The Problem
A homeowner in a century home in Toronto had a stone and brick foundation showing signs of differential settling, with multiple stair step cracks appearing along one section of the basement over the course of a year. The homeowner had originally called a general contractor about the cracks, who declined the job and recommended a foundation specialist, correctly recognizing the issue was beyond the scope of typical crack injection alone. By the time the homeowner reached out to our team, they had already watched the cracks progress noticeably over several months, and one had begun visibly affecting the fit of a nearby basement door frame.
Why It Happened
Our engineering assessment found the original footing depth was inadequate by current standards, a common finding in homes of this age, and that ongoing settling had progressed beyond what wall reinforcement alone could correct. The stone and brick construction, common for the era, also meant surface preparation for any reinforcement would need to account for the irregular mortar joints typical of this foundation type, adding a layer of complexity beyond what a standard poured concrete underpinning project would involve.
Soil samples taken during our assessment also revealed the property sat on a section of fill soil rather than fully native, undisturbed ground, likely a result of grading work done during an addition built sometime in the mid twentieth century. Fill soil settles differently and often less predictably than native soil, which helped explain why the settling pattern had been uneven rather than uniform across the foundation, concentrated specifically along the section closest to where that older addition met the original structure.
Our Process
- Completed a full structural and soil assessment with engineering review, accounting for the specific challenges of stone and brick construction and the fill soil identified beneath the affected section
- Coordinated the required building permits for structural underpinning with the city
- Developed a sequencing plan that specifically accounted for the transition zone between the original foundation and the later addition, recognizing this as the area of greatest settling risk
- Sequentially excavated and extended the footing in planned sections around the affected perimeter, working carefully around the irregular stone foundation surface
- Integrated exterior waterproofing while the foundation wall was exposed, addressing both the structural and water management needs in one coordinated project
- Conducted a final structural inspection confirming the settling had been fully corrected and the new footing met current code requirements
- Documented the completed underpinning thoroughly, given the added complexity of the fill soil condition, for the homeowner’s records and any future real estate transaction
Results
The foundation has remained stable with no new cracking in the two years since the project was completed, and the homeowner received full documentation to support the property’s next sale. The basement door that had begun sticking due to the settling now closes properly for the first time in over a year.
For a home of this age and construction type, the project also served as a valuable precedent for the homeowner’s broader renovation plans. Having confirmed the foundation could safely support the additional excavation involved in underpinning, they have since moved forward with a basement finishing project on top of the newly stabilized footing, something they had been hesitant to commit to while the settling issue remained unresolved. The identification of the fill soil condition has also informed how they think about any future work near that section of the property.
Related: Basement Foundation Repair · Exterior Basement Waterproofing