Excavation Contractors in California
Find excavation contractors serving California properties, for site preparation, land grading, trenching, foundation and basement digs, pond excavation and other earthwork. We list 120 excavation contractors across 6 California metros, each confirmed on the company’s own website (checked October 2026). Choose a city to compare them.
Browse California Excavation Contractors by City
- Fresno excavation contractors: 14 verified
- Los Angeles excavation contractors: 29 verified
- Sacramento excavation contractors: 6 verified
- San Diego excavation contractors: 20 verified
- San Francisco excavation contractors: 29 verified
- San Jose excavation contractors: 22 verified
California Excavation Contractors at a Glance
| City | Contractors | Also land clearing | Also forestry mulching | Also stump grinding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno | 14 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Los Angeles | 29 | 16 | 0 | 3 |
| Sacramento | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| San Diego | 20 | 6 | 0 | 1 |
| San Francisco | 29 | 8 | 0 | 3 |
| San Jose | 22 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| Total listings | 120 | 45 | 2 | 9 |
Counts come from the listings on each city page. The Contractors column is the number of excavation companies listed; each confirms excavation on its own website. The other columns count companies whose sites also confirm that service, so one company can appear in more than one column.
How Much Do Excavation Contractors Charge in California?
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 California-specific average. For the full breakdown, see excavation cost.
California Rules That Affect Your Project
| Rule | What it requires | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Call 811 before digging | Under the Government Code, anyone planning to excavate must contact the appropriate regional notification center (811) at least two working days, and not more than 14 calendar days, before beginning to excavate. USA North 811 adds that each person or company doing the excavation must submit its own ticket; a subcontractor cannot work under another contractor’s ticket, and the day you notify does not count toward the two working days. | Source |
| Construction stormwater permit | Projects that disturb one or more acres of soil, or less than one acre if part of a larger common plan of development that disturbs one or more acres, must obtain coverage under the statewide Construction Stormwater General Permit (Order 2022-0057-DWQ, effective September 1, 2023). Projects in the Lake Tahoe Hydrologic Unit apply to the Lahontan Regional Water Board instead. | Source |
| Burning cleared brush | A statewide Air Resources Board control measure (effective January 1, 2004) bans outdoor burning of household trash and burn barrels at residences, but dry natural vegetation grown on the property may still be burned in open piles unless prohibited by local controls, and only on days authorized by the local air district. Open burning of land-clearing debris is therefore controlled by the local air district, which may ban it entirely or require permits. | Source |
Local rules vary by city:
- Fresno: Under San Joaquin Valley Air District Rule 8021, clearing that disturbs more than 1 acre needs a Construction Notification at least 48 hours ahead, and larger projects (5+ acres non-residential, 10+ acres residential, or 2,500+ cubic yards moved on three days) need an approved Dust Control Plan first.
- Los Angeles: Native oaks, Southern California black walnut, western sycamore, California bay, Mexican elderberry and toyon with a cumulative trunk diameter of 4 inches or more are protected, and removing them requires a permit from the Board of Public Works through StreetsLA’s Urban Forestry Division.
- Sacramento: Native oaks, California sycamore and buckeye of 12 inches DSH or larger, and other large trees (32 inches on home lots, 24 inches on undeveloped or commercial land) are Private Protected Trees and need a City permit before removal.
- San Diego: If any part of a lot contains Environmentally Sensitive Lands (sensitive biological resources, steep hillsides, coastal bluffs or beaches, or special flood hazard areas), development or grading that encroaches on them needs a Neighborhood or Site Development Permit before work starts.
- San Francisco: Trees on private property within 10 feet of the public right-of-way that are 20 feet tall, 15 feet in canopy width or 12 inches in trunk diameter are ‘significant trees’ and need a Public Works permit before removal.
- San Jose: San José requires a grading permit or a notice of exemption for any excavating or filling, and only small jobs (no more than 150 cubic yards, 2-foot cuts and 3-foot fills) can be exempted; removing any tree 38 inches or more in circumference on a home lot also needs a Tree Removal Permit.
How to Choose an Excavation Contractor in California
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, read site preparation, excavation cost and land grading.
Sources
- California: 811 requirement (no date)
- California: Construction stormwater permit (Page last updated 11/17/2025)
- California: Open burning rules (no date (measure effective January 1, 2004))
- HomeGuide: How Much Does Excavation Cost? (written February 5, 2026)
Reviewed October 16, 2026. Prices are attributed national estimates. Confirm permit requirements for your parcel with the city or county.