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Excavation Contractors in Denver, Colorado

Find excavation contractors serving Denver, Colorado, 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 Denver

51 excavation contractors serving Denver 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 Denver

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 Denver?

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

Denver Permits and Local Rules

In Denver, construction that disturbs 1 acre or more needs a city Construction Activities Stormwater Discharge Permit (CASDP), and removing any tree in the public right-of-way needs a permit from the city forester.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Open burning permitDenver is a delegated agency, so small pile/slash burn permits are issued by the city rather than the state, and burning is prohibited in Denver and six other metro counties from November 1 to March 31.Source
City Forester permit for right-of-way treesPlanting or removing any tree in the public right-of-way (the strip between the curb and the property line) or other public place requires a permit from the city forester (Sec. 57-20(a)). As a condition of the permit, the forester requires mitigation, which may include paying the tree’s appraised value, unless the tree is dead, unsafe, diseased, a nuisance species, or unavoidably damaged.Source
Established trees in residential front and side-street setbacksDuring residential demolition or construction, an established tree (6 inches or more in trunk diameter at 4.5 feet) in the front or side-street setback of a residential zone lot may not be injured or removed without a city forester permit, issued only if the tree is dead or damaged, a hazard, a nuisance species, or blocks reasonable access or permitted development (Sec. 57-20(c), 57-25). Retained trees must be fenced, and equipment, material storage and excavation are kept out from under the canopy.Source
Construction Activities Stormwater Discharge Permit (CASDP)Denver may require a Stormwater Management Plan and a CASDP for construction (including demolition) that disturbs 1 acre or more, sites that are part of a larger development plan, sites with significant erosion potential, or work that disturbs contaminated soils or places fill in waters of the U.S. Grading changes or construction with total disturbance over 1/2 acre may also require an approved Construction Plan and Drainage Report.Source
Regulatory floodplain and floodway limitsDenver’s floodplain article applies to all land in a regulatory floodplain, and ‘development’ includes grading, filling, excavation and storage of equipment or materials (Sec. 56-201, 56-202). Fill, excavation or other development may not impair flood flow or substantially increase erosion or sedimentation, and no encroachment is allowed in a floodway without an engineer’s no-rise certification or a FEMA-approved CLOMR (Sec. 56-203).Source
Call 811 before diggingRegardless of project size, you are legally required to contact Colorado 811 at least three business days before you dig, and wait three full business days after submitting the request.Source
Construction stormwater permitCDPHE’s Water Quality Control Division issues the COR400000 general permit for stormwater discharges from construction activities, applied for through the CEOS portal. The page references an R-Factor waiver for sites between 1 and 5 acres not part of a larger common plan. Under Water Quality Control Commission Regulation 61 (5 CCR 1002-61, Sec. 61.3(2)), a stormwater discharge permit is required for construction activity, including clearing, grading and excavation, that disturbs one acre or more, or less than one acre if part of a larger common plan of development or sale that will disturb one acre or more.Source
Burning cleared brushSmall pile/slash open burns (under 50 piles a year, piles no larger than 8x8x8 feet, out by sunset) need a permit from a local delegated agency in 16 counties including Denver, or from CDPHE’s Air Pollution Control Division elsewhere. Burning is prohibited November 1-March 31 in the seven-county Denver/Boulder metro area, and no permits are issued during a county fire ban.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 Denver

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 Denver land clearing contractors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do excavation contractors charge in Denver?

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 Colorado Directories

Sources

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