Most Toronto landscaping companies buy a compact excavator that is either too big to get into the backyard it was bought for, or too small to dig a pool-deck footing in Southern Ontario clay. The right machine is decided by three numbers before any brand comes into it: the width of the narrowest gate or side yard you work through, the depth you actually dig to, and whether the machine will ride on a trailer behind a half-ton or needs a bigger tow vehicle. This guide walks through those three, then shows where the SDLG compact excavators TerraX carries at its Toronto showroom land against each.
If you already know your size class and want to see machines, go straight to SDLG excavators at TerraX, or use the full catalog if you are still comparing machine types.
Start from the gate, not the spec sheet
The single most common mistake on a Toronto residential job is buying a machine that cannot reach the work. Older Toronto homes, semi-detached streets in the east end and west end, and most infill lots have side-yard access between 36 and 48 inches (roughly 915 to 1,220 mm), often with a gate post, a downspout or an air-conditioning unit narrowing it further. Measure the narrowest point on the jobs you take most, not the widest.
That measurement sorts the compact excavator market into three classes:
| Class | Typical operating weight | Typical overall width | Gets through |
|---|---|---|---|
| Micro / sub-2-tonne | 1,000–2,000 kg | 700–1,000 mm | Most side yards; check the 36-inch gate |
| 2.5–3-tonne | 2,500–3,000 kg | 1,500–1,600 mm | Driveways, double gates, front-yard access |
| 3.5–4-tonne | 3,500–4,000 kg | 1,650–1,800 mm | Open sites, commercial lots, new-build lots before fencing |
A machine with retractable undercarriage can move between the first two classes, but only if the retracted width clears your gate and you remember to retract it every time. If most of your work is behind a fence, buy for the fence.
Match dig depth to Southern Ontario work
Toronto sits on heavy, compacted clay with a frost line that building code treats as roughly 1.2 m (4 ft) for footings; anything structural below grade also needs a permit, and the City of Toronto's building and construction pages are where to confirm what applies to the job. That drives the three depths a landscaping excavator actually needs:
- Planting beds, drainage, sod removal, irrigation: 600–900 mm (2–3 ft). Any compact excavator does this.
- Retaining-wall footings, pool decks, patio bases, fence and deck footings to frost depth: 1.2–1.5 m (4–5 ft), plus working margin. This is the depth that rules out the smallest micro machines on a lot of Toronto jobs.
- Drainage tie-ins, catch basins, small pool shells: 2–3 m (7–10 ft). This needs a 2.5-tonne machine or larger and is where breakout force starts to matter in clay.
Take the deepest job you do more than a few times a season and add half a metre. If that number is under 2.3 m, a sub-2-tonne machine can do the work if it fits the gate. If it is over 2.8 m, you are shopping in the 2.5-tonne class and up.
Match the machine to what tows it
Southern Ontario landscapers move machines between jobs daily, so the trailer and the tow vehicle are part of the purchase. A rough rule for a compact excavator on a tandem-axle trailer:
- Under 2,000 kg operating weight: rides behind a properly equipped half-ton pickup with a standard landscape trailer. This is the class most two- and three-crew landscape companies in the GTA actually run.
- 2,500–3,000 kg: needs a 3/4-ton or one-ton pickup and a heavier trailer. Check the combined weight against the truck's rating, not just the trailer's.
- 3,500 kg and up: a one-ton with a dedicated equipment trailer, or a flatbed. Confirm licensing requirements for the combined weight in Ontario.
Buying a 3.5-tonne machine and then discovering it needs a truck you do not own is a common and expensive surprise.
Where the SDLG compact excavators land
TerraX carries the SDLG compact excavator line at its Toronto showroom. The figures below are from TerraX's own catalogue pages for each model, which mirror the manufacturer's published specifications at SDLG North America; confirm the current spec sheet with a sales representative before you buy, and bring your gate measurement.
| Model | Operating weight | Overall width | Max dig depth | Engine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SDLG ER620H | 1,950 kg (4,299 lb) | 990 mm (3 ft 3 in) | 2,330 mm (7 ft 8 in) | Kubota D902, 11.8 kW (15.8 hp) |
| SDLG ER627H | 2,950 kg (6,504 lb) | 1,550 mm (5 ft 1 in) | 2,860 mm (9 ft 5 in) | Kubota D1105, 15.4 kW (20.7 hp) |
| SDLG ER636H | 3,800 kg (8,377 lb) | 1,700 mm (5 ft 7 in) | 3,110 mm (10 ft 2 in) | Kubota D1703, 18.2 kW (24.4 hp) |
ER620H is the backyard machine. At 990 mm it clears a 42-inch gate with room; a 36-inch gate it does not, so measure. It digs to 2.3 m, which covers frost-depth footings and most drainage work, and at under 2,000 kg it rides behind a half-ton. All three run Kubota diesel engines, which matters for parts availability across Ontario.
ER627H is the step up for crews that mostly work from the driveway or a double gate and need 2.8 m of depth for pool shells and deeper drainage. It needs a 3/4-ton to tow.
ER636H is a small-commercial machine: open sites, new-build lots, municipal and parks work where 3.1 m of depth and a bigger bucket pay off and access is not the constraint.
TerraX also carries larger SDLG crawler excavators above this range; those are not backyard machines and are covered on the excavators page.
Toronto-specific ownership realities
Winter. A compact excavator in the GTA works from March to December and often through mild winter weeks. Confirm block-heater provision and winter-grade hydraulic fluid before your first cold start, and that your dealer stocks the wear parts locally rather than shipping from overseas when something fails in January.
Service distance. A machine that is down for a week in May costs more than the price difference between brands. TerraX services SDLG from its Toronto showroom at 189 Milner Ave and provides on-site service across the GTA. Whichever brand you buy, ask where the nearest service point is and how quickly they turn a common wear part in peak season.
Attachments. For landscape work the hydraulic thumb, a tilt bucket and an auger do more for productivity than an extra half-tonne of machine. Confirm auxiliary hydraulic flow on the model you are quoted and whether the thumb is factory or dealer-fitted.
Bottom line
Measure the gate, decide the depth, know your tow vehicle, then shop. For most Toronto landscaping companies working residential lots, that puts the answer in the sub-2-tonne class, where the SDLG ER620H at 990 mm wide and 2.3 m of dig depth is the machine TerraX would put in front of you first. Crews working from driveways and open sites move up to the ER627H or ER636H. Bring the measurement to the showroom and the conversation gets short.
Frequently asked questions
What size compact excavator does a Toronto landscaping company need? For residential backyard work through a side gate, a sub-2-tonne machine under 1,000 mm wide, such as the SDLG ER620H at 990 mm. For driveway and open-site work needing 2.8 m or more of dig depth, a 2.5- to 3.5-tonne machine such as the ER627H or ER636H. Measure your narrowest gate before deciding.
Will a compact excavator fit through a standard Toronto side gate? It depends on the gate. Toronto side yards commonly run 36 to 48 inches (915 to 1,220 mm). A 990 mm machine like the ER620H clears a 42-inch gate but not a 36-inch one. Measure the narrowest point including gate posts and obstructions, and compare it to the machine's overall width on the spec sheet.
How deep does a landscaping excavator need to dig in Southern Ontario? Footings to frost depth are roughly 1.2 to 1.5 m; drainage tie-ins and small pool shells run 2 to 3 m. A sub-2-tonne machine covers the first; the second usually needs a 2.5-tonne machine or larger. Take your deepest regular job and add half a metre.
Can I tow a compact excavator with a half-ton pickup? Generally yes for machines under about 2,000 kg operating weight on a properly rated tandem-axle trailer, which includes the SDLG ER620H. Machines in the 2,500 kg and up class need a 3/4-ton or one-ton truck. Check the combined weight against your truck's tow rating in Ontario.
Where can I buy an SDLG compact excavator in Toronto? TerraX Equipment is an authorized SDLG dealer with a showroom at 189 Milner Ave in Toronto, offering sales, parts, service and financing across the GTA and Ontario. Request a quote or book a demo through this site.
Which SDLG compact excavator is best for backyard access? The ER620H. At 990 mm wide and 1,950 kg it is the narrowest and lightest SDLG compact excavator TerraX carries, digs to 2.3 m, and rides behind a half-ton pickup.