Foundation Waterproofing in Burlington — Exterior, Done Right

We are OCM Excavation & Construction, and we do exterior foundation waterproofing in Burlington — the full dig-down-to-the-footing job, not paint-on patches from the inside. Aldershot bungalows from the 60s, Tyandaga splits from the 70s, newer Headon and Alton builds with cracked parging — we have dug them all out, sealed the wall, and put in a working drain. If your Burlington basement is wet, call 416-317-3090 for a free site visit.

Why Burlington basements leak

Burlington sits on a clay-heavy soil belt that runs from the lake up toward the Niagara Escarpment. Clay holds water against the foundation wall for weeks after a storm, and the hydrostatic pressure pushes through any crack, cold joint, or block mortar line it can find. Three patterns we see across Burlington:

• 1960s–70s Aldershot and Tyandaga homes — concrete block (cinder block) foundations with the original asphalt damp-proofing that has aged out. The walls were never truly waterproofed, just coated. Forty-plus years on, the coating is gone and the blocks wick water like a sponge.
• Lake-adjacent properties south of Plains Road — high water table, lake-level fluctuations, and clay layers that trap groundwater against the footing. Weeping tiles silt up faster here than anywhere else in Burlington.
• Newer Headon and Alton builds — poured walls in good shape but the spray-on membrane was thin, the weeper was wrapped poorly, or the backfill compaction cracked the parging within ten years.

What an exterior waterproofing job actually looks like

Inside coatings and crack injections have their place, but they do not stop water — they slow it down. The only fix that addresses the cause is to dig down to the footing, clean the wall, and re-seal it from the outside. Here is the sequence we follow on a typical Burlington job:

1. Locate utilities and protect the site. Ontario One Call markings, trees flagged, hardscape lifted where possible.
2. Excavate to the footing — usually 6 to 9 feet down depending on the house. We bench or shore the trench per OHSA depending on soil.
3. Pressure-wash and inspect the wall. Cracks get hydraulic cement; cold joints get a urethane bead.
4. Apply a rubberized membrane (spray or roll-on) over the full wall surface, lapped onto the footing.
5. Install a dimpled drainage board — gives water a clear path down to the weeper and protects the membrane during backfill.
6. New weeping tile — 4″ perforated, sock-wrapped, set in 3/4″ clear stone, tied into the existing storm or a sump.
7. Backfill in lifts with native or imported granular, compacted, then re-grade the surface to shed water away from the wall.

Most single-side Burlington jobs run 4 to 7 working days. A full perimeter on a Tyandaga split is 10 to 14 days. Weather and access dictate a lot.

Burlington-specific permits and overlays

Most exterior waterproofing work falls under Burlington’s Site Alteration By-law 064-2014 — the screening checklist tells you whether you need a permit before grading or excavating. If your lot has trees 20 cm DBH or larger inside the Urban Planning Area Boundary, the Private Tree By-law 040-2022 applies and removal or root impact triggers a permit. North Burlington properties near Mount Nemo or Rattlesnake Point can fall inside the Niagara Escarpment Commission’s Regulation 826/90 area — development permit required, no application fee. And anything inside 15–30 m of a regulated watercourse or top-of-bank gets a Conservation Halton review under Ontario Regulation 41/24. We handle the paperwork.

Why Burlington homeowners hire OCM

• We are an excavation company first, waterproofing second — the dig is the hard part, and we own the machines.
• One crew, one foreman, one phone number. No subs disappearing mid-job.
• We coordinate with Conservation Halton and the NEC where the lot requires it.
• Free site visit anywhere in Burlington — Aldershot, Tyandaga, Roseland, Headon, Alton, Millcroft, Downtown.
• If the water is coming up through the slab, not the wall, we will tell you — and recommend an interior French drain in Burlington instead of pretending an exterior dig will fix it.

We also serve the surrounding region — see our full GTA service areas page for neighbouring cities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is interior waterproofing or exterior waterproofing better for a Burlington home?

Exterior addresses the cause — water pushing on the wall. Interior systems (drainage channel + sump) manage water that has already entered. For older Aldershot or Tyandaga block foundations with original asphalt coating, exterior is the only long-term fix. For a newer poured wall with one isolated crack, interior crack injection plus surface re-grading may be enough. We look at your specific Burlington wall before recommending either.

How long does an exterior waterproofing job take in Burlington?

One side of a typical Burlington home runs 4 to 7 working days. A full perimeter is 10 to 14 days. Access matters — a Headon home with an open side yard is faster than a Downtown Burlington semi where the machine has to fit through a 4-foot gate. We give you a calendar window after the site visit, not a vague estimate.

Will you damage the landscaping, deck, or driveway?

Anything within the excavation footprint has to come up — shrubs, interlock, sometimes a section of deck. We lift interlock carefully and re-lay it after backfill. Deck sections get cut and reframed. Mature trees inside the dig zone are flagged before quoting because the Burlington Private Tree By-law may apply. We tell you what is coming out before we start, not after.

Do I need a permit to waterproof my foundation in Burlington?

For a straight foundation repair you usually do not need a Building Permit, but the work often triggers Burlington’s Site Alteration By-law 064-2014 screening, and lots near Mount Nemo, Rattlesnake Point, or a regulated watercourse may need Niagara Escarpment Commission or Conservation Halton sign-off. We confirm what your specific Burlington address needs before the dig starts.

My basement only leaks in spring — is it still worth waterproofing?

Yes. Spring leaks in Burlington usually mean the water table rises above the footing, the weeping tile is plugged with clay silt, or the wall membrane has failed. Each freeze-thaw widens the cracks. Waiting trades a foundation repair today for a foundation rebuild later.

Do you work on lake-adjacent Burlington homes south of Plains Road?

Yes. Lake-adjacent lots are some of our most common Burlington waterproofing jobs. High water table and clay layers mean a properly sock-wrapped weeper, a sump backup, and clean granular backfill are non-negotiable. We will discuss whether your specific shore-side lot also needs Conservation Halton review.

Book a Free Burlington Site Visit

If water is showing up in your Burlington basement — call 416-317-3090 or use our free quote form. We will come to the property, look at the wall from outside, and give you an honest read on whether exterior waterproofing is the right call for your home.

Related Services in Burlington

• Foundation Waterproofing in Newmarke
• Foundation Waterproofing in Vaughan
• Foundation Waterproofing in Toronto
• Foundation Waterproofing in Richmond Hill
• Drainage & French Drain in Vaughan
• French Drain Installation in Burlington
• Sump Pump Installation in Vaughan
• Basement Underpinning in Vaughan
• Window Well Installation in Vaughan
• Egress Window Installation in Vaughan