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Excavation Contractors in Washington, DC

Find excavation contractors serving Washington, DC, 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 Washington

13 excavation contractors serving Washington 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 Washington

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 Washington?

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

Washington, DC Permits and Local Rules

In DC, removing any tree with a trunk circumference of 40 inches or more (measured at 4.5 feet) needs a Special or Heritage Tree permit, and disturbing more than 50 sq ft of soil needs a DOEE-reviewed erosion and sediment control plan.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Special Tree removal permitIt is unlawful for anyone, including the DC government, to top, cut down, remove, girdle or destroy a Special Tree (circumference 40 to 100 inches at 4.5 feet) without a permit. A permit is issued if the tree is hazardous, is a species listed for removal, or the applicant pays at least $55 per inch of circumference into the Tree Fund; violations carry fines of at least $300 per inch.Source
Heritage Tree protectionHeritage Trees (circumference of 100 inches or more) may not be removed or damaged without a Heritage Tree removal permit. The permit must be issued if the tree is hazardous or a listed removal species, and may be issued if the applicant relocates the tree within DC; fines are at least $300 per inch of circumference.Source
Erosion and sediment control plan (DOEE)Building construction and redevelopment projects that disturb or move more than 50 sq ft of land need an erosion and sediment control plan reviewed by DOEE (and DOB). Projects under 5,000 sq ft that do not need stormwater management or Green Area Ratio review can use a streamlined minor ESC process.Source
Floodplain (Special Flood Hazard Area) permitsDevelopment in a Special Flood Hazard Area needs a building permit reviewed by DOB and DOEE under the Flood Hazard Rules. ‘Development’ includes any man-made change to land, including filling, grading and excavation.Source
Call 811 before diggingD.C. Code § 34-2704: the person excavating must notify the one-call center (Miss Utility) at least 96 hours, but no more than 10 days, before excavation begins, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays.Source
Construction stormwater permitEPA is the NPDES permitting authority for construction stormwater in the District of Columbia (EPA Construction General Permit, permit area DCR100000). EPA CGP coverage is generally required for sites disturbing one or more acres, or less if part of a common plan of development or sale that will ultimately disturb one or more acres. DC DOEE separately requires its own erosion and sediment control plan for much smaller disturbances (see city rules).Source
Burning cleared brush20 DCMR § 604.1: open fires are prohibited in DC except as allowed in § 604.2 (public officers’ duties, abating a fire hazard that cannot be abated otherwise, firefighter training, recreational/cooking fires on non-commercial premises, and approved heaters for workers). There is no exception for burning land-clearing debris.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 Washington

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 Washington land clearing contractors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do excavation contractors charge in Washington?

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 DC Directories

Sources

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