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Excavation Contractors in Boston, Massachusetts

Find excavation contractors serving Boston, Massachusetts, 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 Boston

46 excavation contractors serving Boston 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 Boston

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 Boston?

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

Boston Permits and Local Rules

Clearing vegetation in the FEMA 100-year floodplain or within 100 feet of a wetland, stream, pond or coastal resource in Boston can require a filing with the Boston Conservation Commission under the state Wetlands Protection Act and the Boston Wetlands Ordinance.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Conservation Commission filing (Wetlands Protection Act and Boston Wetlands Ordinance)Work that removes, fills, dredges or alters areas in the FEMA 100-year floodplain or in or within 100 feet of a beach, creek, stream, river, pond, marsh or swamp may need a filing, and vegetation removal is listed as work that can trigger one. The local ordinance adds resource areas such as a 25-foot waterfront area, isolated vegetated wetlands, vernal pools and land subject to coastal storm flowage; plans must show existing trees 6 inches DBH or larger.Source
BWSC construction stormwater permit (1 acre or more)Boston Water and Sewer Commission requires a stormwater permit when total planned disturbance is one acre or more and stormwater is piped or discharged to Boston waterways or the storm drain system. Applicants obtain EPA general permit coverage, prepare a SWPPP, and file the Notice of Intent with EPA, copying BWSC, at least two days before clearing, grading or grubbing begins.Source
Public shade trees and street treesStreet trees are public shade trees protected by Massachusetts General Law Chapter 87, and their removal goes through a public tree removal hearing run by the Parks Department’s Urban Forestry Division. Boston also has a Public Tree Ordinance (Chapter 14 of the Ordinances of 2023).Source
Coastal Flood Resilience Overlay District (Article 25A)Zoning Article 25A, adopted in October 2021, covers areas expected to flood in a 1% chance storm in 2070 with 40 inches of sea level rise and sets design flood elevations for new construction and retrofits. Review happens through the Article 80 process; applicability is set in section 25A-4.Source
Call 811 before diggingAnyone planning an excavation (defined broadly, including grading, backfilling and demolition, and even small jobs like setting a mailbox) must contact Dig Safe at least 72 business hours before digging; Saturdays, Sundays and holidays do not count. If a contractor does the work, the contractor must hold a valid ticket, though the owner may call on their behalf.Source
Construction stormwater permitEPA issues the NPDES construction general permit in Massachusetts. Coverage is required for construction that disturbs 1 acre or more, or less than 1 acre if part of a common plan of development or sale that will ultimately disturb 1 acre or more. Applicants file a Notice of Intent with EPA and also file through MassDEP’s EEA ePlace system with a copy of the EPA NOI (plus a MassDEP checklist near Outstanding Resource Waters, public water supplies or impaired waters). The 2022 CGP took effect February 17, 2022; EPA proposed a 2027 CGP in August 2026.Source
Burning cleared brushOpen burning season runs January 15 to May 1 and requires a permit issued in advance by the local fire department. Only listed agricultural-type materials may be burned, including brush, residential forestry debris, and trees and brush from agricultural land clearing; brush, trees, cane or driftwood from commercial or industrial land clearing may not be burned, and stumps may not be burned. Open burning is banned year-round in 22 communities, including Boston.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 Boston

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 Boston land clearing contractors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do excavation contractors charge in Boston?

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 Massachusetts Directories

Sources

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