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Excavation Contractors in Louisville, Kentucky

Find excavation contractors serving Louisville, Kentucky, 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 Louisville

14 excavation contractors serving Louisville 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 Louisville

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 Louisville?

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

Louisville Permits and Local Rules

In Louisville Metro any land disturbance over 2,000 square feet requires a Site Disturbance Permit from MSD, and burning cleared brush or branches is illegal.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
MSD Site Disturbance PermitLouisville MSD requires a Site Disturbance Permit for all land disturbance over 2,000 square feet: a Small Site Disturbance Permit for over 2,000 sq ft up to one acre and a Large Site Disturbance Permit for over one acre, which adds requirements. Reviews follow the Louisville and Jefferson County EPSC and Floodplain Ordinances.Source
Floodplain permitsMSD enforces the local Floodplain Management Ordinance and issues floodplain permits for development in the floodplain.Source
Open burning banThe Louisville Metro Air Pollution Control District says burning trash and yard waste, including fallen tree branches and limbs and construction debris, is always illegal in Louisville. Agricultural burns and controlled forest, range or wildlife burns may be allowed with a permit.Source
Tree canopy standards (Land Development Code Ch. 10)Chapter 10 of the Land Development Code sets tree canopy standards intended to protect, preserve and replace trees; canopy standards must be met on site to the maximum extent feasible, and tree preservation is the preferred way to meet them.Source
Call 811 before diggingUnder KRS 367.4911, each excavator or person responsible for excavation or demolition must notify the operators’ notification center (811) not less than two full working days and not more than ten full working days before starting work, unless a later start date is agreed.Source
Construction stormwater permitConstruction activities disturbing one acre or more, or part of a common plan that cumulatively disturbs one acre or more, need coverage under KPDES general permit KYR100000. Operators submit an electronic NOI at least seven days before construction, and coverage is effective only after written notice from the Division of Water.Source
Burning cleared brush401 KAR 63:005 allows fires for disposal of natural growth for land clearing, without tires or heavy oil and only on days that do not pose a forest fire threat. Land clearing burns for residential, commercial or industrial development are limited to two contiguous acres at a time, are not allowed May through September in listed counties, must follow KRS 149.400 fire hazard season rules, and do not override stricter local ordinances.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 Louisville

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 Louisville land clearing contractors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do excavation contractors charge in Louisville?

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 Kentucky Directories

Sources

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