Excavation Contractors in Indiana
Find excavation contractors serving Indiana properties, for site preparation, land grading, trenching, foundation and basement digs, pond excavation and other earthwork. We list 31 excavation contractors across 1 Indiana metro, each confirmed on the company’s own website (checked October 2026). Choose a city to compare them.
Browse Indiana Excavation Contractors by City
- Indianapolis excavation contractors: 31 verified
Indiana Excavation Contractors at a Glance
| City | Contractors | Also land clearing | Also forestry mulching | Also stump grinding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis | 31 | 11 | 1 | 2 |
Counts come from the listings on each city page. The Contractors column is the number of excavation companies listed; each confirms excavation on its own website. The other columns count companies whose sites also confirm that service, so one company can appear in more than one column.
How Much Do Excavation Contractors Charge in Indiana?
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 Indiana-specific average. For the full breakdown, see excavation cost.
Indiana Rules That Affect Your Project
| Rule | What it requires | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Call 811 before digging | The person responsible for an excavation or demolition must notify Indiana 811 at least two full working days before work begins, and no more than 10 calendar days before. A working day runs 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Indianapolis time, excluding weekends and state and national legal holidays. | Source |
| Construction stormwater permit | IDEM’s Construction Stormwater General Permit (CSGP) covers operators of construction activity disturbing 1 acre or more, or smaller sites that are part of a larger common plan of development or sale; coverage must be obtained before land disturbance begins. Exemptions include agricultural tillage, planting and harvesting and forest harvesting, but not harvesting done to prepare land for development. | Source |
| Burning cleared brush | IDEM approval is required before burning tree waste from clearing operations due to a change in land use, such as clearing for housing developments, private roadways or industrial development. Applicants submit State Form 49635 (Identification of Potentially Affected Persons) and, if applicable, State Form 43688 (Air Curtain Destructor approval); full criteria are in 326 IAC 4-1-4.1. | Source |
Local rules vary by city:
- Indianapolis: Since May 1, 2025, Indianapolis requires a local drainage permit only for projects that also need IDEM Construction Stormwater General Permit coverage (generally 1 acre or more), but any development in a special flood hazard area still needs a local floodplain development permit.
How to Choose an Excavation Contractor in Indiana
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, read site preparation, excavation cost and land grading.
Sources
- Indiana: 811 requirement (law change effective January 1, 2025)
- Indiana: Construction stormwater permit (page modified April 1, 2026; CSGP effective December 18, 2021)
- Indiana: Open burning rules (April 1, 2026)
- HomeGuide: How Much Does Excavation Cost? (written February 5, 2026)
Reviewed October 16, 2026. Prices are attributed national estimates. Confirm permit requirements for your parcel with the city or county.