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HERITAGE + RESIDENTIAL + COMMERCIAL BCIN STAMPED $5M INSURED 24-HR EMERGENCY
Scarborough postwar brick home during foundation repair
Serving Birch Cliff, Cliffside + More

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

City of Toronto

Toronto Elite Masonry provides residential and commercial masonry repair throughout Scarborough, backed by 22+ years combined Toronto masonry and heritage restoration.

Scarborough is mostly 1950s-1970s postwar housing, with older homes near the Scarborough Bluffs in Birch Cliff, Cliffside and Guildwood. Lake Ontario wind and moisture hit the Bluffs-area houses hard, so chimney crowns decay faster and foundations see more water than inland homes. Across Agincourt, Wexford, West Hill and Scarborough Village the common calls are leaking foundation cracks, failing parging and crown replacement on chimneys that are now 50 or more years old. We seal cracks from inside with trenchless injection, reparge over a moisture scan and rebuild crowns with an overhang that sheds lake weather.

  • 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

Scarborough Foundation Cracks + Crown Decay, Fixed

The Local Problem

Leaking poured-wall cracks in early-1950s basements

What you see
Water seeps through a vertical crack in the basement wall after heavy rain, and the floor beside it stays wet for days.
Why it happens here
Much of the housing went up in the early-1950s boom, when the population rose from 48,000 to 110,000 in five years, so many foundations are about 70 years old, and homes by the Bluffs take extra lake moisture.
How we fix it
Our foundation crack repair crew seals the crack from inside with trenchless injection, then reparges the outside where the moisture scan shows damp.

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

Foundation, Parging + Chimney Services We Offer

East Toronto postwar housing stock plus older Bluffs-area homes exposed to Lake Ontario wind and moisture; foundation cracks and crown decay.

Foundation Crack Repair

$800 - $12,000
$33 CPC

We seal leaking foundation cracks from inside with trenchless injection, so there is no excavation and no torn-up garden. Polyurethane injection seals active leaks and flexes with the wall; epoxy injection restores strength where a crack needs bonding. We map moisture with infrared detection first, and we tell you plainly when a crack is structural and needs more than injection. Most cracks are done in a day.

Trenchless InjectionNo ExcavationSame-DayWritten Warranty
Includes
Crack mapping and severity assessment; Trenchless interior injection
Timeline
Most cracks same day

Scarborough: multiple leaking cracks mapped with infrared and sealed from inside, no digging ($9K).

Foundation Crack Repair details

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

Brick Repair

$800 - $18,000

We cut out spalled, cracked and loose bricks and replace them with matched or reclaimed Ontario brick so the repair disappears into the wall. We find the cause first, usually hard Portland mortar or trapped moisture, so the new brick does not fail the same way. Toronto buff brick, Don Valley pressed brick and Victorian reds are sourced or salvaged to match, and mortar is matched in colour and strength.

Reclaimed BrickColour MatchedCause Fixed First10-Year Warranty
Includes
Spalled and cracked brick cut-out and replacement; Reclaimed Toronto red and buff brick sourcing
Timeline
1-5 days for most residential repairs

The Annex: spalled brick above second-floor windows replaced with reclaimed Annex red and a BCIN reviewed lintel ($4.3K).

Brick Repair details

Polished Concrete

$4,000 - $80,000
B2B

We grind and polish concrete floors for retail units, offices, showrooms and warehouses. We work through a diamond grit sequence, apply lithium densifier and guard, and finish to the gloss level you choose, from matte to high-gloss. HEPA dust extraction keeps dust contained, and we schedule around operating hours and the Noise By-law so the business keeps running.

Diamond GrindingLithium DensifierAfter-Hours WorkHEPA Dust Control
Includes
Multi-stage diamond grinding; Lithium densifier and guard
Timeline
2-10 days by area

Scarborough: retail plaza floors polished in evening shifts inside Noise By-law limits, each unit returned on schedule ($38K).

Polished Concrete 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.Masonry Repair$1,500 - $25,000Repairs to whole wall assemblies: bowing brick, failed ties, cracked columns and veneer that has pulled away.Tuckpointing$2,000 - $15,000Heritage-grade joint finishing with custom lime mortar for Victorian brick, or Portland-based mixes for modern walls.Repointing$2,000 - $15,000Removing failed mortar to a sound depth and refilling joints flush, so water stays out of the wall.Stone Masonry$5,000 - $40,000Hand-cut natural stone walls, veneers, steps and architectural features in Ontario limestone.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.Heritage Masonry$5,000 - $85,000Conservation-grade brick, mortar and stone work for designated, listed and Heritage Conservation District properties.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.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

From Leak to Dry Basement: Our Five Steps

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.

Water Coming In? Get a Crew Out Fast

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 East-End Owners Call Toronto Elite Masonry

  • Trenchless injection for leaking cracks, usually in one visit
  • Infrared moisture mapping before parging or crack repair
  • Crowns with deep overhangs for lake-exposed chimneys
  • 4-hour emergency response for sudden basement water
  • Commercial work scheduled inside Noise By-law hours
  • Insurance direct-bill and a 10-year written warranty
Project Examples

Recent Local Masonry Projects

Safe-generic examples. We never publish client addresses.

Trenchless injection of a basement wall crack in Scarborough

Foundation crack repair

$9,000

Multiple leaking cracks mapped with infrared moisture detection and sealed from inside with trenchless injection, no excavation and no torn-up landscaping.

Foundation Crack Repair
  1. 1

    Foundation crack repair $9K

    Multiple leaking cracks were mapped with infrared moisture detection and sealed from inside with trenchless injection. No excavation, no torn-up landscaping.

  2. 2

    Bluffs-area crown + flashing renewal Lake exposure

    A chimney near the Bluffs had a crown broken down by lake wind and rain. We rebuilt it with a deep overhang and drip edge and renewed the flashing.

  3. 3

    Retail plaza polished concrete Commercial

    Retail plaza floors were ground and polished in evening shifts inside Noise By-law limits, with dust contained and each unit handed back on schedule.

Proven Results Across Toronto

What Our Customers Say

"We needed our retail plaza floors ground and polished without closing during business hours. Toronto Elite worked evenings inside Noise By-law limits, kept dust contained and handed back each unit on schedule."
Facilities Manager, retail plazaScarborough$38KCommercial Polished Concrete
"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
"We manage a 60-unit rental building and the foundation parging was failing on three sides. Toronto Elite scanned every wall for moisture, phased the work so tenants kept access, and billed our insurer directly for the water-damaged section. WSIB and liability certificates were in my inbox before the scaffold arrived."
Property Manager, 60-unit rental buildingMississauga$46KCommercial Parging + Waterproofing
Local Expertise

Postwar Homes and Bluffs Weather, Up Close

Scarborough grew fast after the war: its population went from 48,000 to 110,000 between 1950 and 1955, filled by new single-family subdivisions. Those 1950s foundations and chimneys are now about 70 years old.

Along the lake, homes in Birch Cliff, Cliffside and Guildwood sit above the Scarborough Bluffs, a cliff that a 1912 study found retreating about 0.71 metres a year. The same lake wind and moisture reach chimney crowns and basement walls, so we build crowns with a deep drip edge and scan foundations before parging.

Crews use Highway 401 and Kingston Road to reach Agincourt, Wexford and West Hill, and a flooding basement gets a crew within 4 hours.

Homes and Buildings We Work On

Postwar bungalows and two-storeys (1950s-70s) in Wexford, Agincourt and West Hill have poured or block foundations with original parging and single-flue chimneys with mortar-wash crowns.

Older Bluffs-area homes in Birch Cliff and Cliffside include pre-war houses in softer brick that need matched mortar.

Guildwood has some listed and designated properties and mature landscaping.

Commercial plazas and multi-unit buildings need parging programs, concrete repair and polished floors scheduled around tenants.

On-Site Logistics

Wide Lots, Lake Weather: How We Work

Lots here are usually wide with driveways, which makes staging easy. The big factors are weather and water.

  • Lake exposure. Homes in Birch Cliff, Cliffside and Guildwood take wind-driven rain off Lake Ontario. Crowns and south-facing joints wear faster.
  • Foundation water. Many postwar foundations have hairline and stair-step cracks that leak in spring. Trenchless interior injection fixes most of them without digging.
  • Commercial work. Plazas and multi-unit buildings are scheduled around business hours and the Noise By-law.
  • Response time. Site visit within 48 hours; emergency on-site within 4 hours.
Permits + Approvals

Heritage Homes by the Bluffs

Most Scarborough homes are not heritage properties. Some older Bluffs-area and Guildwood properties are listed or designated, and visible changes on designated properties go to Heritage Preservation. Our expeditor checks your status and files if needed. For most jobs here, the relevant approvals are building permits for structural foundation and chimney work.

Seasonal Notes for Lakeside Masonry. Spring thaw and heavy rain are when basement cracks leak. Injection can be done year-round from inside, so leaks do not have to wait for summer. Crowns near the lake break down over winter and are best replaced in spring or fall.
Getting Here

Local Landmarks + Access Routes

Highway 401, Kingston Road and Lawrence Avenue East carry our crews east, with Line 2 at Kennedy and GO stops at Scarborough, Eglinton and Guildwood.

Landmarks on Our Regular Routes

  • Scarborough Bluffs
  • Bluffer's Park
  • Guild Park and Gardens
  • Scarborough Town Centre
  • University of Toronto Scarborough
Highways + Main Roads
Highway 401, Kingston Road, Lawrence Avenue East
Transit
Kennedy station, Guildwood GO, Scarborough GO, Eglinton GO
Open in Google Maps
Local Questions

Scarborough Masonry Questions

What does foundation crack repair cost in Scarborough?

Foundation crack repair typically costs $800 to $12,000 depending on the number and length of cracks and access. Most homes here date from the early-1950s building boom, and a recent job sealing multiple leaking cracks in one of them with trenchless injection was $9,000.

Do you have to dig up my yard to fix a leaking crack?

Usually not. Most leaking cracks in poured concrete foundations are sealed from inside with trenchless injection. We only recommend excavation when injection will not hold, and we tell you why.

Why do chimneys near the Bluffs wear out faster?

Lake Ontario wind drives rain into the masonry and the crown, and freeze-thaw breaks it down. We rebuild crowns with a deep overhang and drip edge so water falls clear of the brick.

Can you respond to a basement flood at night?

Yes. Our emergency line is open 24 hours and a crew reaches Birch Cliff, Agincourt or West Hill within 4 hours. We map the water source with infrared detection and can bill insurance directly.

Do you do commercial work in Scarborough?

Yes, including plaza polished concrete, multi-unit parging and concrete repair, scheduled around tenants and inside Noise By-law hours.

Which neighbourhoods do you serve east of Victoria Park?

Birch Cliff, Cliffside, Guildwood, Agincourt, Wexford, West Hill and Scarborough Village, from the Bluffs north past Highway 401.

Nearby Areas

Also Serving Near Scarborough

Neighbouring areas we serve without a dedicated page:

All Service Areas
24-hour emergency chimney + foundation response

Book Foundation or Chimney Repair in Scarborough

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