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Excavation Contractors in Tampa, Florida

Find excavation contractors serving Tampa, Florida, 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 Tampa

17 excavation contractors serving Tampa 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 Tampa

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 Tampa?

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

Tampa Permits and Local Rules

Tampa requires a site clearing permit before any site clearing or demolition on a parcel where protected or grand trees, wetlands or other sensitive areas are within 30 feet of the proposed work, and protected trees start at just 5 inches DBH.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Site clearing permitNo one may start site clearing or demolition, or get a building permit, until the city issues a permit; a site clearing permit is required on any parcel where protected trees, grand trees, wetlands or other sensitive areas are within 30 feet of proposed development. Clearing underbrush with no construction also requires an application with a survey of trees and wetlands.Source
Protected and grand tree definitionsProtected trees include any non-exempt tree 5 inches DBH or larger, any mitigation tree, and any mangrove or cypress. Grand trees are at least 32 inches DBH (or state Champion/Challenger trees); specimen trees are at least 24 inches. Exempt species need no permit for removal.Source
Tree removal and pruning permitsAnyone planting, pruning, relocating or removing a protected or grand tree, or doing site work on environmentally sensitive land, must apply and get a permit first; the permit placard must be posted where visible from the street. The city’s checklist says grand tree removals require public notice unless the tree is imminently dangerous.Source
Wetland buffersDevelopment next to wetlands must keep an undisturbed buffer at least 15 feet wide and averaging 25 feet. Development within the landward 25 feet of a wetland needs a buffer application to the city, unless it already has a SWFWMD or DEP environmental resource permit.Source
Floodplain permits and coastal limitsDevelopment wholly or partly in a flood hazard area needs permits from the city’s Development and Growth Management Department first. In coastal high hazard and Coastal A zones, mangrove alteration must be permitted under the state Mangrove Trimming and Preservation Act and dune alteration needs DEP approval.Source
Call 811 before diggingNotify Sunshine 811 at least two full business days before you want to dig. Business days do not include Saturdays, Sundays, or state and national holidays.Source
Construction stormwater permitThe Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) administers coverage under its NPDES Construction Generic Permit (CGP). Coverage is needed when a project disturbs one acre or more, or less than one acre if it is part of a larger common plan of development or sale, and discharges stormwater to surface waters of the state or to an MS4. Sites of 5+ acres are ‘large’ and 1 to under 5 acres are ‘small’; a coverage term is five years. DEP says it is proposing updates to the CGP.Source
Burning cleared brushOpen burning of land-clearing debris (residential or non-residential) requires authorization from the Florida Forest Service (FFS) before burning. The debris must come from the same property, burning is limited to daytime and must end one hour before sunset, and the fire must be at least 1,000 feet from occupied buildings not owned by the landowner and at least 100 feet from paved public roads, wildlands, brush or combustible structures, with extinguishing equipment ready. Debris that cannot meet these conditions must be burned in an air curtain incinerator under DEP rules. Residential yard trash from homes of no more than two family units does not need FFS authorization but has its own setbacks (pile no more than 8 feet across; 150 ft from others’ occupied buildings, 50 ft from paved roads, 25 ft from wildlands/brush).Source
State residential tree lawUnder Section 163.045, Florida Statutes, a city or county can’t require a permit, fee or mitigation to remove a tree on a single-family residential lot if the owner has signed documentation from an ISA-certified arborist or a Florida-licensed landscape architect that the tree poses an unacceptable risk to people or property. Mangroves are excluded.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 Tampa

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 Tampa land clearing contractors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do excavation contractors charge in Tampa?

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 Florida Directories

Sources

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