The site work division of ICFHome.ca · Building since 1979 · Insured to $2,000,000 · 705-533-1633
Grading & Drainage2026Tiny, Tay, Midland, Wasaga, Collingwood
Grading and Drainage Cost in Ontario (2026)
As a rough range for 2026, regrading around an existing house runs about $1,500-$5,000, a full yard regrade or new-build final grade about $4,000-$12,000, and a French drain about $35-$90 per linear foot installed. Below we break down swales, downspout lines, dry wells and what clay versus sand does to the price.
Updated October 2026 · Georgian Bay Siteworks, the site work division of ICFHome.ca
Insured to $2,000,000Site work division of ICFHome.caBuilding since 1979250+ projects in Simcoe County
The Short Version: Most Drainage Fixes Are Cheaper Than the Water Damage
Grading is the shape of the ground. Drainage is where the water goes once it hits that shape. Get the shape right and most water problems go away without a single pipe in the ground.
The numbers below are rough ranges for our area in 2026. They assume machine access, normal soil and a short haul for material. Rock, a tight side yard, a long walk with a wheelbarrow, or a pile of fill that has to come from 40 km away all push the number up. For reference, HomeStars puts yard regrading in Toronto at $1,500-$5,000 and drainage installs at $2,000-$8,000, which lines up with what we see up here for similar-sized jobs.
| Job | Rough range (2026) | What moves the number |
|---|---|---|
| Regrade a band around an existing house (add fill, re-slope 2-3 m out) | $1,500-$5,000 | Fill needed, hand work near decks and walkways, access |
| Full yard regrade, existing home | $4,000-$12,000 | Lot size, how far the water has to travel, topsoil volume |
| Final grading on a new build (to the approved grading plan) | $4,000-$12,000 | How close the rough grade was, swales, certificate re-checks |
| Cut and shape a grassed swale (one run) | $800-$3,500 | Length, depth, whether it needs sod or erosion matting |
| French drain (perforated pipe in clear stone, filter cloth) | $35-$90 per linear foot | Depth, outlet distance, stone price, restoration |
| Bury a downspout to daylight or a dry well (one run) | $800-$2,500 | Run length, pipe size, crossing walkways or driveways |
| Dry well / soakaway pit | $1,500-$5,000 | Size, soil, stone versus a plastic chamber |
| Screened topsoil, delivered | $40-$50+ per cubic metre (HomeStars Toronto figure) | Haul distance, screened versus unscreened |
Those figures cover our work. Sod is a separate line (see sod and topsoil cost), and a new build also needs an engineer, surveyor or certified technologist to prepare and certify the grading plan, which they price directly.
Builder truth: a $3,000 regrade done in May is cheaper than a $30,000 basement cleanup done in March.
What Each Fix Actually Does
Regrading
We cut high spots, fill low spots and slope the ground away from the walls. Lot grading rules in Tiny and Wasaga Beach call for a minimum 2% fall away from buildings. This is the first fix, always.
Swales
A swale is a shallow, grassed valley that carries water along the side or back of a lot. Tiny’s procedure asks for at least 150 mm of depth. Cheap to build, cheap to keep, and nothing to plug.
French drains
A trench of clear stone with a perforated pipe that collects ground water and carries it somewhere lower. Good for a soggy strip of yard. Useless without a real outlet.
Downspout lines
Solid pipe from the downspout to daylight, a swale or a dry well. Fine if it is sloped right. A buried line with a dip in it becomes a long ice cube every February.
Dry wells
A pit of stone or a plastic chamber that holds roof water and lets it soak in. Works well in sand. In heavy clay it fills up and sits there like a bathtub with no drain.
Downspout extensions
The cheapest fix on this page. A few dollars of pipe to carry roof water about 2 m from the wall, which is what the Intact Centre flood checklist recommends.
Do not confuse a yard French drain with replacing the weeping tile around a foundation. That second job means digging out the whole perimeter of the house. A 2026 Quebec guide from Soumission Renovation puts it at roughly $150-$350 per linear foot, which is a different league of money.
Clay, Sand and Rock Change the Price
Our area has all three, sometimes on the same road. The soil decides which fixes work and how long the machine is on site.
| Soil | Where you find it | What it means for grading and drainage |
|---|---|---|
| Sand | Tiny and Wasaga beach areas | Drains fast, easy digging, dry wells and soakaway pits work. Near the Bay the water table can be high, so a hole may fill from below. |
| Clay | More common in Oro-Medonte and Springwater | Water sits on top. Grading and swales do the heavy lifting, dry wells often fail, and every pipe needs a real outlet. Clay is sticky when wet, so rain days cost you schedule. |
| Shallow rock | Tay, Midland, Penetang, Port Severn edge | You cannot dig down much, so you build up. More fill, more trucking, and swales get shaped around the rock instead of through it. |
On clay we usually spend more on fill and topsoil and less on underground parts. On sand it is often the reverse. On rock, budget for trucks.
How to Keep the Bill Down
- Fix the downspouts first. It costs almost nothing and tells you how much of the problem was roof water.
- Watch it rain. Walk the yard in a good downpour with your phone. Video of where water actually runs saves an hour of guessing on site.
- Do grading before landscaping. Ripping out new pavers or a garden to fix the slope underneath is the expensive way.
- Do not bury the siding. Wasaga’s lot grading checklist wants finished grade at least 150 mm below brick or siding. Piling dirt higher just moves the leak into the wall.
- Keep water on your own lot or in its natural path. Pointing a new pipe at the neighbour is a lawsuit, not a fix. See neighbour water draining onto your property.
- Bundle it. If you are already having topsoil delivered or a septic dug, grading the same week saves a second machine trip.
Send Us Photos of the Wet Spot
A few pictures and a rough sketch of where the water goes is enough for a ballpark. We will come out and shoot the grades before we put a written number on it.
Related guides
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to regrade a yard in Ontario?
As a rough range for 2026, regrading a band around an existing house runs about $1,500-$5,000 and a full yard about $4,000-$12,000. Fill volume, access and soil type move the number most.
What does a French drain cost per foot?
A yard French drain with perforated pipe, clear stone and filter cloth runs roughly $35-$90 per linear foot installed in 2026. Replacing the weeping tile around a foundation is a much bigger job, often $150 per foot and up.
Will a dry well work on my lot?
In sand, usually yes. In heavy clay a dry well tends to fill up and stay full, so grading and swales to a proper outlet are the better spend.
Do I need a permit to regrade my yard?
Regrading an existing yard usually needs no building permit, but you cannot redirect collected water onto a neighbour. New builds need an approved lot grading plan, and lots regulated by a conservation authority such as NVCA may need its permit.
Can I just add soil against my foundation?
Only up to a point. Keep the finished grade at least 150 mm below siding or brick, as Wasaga Beach’s checklist requires, or you trade a basement leak for a rotten wall.
Is sod included in the grading price?
Usually not. Sod is quoted as its own line, and sod is not covered by any warranty from us because it depends on watering and weather.
