From East York semi-detacheds to Forest Hill Edwardians, BaseWorks is the basement underpinning company Toronto homeowners call to safely lower floors, reinforce aging foundations, and waterproof basements. Every project is fully permitted, engineer-stamped, and inspected by the City - no exceptions.
BaseWorks is a full-scope basement underpinning company. Every service below is delivered by our own trained Toronto crews - no subcontractors, no surprises.
SERVICE 01
Basement Underpinning
Underpinning deepens your foundation by excavating below existing footings and casting new concrete sections in carefully controlled stages. As the basement underpinning company Toronto homeowners in older semi-detached and detached homes rely on, we manage everything - engineer drawings, city permits, section-by-section pours, and the required City of Toronto inspection at every stage. Most basements gain 2–3 feet of ceiling height, unlocking legal rental suites, home gyms, or finished living space where there was once only a cramped crawl space.
Basement lowering is the process of dropping your floor level to gain ceiling height - achieved through full underpinning or bench footing, depending on your structure. BaseWorks is the basement underpinning company Toronto owners of 1920s to 1960s homes trust to navigate clay soil, party-wall agreements with neighbours, and the city's inspection schedule without cutting corners on structural integrity. We quote fixed prices, run our own crews, and hand you a permitted basement that satisfies Toronto Building requirements - ready to finish.
+2–3 ft CeilingParty Wall AgreementRental Suite Ready
Water intrusion follows every excavation - which is why we integrate waterproofing directly into every underpinning and lowering project we run. Interior drainage channels, sump pump installation, weeping tile replacement, and rubber membrane coating are designed and installed as one coordinated system. No hand-offs. No gaps. Toronto's clay-heavy soil and aging sewer infrastructure make a properly designed drainage system essential for any basement renovation lasting longer than a decade.
A walkout entrance transforms a finished basement into a self-contained unit with its own street access - a key requirement for a legal second suite in Toronto. BaseWorks designs and builds walkout staircases, concrete retaining walls, and landscape-grade drainage as part of a single permitted project, keeping excavation costs and city inspection timelines combined rather than stacked. We've built walkouts on tight lots throughout East York, Leslieville, and the Annex.
Cracks, settling footings, and bowing walls in Toronto homes are symptoms, not the problem. BaseWorks diagnoses the root cause, injects epoxy or polyurethane sealant into active cracks, and reinforces compromised sections with underpinning where load capacity has been reduced. We then waterproof the repaired zone from the inside out to prevent recurrence - giving you a structural solution, not a cosmetic cover-up.
Converting a crawl space to a full-height basement requires the same structural discipline as standard underpinning - new footings cast below the existing foundation, engineer-stamped drawings, city permits, and inspector sign-off at every concrete pour. Our crews have excavated crawl spaces across Toronto's stock of 1940s and 1950s bungalows, including tricky access conditions where a bobcat won't fit. Contact us with your dimensions and we'll tell you exactly what's involved.
Why Toronto homeowners choose BaseWorks as their basement underpinning company.
We don't broker work out. BaseWorks is a full-service basement underpinning company - our own trained crews handle every stage, from the first permit submission to the final floor pour.
Fully Permitted - Every Project
Toronto Building requires permits, stamped engineer drawings, and inspector sign-off at each concrete pour. BaseWorks manages all of it in-house. We've never skipped an inspection and we never will - permits protect your home's resale value and your family's safety.
Fixed-Price Quotes - No Surprises
We walk every basement before quoting. Our written fixed-price proposals cover labour, materials, dump truck hauls, city permit fees, and engineering costs - so the number we give you on day one is the number you pay on the final day. No change orders for items we should have seen coming.
Own Crews - Zero Subcontractors
The team that came to quote your job is the team in your basement. Our trained excavation and concrete crews work under BaseWorks supervision from demolition through to the final floor pour. You deal with one company, one point of contact, and one accountable team throughout.
15+ Years of Toronto Foundation Expertise
Toronto's mix of unstable clay soil, century-old brick and block foundations, and tightly spaced semi-detached homes demands local expertise you can't import. Over 15 years and 300+ projects, BaseWorks has developed specific knowledge of foundation conditions across East York, Etobicoke, Cabbagetown, the Annex, Roncesvalles, and beyond - expertise that prevents costly surprises mid-project.
HOW WE WORK
How a BaseWorks underpinning project runs - start to finish.
A basement is only as good as the structure underneath it. Here's the exact sequence our crews follow on every Toronto underpinning job, whether it's a small East York semi or a large detached in North York.
We visit your home, measure ceiling heights, inspect foundation walls, check for existing drainage issues, and assess soil conditions. You receive a written fixed-price proposal within 48 hours of the walkthrough - no obligation, no pressure to sign on the spot.
02
STEP 02
Engineering & City Permits
Our team works with a licensed structural engineer to produce stamped drawings and submits the full permit package to Toronto Building. Permit timelines typically run 4–8 weeks; we manage the submission, respond to any city comments, and give you regular status updates so you always know where things stand.
03
STEP 03
Demolition & Site Prep
Existing floor finishes and any interior framing are stripped and debris removed from site. Where a bobcat or mini-excavator can access through the side of the house, we use one - reducing hand-excavation time and keeping the overall project timeline shorter for you.
04
STEP 04
Section-by-Section Underpinning
We excavate and form 2–3 foot sections around the full perimeter of the foundation, pour concrete into each section, and wait for full cure before moving to the next. A City of Toronto inspector is called to sign off each pour before the next section begins - no exceptions, and no shortcuts that could compromise your home's structural integrity.
05
STEP 05
Floor Excavation & Waterproofing
With perimeter footings complete and inspected, the existing concrete slab is removed and the central floor area is excavated to the target depth. We install interior drainage channels, weeping tile, and the sump pump system before applying waterproofing membrane to the newly exposed foundation walls - building moisture protection in from the start, not as an afterthought.
06
STEP 06
Final Floor Pour & Handover
A 4–6 inch gravel base is distributed and levelled across the full floor area before the concrete mix arrives. We finish the slab flat, clean up the site completely, and walk through the finished space with you against a checklist before handing over keys. Your new basement - taller, waterproof, and fully permitted - is ready for the next phase.
5.0
★★★★★
5.0 average · Google Reviews
CLIENT REVIEWS
What Toronto homeowners say.
★★★★★
"We needed an extra 2.5 feet in our East York semi to make the basement livable. BaseWorks handled every permit, every inspection, and poured the final floor exactly on the date they promised. Eleven months later, our tenant has been down there since month one. Best renovation decision we've made."
MK
Michael K.
Homeowner - East York
★★★★★
"After getting quotes from four contractors, BaseWorks was the only one that walked us through the permit process clearly and gave us a real fixed-price number. The crew was professional, the site was kept clean, and the city inspector passed every single section pour without issues. Exactly what you want from a basement underpinning company in Toronto."
SR
Samantha R.
Homeowner - The Annex
★★★★★
"We had active water coming in through two wall cracks and a failing old clay weeping tile system. BaseWorks underpinned the full perimeter, replaced the weeping tile, and installed a proper sump pump - all in one project. Two winters later, completely dry. The peace of mind alone was worth every dollar."
JT
James T.
Homeowner - Roncesvalles
SERVICE AREAS
Our crews cover all of Toronto and the GTA.
As a Toronto-based basement underpinning company, we serve every neighbourhood in the city - from downtown to the inner suburbs. Most assessments are booked within five business days of your call.
Tell us what you're working with - low ceilings, water intrusion, an unlicensed suite, or a crawl space you want to dig out - and a BaseWorks basement underpinning specialist will come out, assess your foundation, and hand you a written fixed price. As the basement underpinning company Toronto homeowners call first, we book most assessments within five business days.
