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Excavation Contractors in Huntsville, Alabama

Find excavation contractors serving Huntsville, Alabama, for site preparation, land grading, trenching, foundation and basement digs, pond excavation and other earthwork. Compare local excavation companies, check which services each one offers, and contact them directly about your project.

Excavation Contractors Serving Huntsville

27 excavation contractors serving Huntsville confirm on their own websites that they offer excavation (checked October 2026). Each listing links to the page where the company describes the service, so you can check it yourself.

Excavation Services in Huntsville

ServiceWhat to ask the contractor
Site preparationWhich stages are included: clearing, grubbing, excavation, grading, compaction
Foundation and basement excavationEngineered depths, soil conditions, spoil haul-off
Land gradingDrainage direction, imported fill, compaction testing
TrenchingUtility locates, trench safety, backfill
Pond excavationDepth, spoil placement, spillway

How Much Do Excavation Contractors Charge in Huntsville?

Excavation typically costs $2.50 to $15 per cubic yard for ordinary soil, or $100 to $300 per hour for an excavator with an operator, according to HomeGuide’s 2026 guide. Its average total project is $1,100 to $5,600, with trenching at $5 to $12 per linear foot and pond digging at $300 to $3,200. These are national figures; no published source gives a reliable Huntsville-specific average. For the full breakdown, see excavation cost.

Huntsville Permits and Local Rules

Huntsville bans open burning except as its code allows, and burning materials grown on a tract must use an air curtain destructor or other approved device with a city open burning permit on director-designated days.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Grading permits and stormwater reviewThe city engineer issues grading permits under the stormwater management article (which incorporates the 2020 Stormwater Management Manual) and reviews building permit applications for grading and drainage before issuance; exemptions do not relieve owners from required drainage improvements or zoning compliance.Source
Stabilize graded sitesThe person in control of a graded site not under an active grading permit, including a site graded before a building permit is issued, must keep temporary or permanent surface stabilization (such as straw, seed, silt fencing or grass) that prevents mud, dirt and debris from reaching neighboring property or public rights-of-way.Source
Floodplain development permitA floodplain development permit from the city engineer is required before any land disturbance, filling, dumping, grading or excavation in the flood hazard district, and fill of any type, including temporary stockpiling, is prohibited in the floodway district.Source
Open burning of land-clearing debrisOpen burning is prohibited except as the article allows; burning materials grown on a tract requires an air curtain destructor or other approved device at a director-approved site, a valid open burning permit (issued with fire marshal approval), and burning only on designated days and hours. Burning trees or limbs cut as a commercial service is prohibited.Source
Street treesNo tree planted by the city within public street rights-of-way may be removed or damaged except by an authorized person who has first secured a permit from the city forester.Source
Call 811 before diggingThe Alabama Public Service Commission tells homeowners and contractors to contact 811 at least two days before digging; the City of Alexander City’s official page states everyone, including homeowners, must contact Alabama 811 at least two full working days before excavating (Code of Alabama Sec. 37-15-4 governs notice).Source
Construction stormwater permitThe Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) Stormwater Management Branch issues coverage under General NPDES Permit ALR100000 for construction disturbing one acre or more, including smaller sites that are part of a common plan of development or sale of one acre or more.Source
Burning cleared brushADEM Rule 335-3-3-.01(2) allows open burning of vegetation or untreated wood from land clearing if it is on the property where generated, at least 500 feet from the nearest occupied dwelling (other than one on the property), started only between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. with no fuel added between 3 p.m. and 8 a.m., with wind away from built-up areas, attended at all times, and not during an air stagnation advisory or declared drought emergency. This permission is revoked May through October in listed counties including Jefferson, Shelby, Mobile and Baldwin. Separately, the Alabama Forestry Commission requires a burn permit for prescribed burns of 1/4 acre or more.Source

Confirm requirements for your parcel with the city or county before work starts. See land clearing permits for a full checklist.

How to Choose an Excavation Contractor in Huntsville

Send every bidder the same plans and dimensions. Ask whether the price is per cubic yard, per hour or a fixed total; whether spoil haul-off, imported fill, rock and compaction testing are included; who handles permits and utility locates; and what the finished grade will look like.

For background before you call, read site preparation, excavation cost and land grading. If the site still has trees and brush, start with Huntsville land clearing contractors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do excavation contractors charge in Huntsville?

Excavation typically costs $2.50 to $15 per cubic yard for ordinary soil, or $100 to $300 per hour for an excavator with an operator, according to HomeGuide’s 2026 guide. Its average total project is $1,100 to $5,600, with trenching at $5 to $12 per linear foot and pond digging at $300 to $3,200. Get quotes from local contractors for your exact scope.

What’s the difference between excavation and land grading?

Excavation digs out or moves earth to reach required depths. Land grading shapes the surface to set slope and drainage. Many sitework contractors do both, but quotes often price them separately.

How are excavation contractors priced?

By the cubic yard, by the machine-hour or as a fixed total. HomeGuide lists $2.50 to $15 per cubic yard for soil and $100 to $300 per hour for an excavator with an operator. Ask which unit a quote uses before comparing bids.

More Alabama Directories

Sources

Listings checked October 2026 against each company’s website. Prices are attributed national estimates, not Huntsville quotes. Permit summaries are a starting point; confirm requirements for your parcel with the city or county.