Basement Waterproofing Scarborough
Basement waterproofing Scarborough homeowners ask about is shaped by the area's ravines, its long sloping streets and a large stock of mid-century homes.
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What makes Scarborough basements different
Scarborough is the City of Toronto's east end, and it runs from the lakefront and the Scarborough Bluffs through Birch Cliff, Cliffside and Guildwood, inland to Agincourt, Malvern and the Rouge Valley. It is crossed by ravines and creeks, including Highland Creek and the Rouge. Many streets follow a long slope, which means one house sits uphill from its neighbour and surface water naturally travels downhill toward the lower lot.
Much of the housing was built in the decades after the war and into the 1980s: bungalows, raised bungalows, backsplits, semis and townhouse complexes. A bungalow is mostly one level above a basement that covers the whole footprint, so the foundation walls are long and any weakness has plenty of wall to leak through. Raised bungalows have large basement windows that sit just above grade, which are worth checking on their own.
Where the water comes from
On sloping lots, the main enemy is surface water that arrives faster than the soil can take it. A driveway that slopes toward the garage, a rear patio that has settled toward the house or a downspout that ends at the foundation can all place water against the wall. Around ravines and creeks, the water table may be higher after storms. Older homes can have weeping tile that is more than fifty years old and may be blocked or crushed, and many foundations show shrinkage cracks that have never been sealed.
Options we discuss for Scarborough homes
Grading and downspouts
Correct the slope and carry roof water well away from the wall before anything else is dug up.
Learn moreExterior membrane and new drain tile
Best where the wall can be reached, such as a detached bungalow with side access.
Learn moreInterior drainage and sump
A practical choice for townhouses or where landscaping and access make digging difficult.
Learn moreToronto's subsidy applies in Scarborough
Scarborough is part of the City of Toronto, so homeowners can look at the City's Basement Flooding Protection Subsidy Program. For work completed on or after November 12, 2025, the City pays 80 per cent of the invoice up to set maximums for a home plumbing assessment, backwater valves and alarms, a sump pump with alarm and battery backup, and severing and capping the foundation drain connection. Eligibility requires that the owner be registered for a single-family home, duplex, triplex or fourplex, that downspouts be disconnected from the City sewer (or exempted) and that the contractor hold a valid City of Toronto business licence. Funding is first-come, first-served, and the City sets the terms, so read them on its page before you start.
The subsidy covers plumbing devices, not membranes or excavation. The City's building permit page also lists waterproofing repairs to a basement as work that does not need a permit, while plumbing changes and structural work generally do. Confirm your own scope with Toronto Building.
What we check on a Scarborough house
- Slope of the driveway, walkways and rear patio relative to the foundation
- Where each downspout discharges, and whether it is still connected to the sewer
- Basement window wells, especially on raised bungalows
- Foundation wall cracks, floor-wall joint and signs of past patching
- Sump pit, floor drain and any existing backwater valve
- Ventilation and humidity before finishes go on
Frequently asked questions
Does the water table matter near a ravine?
It can. Lots near creeks and ravines may have higher groundwater after storms, so drainage below the slab is considered alongside the wall.
Do I need a permit for waterproofing in Scarborough?
The City of Toronto lists waterproofing repairs to a basement as exempt, but plumbing, structural changes and underpinning are different. Check your scope with Toronto Building.
Which part of the work does the subsidy cover?
Plumbing devices and an assessment, not membranes or excavation. Read the City's terms first.
Request a quote
Tell us what you need and we will get back to you. In a hurry? Calling is fastest.
Wet basement in Scarborough?
Call us and tell us the street and what you see. We will explain what to check.
Call now (416) 398-8017