Site Preparation in Aurora — New Build, Addition, Foundation

We handle site preparation in Aurora for custom new builds, large additions, foundation digs, and detached garages. From the estate lots off Bathurst to the older bungalows in Aurora Heights, every job starts the same way: clear, strip, grade, and dig clean. Call 416-317-3090 for a free quote, or visit our quote page. We work Aurora year-round and know what the Town inspectors look for before your footings go in.

What site prep covers on an Aurora lot

Site preparation in Aurora is the work between an empty lot and a foundation hole the framer can stand in. On a typical Aurora project, we cover:

• Tree clearing and stump removal, with Aurora Tree By-law 5850-16 protections honoured (any tree 20 cm DBH or larger needs a permit before it falls)
• Topsoil strip and stockpile — Aurora’s clay-loam topsoil is worth keeping for final landscaping
• Demolition of existing structures, garages, pools, and old foundations
• Rough grading to design elevations from your surveyor or grading plan
• Full basement or crawlspace excavation, plus footings, trenches, and service lines
• Backfill, compaction, and final grade once the foundation is poured and waterproofed

If your build is south of Wellington or near Tannery Creek and the Holland River tributaries, LSRCA review may apply before the first machine hits the lot. We’ll flag it during site walk so it doesn’t blindside the build schedule.

Aurora neighbourhoods we know

Every pocket of Aurora has its own quirks. Knowing them saves trips, time, and money:

• Bayview Glen and Bayview Wellington — newer subdivisions, tight access between houses, careful tracking required to keep neighbour driveways clean
• Hills of St. Andrew — estate lots, deep setbacks, long driveways, plenty of room to stage material but watch the mature oak and maple canopy
• Aurora Heights — older bungalows on big lots; common job is full demo and rebuild, or a basement walkout cut into the rear slope
• Aurora Estates and Aurora Highlands — large rural-residential parcels, often with septic — clearances and grading get serious here
• North-East Aurora — closer to the Holland River corridor; LSRCA Reg O. 41/24 may apply on any lot within the regulated area

We service every postal code north of Bloomington and south to Wellington. For our full GTA-north coverage, see service areas.

Our Aurora site prep process

1. Site walk and quote — we measure access, check tree-protection requirements under Aurora’s 5850-16, identify utilities, confirm grading plan elevations
2. Locates and protections — Ontario One Call, tree protection fencing around any 20 cm-plus DBH tree we’re keeping, silt fencing where required
3. Clear and strip — drop and chip protected-permit trees, strip 150 to 300 mm of topsoil, stockpile on-lot if room allows
4. Demo — knock down existing structure, separate steel/wood/concrete for clean haul-out
5. Rough grade and dig — cut to subgrade per plan, excavate basement or footings, trench services, load and haul spoil
6. Backfill and final grade — once the foundation is poured, parged, and waterproofed, we backfill in lifts, compact, and shape the lot for drainage

Timelines and what drives them

A standard Aurora site prep for a 4,000 to 6,000 sq ft custom home runs roughly 5 to 12 working days from first cut to ready-for-footing, depending on tree count, demo scope, depth of dig, and how much rock or wet clay we find. Additions and detached garages typically run 2 to 5 days. Estate-lot full clears with septic work and rural driveway prep can stretch past two weeks. We give you a written schedule before the deposit — call 416-317-3090 to lock a start date.

Why Aurora builders call OCM

• We work Aurora every week — known faces at the Building Division counter
• Full fleet: excavators 1.7-tonne to 25-tonne, skid steers, rock breakers, articulated dumpers for soft sites
• Topsoil stockpile management so you don’t lose your good soil to haul-out
• We work to the grading engineer’s plan, not to “looks about right”
• Clean site at end of day — paved roads swept, tracking pad maintained

For digging-only work, see our Aurora excavation page, or call 416-317-3090 to talk through scope.

FAQ — Aurora site preparation

Do I need a permit to remove a tree before site prep starts in Aurora?

Yes, if the tree is 20 cm DBH (measured at 1.4 m above grade) or larger, Aurora’s Tree By-law 5850-16 requires a permit before removal. We flag every protected tree during the site walk so you can apply through the Town and budget the replacement requirement. Tree work is best handled before the machines move in.

How deep is a typical Aurora foundation excavation?

Most Aurora full basements go 8 to 10 feet below grade to clear the frost line and give roughly 8 ft of finished headroom. Walkouts and lookouts on sloped lots can run deeper at the front and shallower at the rear. We dig to the elevation the foundation contractor and surveyor mark, not a generic depth.

Will I need conservation authority approval?

Possibly. Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) regulates Holland River tributaries that touch parts of east and north Aurora under O. Reg 41/24. South Aurora near the Don headwaters can fall under TRCA. We check the regulated-area mapping during the quote so review timelines are built into your schedule, not discovered mid-dig.

Can you handle demolition along with site prep?

Yes. Many of our Aurora Heights and Bayview projects are full teardown-and-rebuild. We pull the structure down, separate materials for recycling, remove the old foundation and slab, cap services if required, and grade the lot ready for the new footprint — all under one site supervisor.

What about my neighbours’ driveways and the road?

We build a proper tracking pad at the entrance, sweep paved roads daily, and protect adjacent driveways with plywood or mats where trucks turn. On tight Bayview Glen streets we use smaller machines and stage loads to keep the road open. Damage caused by our work is repaired at our cost.

How early should I book site prep in Aurora?

For spring or summer starts, call us 6 to 10 weeks ahead. Aurora’s custom-build market gets busy from April through October, and tying in the surveyor, tree-permit timing, and excavation crew takes coordination. Winter digs are possible too — frozen clay actually tracks cleaner than spring mud on most Aurora lots.

Ready to break ground in Aurora?

Call OCM Excavation & Construction at 416-317-3090 for a free site walk and written quote, or request one through our quote form. We’ll be on your Aurora lot within the week, and you’ll have a hole the framer can stand in not long after.

Related Services in Auror

• Site Preparation in Bradford
• Site Preparation in Scarborough
• Site Preparation in Etobicoke
• Site Preparation in North York
• Land Grading in Auror
• Excavation Services in Toronto
• Excavation Shoring in Vaughan
• Demolition in Auror
• All Service Areas