Window Well Installation in Toronto, ON | OCM Excavation

OCM Excavation installs window wells across Toronto, from century semis in Cabbagetown to bungalows in Etobicoke and side-splits in Scarborough. A window well is a curved steel or composite barrier that holds back soil from a basement window, letting the window sit below grade without dirt or water touching the frame. We excavate, set the new well, build a proper drainage base, and tie the assembly into your foundation. Most single-well jobs run 1 to 3 days on site. Call 416-317-3090 for a free quote.

Why Toronto homes need window wells replaced

Older Toronto neighbourhoods like Riverdale, Roncesvalles, the Junction, and Leslieville were built with galvanized steel wells that are now 50 to 80 years old. The galvanizing has worn through, the bottoms have rusted out, and leaves pile up against the window frame. That trapped water is one of the most common sources of basement leaks we see in Toronto.

Three problems we solve with a proper window well installation:

Egress code compliance. The Ontario Building Code requires every basement bedroom to have an egress window. A correctly sized window well (minimum 36 by 24 inches of clear floor area under OBC 9.7.1.3) is what makes that legal in Toronto.
Foundation waterproofing. A rusted, leaf-clogged well holds standing water against the window frame and the parging line. Sooner or later that water finds its way inside.
Pest entry. Raccoons, squirrels, and mice love a rotted wood window frame. A new steel well with a polycarbonate cover shuts that door.

Materials we install

We work in the four materials that make sense for Toronto soil and weather. Galvanized steel in 16 to 22 gauge is the workhorse and the most affordable. Aluminized steel costs more upfront but holds up longer in the salty winter slush. Composite PVC and HDPE wells carry a 50-year-plus service life and are our preferred choice for Toronto heritage districts like Cabbagetown and parts of Riverdale where a committee-of-adjustment review may flag visible-from-street steel. Poured concrete wells are the option when you need custom dimensions or you want the well integrated into the foundation pour.

Our window well installation process

Every Toronto job follows the same sequence. We excavate around the window 24 to 36 inches deep and roughly 12 inches past the perimeter of the new well. On tight downtown lots we hand-dig; on larger jobs we bring in a Yanmar SV40 mini-excavator with a thumb attachment. Where utilities run close, we switch to vacuum excavation to avoid hitting a gas line or buried Bell cable.

Once the hole is open, we set 6 to 12 inches of clear drainage stone at the base, bolt or concrete the new well to the foundation wall, and where a working weeping tile exists, we connect the well drain into it. Then we backfill with drainage stone, finish grade the surface so water sheds away from the house, and offer a polycarbonate cover to keep leaves and pests out.

Typical project size and timeline

For Toronto window well installation, budget $1,500 to $4,500 per window. The low end is a like-for-like galvanized swap on an accessible side yard. The high end is an egress-sized composite well with a new poured drainage tie-in for a basement bedroom conversion. A single well takes 1 to 2 days. A full perimeter replacement of 4 to 6 windows runs 4 to 7 days. Window well work is often bundled with foundation waterproofing in Toronto, basement underpinning, or a walk-up basement conversion.

Why choose OCM Excavation

We are fully insured, we run our own excavation equipment, and we focus on foundation-adjacent work across the GTA. That means we are not subcontracting your dig to a third party. We see your Toronto basement, we quote the well replacement, and we do the digging and drainage tie-in ourselves. We also serve every GTA city, including North York and Richmond Hill.

Frequently asked questions

How much does window well installation cost in Toronto?

Most Toronto window well projects fall between $1,500 and $4,500 per window. A straightforward galvanized swap on an accessible side yard sits at the lower end. Custom-sized composite wells for an egress bedroom conversion, with new drainage stone and a weeping tile tie-in, sit at the upper end. We give you a fixed price after a site visit.

Do I need a permit for a window well in Toronto?

A like-for-like window well replacement usually does not need a permit. If you are enlarging the window for egress, or cutting a new opening in the foundation, that triggers a building permit and structural review. We will tell you which category your project falls in during the quote and can refer you to a structural engineer when needed.

How long does the work take?

A single window well installation is typically 1 to 2 days on site. Two to three wells run 2 to 4 days. A full perimeter of 4 to 6 windows is a 4 to 7 day project, depending on access, soil type, and whether we are tying into existing weeping tile.

What size window well do I need for an egress bedroom?

The Ontario Building Code (9.7.1.3) requires a minimum clear floor area of 36 by 24 inches for an egress window well, with the well projecting far enough from the wall to let the window swing fully open. For most basement bedroom conversions in Toronto we install wells in the 48 by 30 to 60 by 36 inch range.

Will you connect the well drain to my weeping tile?

Yes, where there is functional weeping tile we tie the well drain into it. If the weeping tile is failed or absent, we can install a dedicated sump drain or recommend a foundation drainage upgrade. We confirm the drainage plan during the on-site quote.

Get a free quote

Call OCM Excavation at 416-317-3090 or request a free Toronto window well quote through our contact page. We respond same day during the build season.

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