This video takes you inside an active basement underpinning at our Bloor West Village project, showing the process step by step. Underpinning means digging down in front of the existing foundation, then forming and pouring a new footing — called a "toe" — that has to match or exceed the width of the original footing, typically at least 8 inches deep.

This project has ideal conditions: loose, easy-to-dig sand and a low water table, plus a front window that lets the excavated material be conveyed straight outside. Not every underpinning is this straightforward. Dense clay soil can require jackhammers instead of hand digging, and a high water table means running pumps continuously to manage water while the footing cures — both add real cost and time to a project.

As this video shows, there's no single price for basement underpinning — the final cost depends on the size of the space, the condition of the existing foundation, the soil type, the water table, and site access. This project will continue through two more phases of pins before the full basement floor is excavated and the interior drains go in.