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Excavation Contractors in Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Find excavation contractors serving Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 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 Baton Rouge

16 excavation contractors serving Baton Rouge 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 Baton Rouge

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 Baton Rouge?

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

Baton Rouge Permits and Local Rules

Land clearing on property larger than 2.5 acres in Baton Rouge/East Baton Rouge Parish must preserve or mitigate at least 20% of existing healthy significant trees 24 inches DBH or larger, with two native Class A replacement trees for each tree removed beyond the 80% allowance.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Tree preservation for land clearing over 2.5 acresUDC Chapter 18 applies its landscape standards to land clearing on property 2.5 acres or larger (non-residential clearing excludes agricultural activities and commercial timber harvesting). Section 18.6.1 requires preservation or mitigation of at least 20% of existing healthy trees 24 inches DBH or greater on the significant-species list, and two native Class A replacement trees for each one removed beyond the 80% allowance.Source
Tree protection fencing before clearingWhere trees are preserved for credit under a Tree Preservation Plan, six-foot tree protection fencing at the drip line must be in place before any clearing or site work, and violations can cost preservation credits and suspend work. A Development Department permit is also required to remove any tree or shrub on public property (Section 18.5).Source
Floodplain development permit and fill limitsUDC Chapter 15 requires a development permit to ensure conformance with its floodplain provisions, and no fill is permitted in FEMA or community-defined special flood hazard areas unless it is mitigated by excavation, with listed exemptions (such as small building pads and grading on existing lots of five acres or less in recognized subdivisions without reported flooding).Source
Drainage ways and construction SWPPPNo person may fill, deepen, widen, reroute or change an existing drainage way without written permission from the Department of Development (Section 15.14.B). A Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan describing sediment and erosion controls must be submitted to the Department of Development for all development activities (Section 15.16.B).Source
Stream setbacksNew development in the City of Baton Rouge and unincorporated East Baton Rouge Parish must keep a setback along mapped major stream segments of at least 35 feet (or the drainage servitude, if greater) and at most 100 feet, where only limited low-impact improvements are allowed (Section 15.25).Source
Call 811 before diggingBefore any excavation or demolition, the excavator or demolisher must give telephonic or electronic notice to the regional notification center (Louisiana 811) at least 48 hours but not more than 120 hours in advance, excluding weekends and listed holidays (La. R.S. 40:1749.13(B)(1)).Source
Construction stormwater permitThe Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) issues LPDES general permits for construction stormwater: LAR200000 covers small construction disturbing 1 acre or more but less than 5 acres (issued 08/25/23, expires 08/24/28), and LAR100000 covers construction of 5 acres or more (issued 10/01/24, expires 09/30/29). Covered sites typically submit a Notice of Intent.Source
Burning cleared brushLDEQ summarizes LAC 33:III.1109.D (exception 6) as allowing outdoor burning of trees, brush, grass and other vegetable matter for land clearing and right-of-way maintenance only if winds blow away from a town or city, the fire is at least 1,000 feet from any dwelling not on the property, material has minimal dirt, no heavy oils, rubber or other smoky non-plant material is burned, burning is between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., and no traffic hazard is created.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 Baton Rouge

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 Baton Rouge land clearing contractors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do excavation contractors charge in Baton Rouge?

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 Louisiana Directories

Sources

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