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Excavation Contractors in Atlanta, Georgia

Find excavation contractors serving Atlanta, Georgia, 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 Atlanta

33 excavation contractors serving Atlanta 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 Atlanta

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 Atlanta?

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

Atlanta Permits and Local Rules

In Atlanta you need a City Arborist permit to remove any non-pine tree 6 inches DBH or larger, or any pine 12 inches or larger, on private property, and each healthy tree removed must be replaced inch-for-inch or paid for at $140 per inch (2026).

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Tree removal permit and recompense (City Code Ch. 158, Art. II)A permit from the City Arborist is required to remove or destroy any regulated tree on private property: any tree other than a pine with a DBH of 6 inches or more, and pines 12 inches DBH or more (dead, dying, hazardous and invasive trees of that size also need permits). Removed healthy trees must be replaced inch-for-inch in caliper or paid for as recompense at $140 per inch effective January 1, 2026 (adjusted yearly), with per-acre caps for new subdivisions, new lots and vacant lots tied to minimum tree retention by zoning district.Source
Land disturbance (LDA) permit (City Code 74-38, 74-39)A land-disturbing activity permit is required for any land disturbance unless exempt; it is applied for through the Office of Buildings as part of a building permit with an erosion and sedimentation control plan. Exemptions include projects under 5,000 square feet of disturbance (not within 200 feet of a perennial stream or part of a 1-acre common plan) and single-family home construction under one acre, but those projects must still meet the City’s minimum erosion control requirements.Source
75-foot stream bufferThe City of Atlanta has a 75-foot riparian buffer (150 feet where applicable) in addition to the state 25-foot buffer. Encroachments must be approved by the Riparian Buffer Technical Panel, and an authorized encroachment is a precondition for a land disturbance permit (City Code Ch. 74, Art. VII).Source
Floodplain: no fill, no new developmentAll work in a designated flood hazard area requires a permit. The City prohibits any filling in the floodplain, says new development in the floodplain is illegal, and requires the floodway to be kept open (City Code Ch. 74, Art. VI).Source
Post-development stormwater ordinanceAtlanta’s stormwater ordinance applies to nearly every type of development, including single-family residential, and requires new development and redevelopment to manage the first inch of rainfall with green infrastructure (City Code Ch. 74, Art. X).Source
Call 811 before diggingDiggers, including do-it-yourselfers and contractors, must contact Georgia 811 (online ticket or by dialing 811) at least three business days before any digging project.Source
Construction stormwater permitConstruction causing contiguous land disturbance of one acre or more, or smaller tracts within a larger common plan of development of one acre or more, need coverage under Georgia EPD’s NPDES construction stormwater general permits: GAR100001 (stand-alone), GAR100002 (infrastructure) and GAR100003 (common development).Source
Burning cleared brushBurning vegetative debris from land clearing, construction and right-of-way maintenance is a legal burn type in Georgia but requires a Georgia Forestry Commission permit, as does land clearing with an air curtain destructor. Land clearing burns are banned May 1 to September 30 in 54 listed counties and October 1 to April 30 in 27 high-population counties.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 Atlanta

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 Atlanta land clearing contractors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do excavation contractors charge in Atlanta?

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 Georgia Directories

Sources

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