrow side yards, we often run a compact or mini-excavator instead of a full-size machine. Any unavoidable damage is discussed and priced into restoration up front.

Book Your Whitby Excavation Quote

Whether you are building in Brooklin, lowering a basement Downtown, or fixing drainage in Rolling Acres, we will walk your Whitby property, talk through soil and permits, and put a written price in your hand. Call 416-317-3090 or request a free quote through our contact page.