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Excavation Contractors in San Jose, California

Find excavation contractors serving San Jose, California, 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 San Jose

22 excavation contractors serving San Jose 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 San Jose

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 San Jose?

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 San Jose-specific average. For the full breakdown, see excavation cost.

San Jose Permits and Local Rules

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.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Ordinance-size tree removal permitA permit is required to remove an ordinance-size tree, live or dead: 38 inches or more in circumference at 4.5 feet above ground (multi-trunk trees count combined circumference). On multifamily, commercial, industrial, mixed-use property or common areas, a permit is needed for trees of any size. Permits are issued by the Planning Division.Source
Heritage trees and street treesTrees on the City’s Heritage Tree List need consultation with the City Arborist and a permit before pruning or removal. Street trees (between curb and sidewalk, and in some places up to 12 feet from the curb) need a no-cost permit from the Department of Transportation.Source
Grading permit or notice of exemption (Municipal Code 17.04.310)No grading (any excavating or filling) may be done without a grading permit or a notice of exemption from the director. Small projects can be exempted only if they meet all conditions, including no cut over 2 feet, no fill over 3 feet, and no more than 150 cubic yards of cut or fill; no exemption is available in special geologic hazard areas or for covered activities in the Habitat Conservation Plan area.Source
Riparian corridor setbacks (Council Policy 6-34)Council Policy 6-34 sets minimum setbacks from the outside dripline of riparian vegetation or top of bank, whichever is greater, including 100 feet for new buildings, roads and parking and 300 feet for equipment and chemical storage. Reduced setbacks are possible only in limited circumstances, such as pre-existing one- or two-family lots, and may require a report from a qualified biologist or hydrologist.Source
Floodplain development permit (Municipal Code Ch. 17.08)A development permit (flood clearance) is required before any development, including grading and filling, in a special flood hazard area. Fill and other encroachments in a designated floodway are prohibited unless an engineer certifies no increase in base flood levels.Source
Call 811 before diggingUnder 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 permitProjects 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 brushA 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

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 San Jose

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 San Jose land clearing contractors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do excavation contractors charge in San Jose?

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 California Directories

Sources

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