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Excavation Contractors in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Find excavation contractors serving Minneapolis, Minnesota, 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 Minneapolis

22 excavation contractors serving Minneapolis 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 Minneapolis

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 Minneapolis?

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

Minneapolis Permits and Local Rules

Minneapolis requires an erosion and sediment control permit for any land disturbance over 500 square feet or 5 cubic yards, before work begins.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Erosion and sediment control permitLand disturbance over 500 square feet, or over 5 cubic yards of material disturbed, stored or used as fill, needs a city erosion and sediment control permit before work starts. Over 5,000 square feet or 500 cubic yards also requires an erosion control plan, and over 1 acre requires a stormwater pollution prevention plan.Source
Stormwater managementAll land-disturbing activities over half an acre, including common plans of development, must meet the city’s stormwater management chapter, including an approved stormwater management plan.Source
Floodplain overlay permitA permit from the zoning administrator is required before placing fill, excavating, or storing materials or equipment in the floodplain, and for other development there.Source
Mississippi River Corridor vegetation permitIn the Mississippi River Corridor Critical Area overlay, intensive vegetation clearing in shore and bluff impact zones, near wetlands and in native plant areas needs a vegetation permit and a restoration plan, and is allowed only for limited purposes; other intensive clearing is prohibited.Source
Trees on streets and parkwaysNo one may remove, cut, trim or injure any tree or shrub on streets, avenues, parks or parkways without a permit from the general superintendent of parks.Source
Call 811 before diggingUnder Minnesota Statutes Chapter 216D, anyone excavating must notify Gopher State One Call at least 48 hours in advance, not counting the day of the call, weekends or holidays. If you hire a contractor, the contractor is responsible for the notice.Source
Construction stormwater permitThe MPCA issues construction stormwater permit coverage to owners and operators of construction that disturbs one acre or more of soil, including smaller sites that are part of a larger common plan of development or sale over one acre.Source
Burning cleared brushA burning permit is required for all open burning other than small recreational fires. Under a DNR burn permit (issued by the DNR or a delegated fire warden or, in some southern counties, the sheriff), vegetative debris such as brush, logs and stumps can be burned. Garbage, treated or painted lumber, plastics, tires and commercial demolition debris cannot.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 Minneapolis

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 Minneapolis land clearing contractors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do excavation contractors charge in Minneapolis?

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 Minnesota Directories

Sources

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