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HERITAGE + RESIDENTIAL + COMMERCIAL BCIN STAMPED $5M INSURED 24-HR EMERGENCY
Forest Hill Tudor Revival estate home with a tall multi-flue chimney
Serving Forest Hill Village, Lower Forest Hill + More

Masonry + Chimney Repair in Forest Hill | Toronto Elite Masonry, BCIN Stamped Since 2003

City of Toronto

Toronto Elite Masonry provides heritage brick, tuckpointing and foundation parging throughout Forest Hill, backed by 22+ years combined Toronto masonry and heritage restoration.

Forest Hill is estate country: 1920s and 1930s Tudor Revival and Georgian Revival homes in brick and stone, with tall multi-flue chimneys, deep basements and landscaped approaches that owners want left untouched. Forest Hill Village, Lower Forest Hill, Upper Forest Hill and the streets around Casa Loma and Spadina Road keep us busy with chimney crown and flue rebuilds, foundation parging that has finally let go after decades, and stone steps that have heaved out of level. Most of these homes are not inside a Heritage Conservation District, but the standard expected for matched materials is just as high, and designated properties still go through Heritage Preservation.

  • 48-hour site visit; 4-hour emergency
  • BCIN stamped where required
  • 24-hour written CAD quote
Request a Free Site Visit Call (647) 277-2003

Book a Site Visit + Written Quote

Fixed Price

Site visit in 48 hours. Written quote on letterhead in 24 hours after that. Fixed-price. BCIN stamped where required.

No obligation. Written quote on letterhead before any contract.

  • 22+ Yrs Toronto Heritage Track Record
  • $5M Liability + WSIB
  • 24-Hour Written CAD Quote
  • 10-Year Workmanship Warranty
  • 4-Hour Emergency On-Site
  • BCIN Stamped Structural Work
Before You Hire a Mason

Forest Hill Foundation + Chimney Problems We See Most

The Local Problem

Parging letting go on deep basements of 1920s estate homes

What you see
Grey parging falls off the foundation in sheets, and the basement wall behind it stays dark and damp after rain.
Why it happens here
Many homes went up after the village was incorporated in 1923, so foundations are close to a century old, and about 56 freeze-thaw cycles a year push off any parging laid over a damp wall.
How we fix it
Our parging crew scans the wall with infrared, strips it to sound substrate, applies a bonding membrane and rebuilds the finish in multiple coats.

Three Traps That Sink Toronto Masonry Jobs

  1. 1

    Wrong mortar colour on heritage brick

    Toronto Victorian and Edwardian brick was laid in lime mortar in cream, buff, grey and pink tones. Generic grey Portland cement will not blend, cracks within 5 years and hurts resale. We mix custom lime mortar matched to your brick and archive the recipe.

  2. 2

    Chimney rebuild skips BCIN sign-off

    Toronto Building requires engineered rebuilds for liners over 5m, shifted crowns and party-wall shared stacks. Projects without stamped drawings get rejected first-round, adding 4-8 weeks.

  3. 3

    Parging over wet substrate

    Freeze-thaw destroys parging on damp walls. Infrared moisture detection, substrate stripping, a bonding membrane and multi-coat application are required, or parging flakes off within 2 winters.

We solve all three before mobilizing: written mortar colour analysis, BCIN review and an infrared moisture scan, before any scaffold goes up.

Services + Price Ranges

Parging, Chimney + Stonework for Estate Homes

1920s-30s estate homes in brick and stone with tall multi-flue chimneys and deep foundations; chimney rebuilds and foundation parging.

Parging

$1,200 - $8,000
HIGH-VOL

We reparge foundation walls so they stay on. Most parging fails because it was troweled over a damp wall, so we scan with infrared moisture detection first, strip loose material back to sound substrate, apply an acrylic bonding membrane and build the finish in scratch and finish coats, with fiberglass mesh where the wall needs it. We parge single homes and multi-unit buildings, with insurance direct-bill on commercial work.

Infrared Moisture ScanAcrylic Bonding MembraneMulti-CoatCommercial Programs
Includes
Infrared moisture detection before any coat; Full strip of failed parging to sound substrate
Timeline
1-3 days per home plus curing

Forest Hill: flaking east wall stripped, acrylic membrane applied, hand-smoothed finish. Looks better than new ($8K).

Parging details

Foundation Repair

$3,000 - $40,000

We repair foundations that are moving or letting water in: bowing block walls, settling corners and rubble-stone basements in older Toronto homes. We find the cause, whether hydrostatic pressure, frost heave or failed drainage, before choosing bracing, partial rebuild or waterproofing, with BCIN review on structural work. Sudden basement water gets a 24-hour response, on-site within 4 hours, with infrared moisture mapping and insurance direct-bill.

Cause DiagnosedBCIN ReviewedRubble + Block4-Hour Water Response
Includes
Foundation assessment with infrared moisture mapping; Wall bracing and partial rebuilds with BCIN review
Timeline
2 days to 3 weeks by scope

North York: a Sunday-night basement leak, crew on site in under four hours, dry through two storms since.

Foundation Repair details

Chimney Repair

$2,500 - $35,000
HERO KW

We repair and rebuild Toronto chimneys from the crown down: cracked mortar-wash crowns replaced with cast-in-place concrete and a drip edge, spalled brick above the roofline cut out and matched, flue liners renewed and step and counter flashing reset. Every stack gets a drone inspection with a photo report first, and rebuilds with liners over 5m, shifted crowns or shared party-wall stacks get BCIN stamped drawings so Toronto Building approves them first time. Most rebuilds finish in 7-14 days.

Drone InspectionBCIN Stamped7-14 Day Rebuild24-Hr Emergency
Includes
Drone chimney inspection with photo report; Crown rebuilds with cast-in-place overhang and drip edge
Timeline
7-14 days: scaffold 1d, demo 1-2d, rebuild 3-7d, pointing + cap 1-2d

Rosedale: a stack leaning after an ice storm was rebuilt in nine days with heritage brick and lime mortar matched ($22K).

Chimney Repair details

Stone Masonry

$5,000 - $40,000

We build and restore natural stone: Credit Valley limestone steps, Owen Sound ledgerock walls, Queenston limestone sills and stone veneer on retail entrances. Steps and walls sit on frost-depth footings so they stay level through Toronto winters. We source local stone, dress it by hand where the design calls for it and set it in mortar matched to the stone. Typical projects run 3-15 days.

Credit Valley LimestoneFrost FootingsHand-Dressed10-Year Warranty
Includes
Credit Valley, Owen Sound and Queenston limestone; Stone steps, landings and porches on frost footings
Timeline
3-15 days by scope

The Beaches: 40-year-old crumbling steps replaced with hand-cut Credit Valley limestone, zero cracks after 18 months ($14K).

Stone Masonry details

Heritage Masonry

$5,000 - $85,000
PREMIUM

We specialize in heritage masonry for Rosedale, Forest Hill, Cabbagetown and Old Toronto homes. Every Victorian, Edwardian and Georgian wall gets a written mortar analysis, custom lime mortar mixed on site (NHL 2, NHL 3.5 or ASTM C270 Type O), sample panel approval and an archived recipe. Our in-house expeditor handles Toronto Heritage Preservation, Toronto Building and Committee of Adjustment submissions, and Marty Russo's colour matching is used as a reference by Heritage Preservation.

Lime Mortar AnalysisHCD ApprovalsDutchman RepairsArchived Recipe
Includes
Written mortar analysis and custom lime mortar; Sample panel approval and archived recipe
Timeline
Permits 2-6 weeks; work 1-8 weeks by scope

Cabbagetown HCD: three lime samples on a test panel, Heritage Preservation approved the first, the front now looks like 1885 again ($31K).

Heritage Masonry details

Tuckpointing

$2,000 - $15,000

We tuckpoint Toronto brick with mortar matched to the wall: custom lime mortar (ASTM C270 Type O or NHL 3.5) for Victorian and Edwardian brick and Portland-based mixes for modern masonry. Heritage walls get ribbon or bead joints finished in a contrasting line to restore crisp brick geometry. We rake joints with HEPA dust extraction, mix on site, approve a sample panel with you and archive the recipe. Most elevations take 3-10 days.

Lime Mortar MatchRibbon + Bead JointsSample PanelHEPA Dust Control
Includes
Written mortar analysis and custom colour match; Lime (ASTM C270 Type N/O, NHL) or Portland mixes by wall type
Timeline
3-10 days per elevation by size and weather

Leslieville: hard 1980s cement raked out of an 1890s semi and tuckpointed in buff lime mortar that matches next door ($9.5K).

Tuckpointing details

Every Other Service We Offer

Masonry Contractor$2,000 - $85,000One accountable masonry contractor for heritage, residential and commercial work, from chimney rebuilds to facade restoration.Brick Repair$800 - $18,000Individual brick replacement for spalling, cracked and loose units, matched to your wall in colour, size and texture.Masonry Repair$1,500 - $25,000Repairs to whole wall assemblies: bowing brick, failed ties, cracked columns and veneer that has pulled away.Repointing$2,000 - $15,000Removing failed mortar to a sound depth and refilling joints flush, so water stays out of the wall.Bricklayer$3,000 - $30,000New brickwork for additions, infill homes and garages, laid to OBC Part 9 and matched to what is already there.Masonry Restoration$8,000 - $80,000Whole-facade restoration of Victorian and Edwardian brick: survey, structural repairs, brick replacement, repointing and sign-off.Foundation Crack Repair$800 - $12,000Trenchless injection that seals leaking foundation cracks from inside, usually in a single visit.Concrete Repair$800 - $15,000Repair of spalled, scaled and cracked concrete walls, slabs and walkways with freeze-thaw rated mixes.Concrete Resurfacing$4,000 - $25,000Polymer-modified overlays and decorative finishes that renew sound but worn concrete without tearing it out.Jewelstone$8,000 - $40,000A seamless natural stone overlay for pool decks, patios and walkways that stays cool and grips underfoot.Polished Concrete$4,000 - $80,000Multi-stage diamond grinding and densifying for durable, low-maintenance commercial floors.Microcement$6,000 - $35,000Hand-troweled, grout-free microcement finishes for bathrooms, floors and feature walls.Concrete Porch Repair$1,500 - $12,000Repair or rebuild of crumbling, sinking and separating concrete porches, steps and landings.Concrete Pool Repair$3,000 - $25,000Repair of cracked pool decks, loose coping and failed expansion joints after Toronto winters.Interlocking Stonework$8,000 - $35,000Interlocking driveways, patios and walkways built on a properly excavated and compacted base.Stucco$3,000 - $25,000Traditional cement and acrylic stucco for exteriors and interiors, including crack repair and recoats.Brick Painting + Coating$4,000 - $30,000Breathable paint, limewash and protective coatings on brick, applied only after repairs and repointing.
How It Works

Five Steps From First Call to Final Sign-Off

Five steps, every one in writing. You know the price before you sign and you only pay for stages that are done.

  1. 1

    Call or Form

    24-hour callback

    Call (647) 277-2003 or send the form. We call back within 24 hours during business hours, and the emergency line is answered around the clock.

  2. 2

    Site Visit

    Within 48 hours

    We walk the property, fly the chimney by drone where needed and scan damp walls with infrared moisture detection.

  3. 3

    Written CAD Quote

    24 hours after the visit

    A fixed-price quote on letterhead, every line item written out, with BCIN, heritage and permit needs flagged up front.

  4. 4

    Contract + 5-Stage Draws

    You sign when ready

    Fixed price, 5-stage draw schedule and insurance and WSIB documents shared at signing. No change orders without written approval.

  5. 5

    Build + Sign-Off

    Scaffold to final

    Scaffold, structural, finishing, pointing and final sign-off, with a clean site every evening and the 10-year warranty in writing.

Want Firm Numbers? Book a No-Obligation Site Visit

No obligation. You get a fixed-price written quote, a 10-year workmanship warranty and $5M liability cover before any scaffold goes up.

Request a Free Site Visit Call (647) 277-2003
Why Toronto Elite Masonry

Why Estate Owners Call Toronto Elite Masonry

  • Drone inspection of tall multi-flue chimneys before any quote
  • Infrared moisture detection before parging, so it stays on
  • Brick and stone matched on Tudor and Georgian Revival homes
  • Landscape protection and daily clean-up on every job
  • BCIN stamped structural work and permit handling in-house
  • $5M liability, WSIB and a 10-year written warranty
Project Examples

Recent Local Masonry Projects

Safe-generic examples. We never publish client addresses.

Fresh hand-smoothed foundation parging along a Forest Hill brick home

Foundation parging + waterproofing

$8,000

Flaking east wall stripped back to sound block after an infrared moisture scan, acrylic bonding membrane applied and a hand-smoothed finish coat built in two passes to grade.

Parging
  1. 1

    East wall foundation parging $8K

    Flaking parging on the east wall was stripped back to sound block after an infrared moisture scan, then rebuilt over an acrylic bonding membrane with a hand-smoothed finish.

  2. 2

    Tudor Revival chimney crown + flue rebuild Drone inspected

    A tall clinker-brick chimney had a cracked crown and offset flue tiles. We rebuilt the top courses, set a new liner and poured a cast-in-place crown with a drip edge.

  3. 3

    Stone entry steps reset Frost-depth footings

    Heaved stone steps at a Lower Forest Hill entry were lifted, given new frost-depth footings and reset level with matched mortar.

Proven Results Across Toronto

What Our Customers Say

"Foundation parging was flaking off the whole east wall. Toronto Elite stripped it, applied acrylic membrane, finished with hand-smoothed stucco. Looks better than the day the house was built."
Robert S.Forest Hill$8KFoundation Parging + Waterproofing
"Somebody had repointed our 1890s semi with grey Portland cement in the eighties and the brick faces were popping off. Marty explained why the hard mortar was destroying the soft brick, raked it all out with a dust extractor running the whole time, and tuckpointed in a buff lime mortar that matches the original joints next door. The sample panel sat on the wall for a week so we could see it in different light before they did the whole front. Clean site every evening, which our neighbours noticed too."
Michael and Anna P.Leslieville$9.5KLime Tuckpointing + Mortar Match
"Hairline cracks in our stucco kept coming back. They found the moisture source at a window sill, fixed it, then recoated with acrylic. One winter later, no cracks."
Owen B.Etobicoke$11.8KStucco Repair + Acrylic Recoat
Local Expertise

Masonry Know-How for 1920s + 1930s Estate Homes

Forest Hill began as a village incorporated in 1923 and stayed independent until Toronto annexed it in 1967, which is why its streets read as one era: Tudor Revival and Georgian Revival homes in brick and stone with tall chimneys and deep basements.

Those basements are where we spend much of our time. Parging that has been on a foundation for decades lets go once water gets behind it, and the roughly 56 freeze-thaw cycles Toronto sees each year finish the job. We scan with infrared before quoting so the price covers the real problem, not just the patch you can see.

From Allen Road and Avenue Road we reach homes by Upper Canada College and Bishop Strachan School quickly, and long driveways get plywood protection before any material moves.

Estate Homes We Know

Tudor Revival homes (1920s-30s) mix brick, stone and half-timbering, often with clinker brick and tall decorative chimneys. The chimney tops and the brick-to-stucco junctions are the usual failure points.

Georgian Revival homes have symmetrical brick facades, limestone sills and lintels and paired end chimneys. Matching the brick and the fine joint is what makes a repair invisible.

Deep basements with poured or block foundations were parged decades ago. When that parging fails it lets water reach the wall, which is why we scan with infrared moisture detection before reparging.

Stone entries and walls in Credit Valley or Indiana limestone heave when the footings are shallow. We reset them on frost-depth footings.

On-Site Logistics

Long Driveways + Finished Grounds: How We Stage

Lots here are larger than downtown, but the landscaping is usually finished and expensive, so access planning matters as much as the masonry.

  • Material staging. We stage on the driveway on plywood and keep mixers and mortar boards off stone paving and lawns.
  • Tall chimneys. Many Tudor and Georgian Revival chimneys rise well above a steep roof. Drone inspection comes first, then roof scaffold planned around slate or cedar shakes.
  • Basement access. For parging and foundation work we expose only the band we need, protect beds with drop cloths and restore grade when we are done.
  • Response time. Site visit within 48 hours, emergency on-site within 4 hours from our midtown crews.
Permits + Approvals

Heritage Expectations on Listed + Designated Homes

Most of Forest Hill is not inside a Heritage Conservation District, but a number of homes are listed or designated, and the neighbourhood expects repairs that look original. On designated properties, visible changes go to Toronto Heritage Preservation, and our expeditor handles the submission. On every home here we match brick and mortar to the original whether or not review is required, because a grey cement patch on a 1920s estate facade lowers its value.

Seasonal Notes for Estate Masonry. Parging failures show up in spring when frost leaves the ground and loose patches fall away. Chimney crowns crack over winter and leak with the spring rains. We book parging and stone work from April to November and do structural and emergency chimney work year-round under cold-weather protocols.
Getting Here

Local Landmarks + Access Routes

Reached by Allen Road, Avenue Road and Eglinton Avenue West, with St. Clair West station on Line 1 and the 512 St. Clair streetcar along the south edge.

Landmarks on Our Regular Routes

  • Upper Canada College
  • Bishop Strachan School
  • Casa Loma
  • Spadina Museum
  • Cedarvale Ravine
Highways + Main Roads
Allen Road, Avenue Road, Eglinton Avenue West
Transit
St. Clair West station, 512 St. Clair streetcar
Open in Google Maps
Local Questions

Forest Hill Masonry Questions

Why does parging keep falling off my foundation?

Usually because it was applied over a damp wall without a bonding layer. Toronto averages about 56 freeze-thaw cycles a year, and each one pushes on wet parging until it lets go. We scan the wall with infrared moisture detection, strip failed parging to sound substrate, apply an acrylic bonding membrane and build the finish in multiple coats.

What does foundation parging cost in Forest Hill?

Residential parging typically costs $1,200 to $8,000. A recent job stripping and reparging a full east wall with a hand-smoothed finish was $8,000. Deep basements with more exposed wall or moisture remediation sit at the higher end.

Can you rebuild a tall Tudor chimney?

Yes. We inspect by drone, plan roof scaffold around slate or shake roofs, reuse sound original brick, match clinker or rough-face brick where needed and pour a cast-in-place crown. Rebuilds with liners over 5m get BCIN stamped drawings and a City building permit.

Is the neighbourhood a Heritage Conservation District?

Most of Forest Hill is not, but some homes are listed or designated. Designated properties need Heritage Preservation review for visible changes. Our expeditor checks your property and files when required.

How do you protect stone driveways and gardens?

We lay plywood over stone paving and lawns where materials move, keep mixers on protected pads, cover beds with drop cloths and clean the site daily.

How quickly can you visit?

Within 48 hours of your call in Forest Hill Village, Lower Forest Hill, Upper Forest Hill and around Casa Loma. If a stack is leaning or water is pouring in, a crew comes down Allen Road or Avenue Road and is there within 4 hours.

Nearby Areas

Also Serving Near Forest Hill

Neighbouring areas we serve without a dedicated page:

All Service Areas
24-hour emergency chimney + foundation response

Book Your Forest Hill Site Visit Today

Site visit within 48 hours, a written CAD quote on letterhead 24 hours after, and 4-hour emergency response when something cannot wait.

Request a Free Site Visit Call (647) 277-2003
  • BCIN stamped where required
  • $5M liability + WSIB
  • 10-year workmanship warranty
Call (647) 277-2003Request Site Visit