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Excavation Contractors in Jackson, Mississippi

Find excavation contractors serving Jackson, Mississippi, 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 Jackson

16 excavation contractors serving Jackson 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 Jackson

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 Jackson?

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

Jackson Permits and Local Rules

In Jackson, clearing live natural trees eligible for landscape credit from a site covered by the landscaping and tree standards is prohibited until a clearing permit is issued, which requires an approved landscape plan showing trees 12 inches in caliper or larger.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Landscape/clearing permit for treesSec. 26-453 prohibits clearing live natural trees eligible for credit from any site covered by the landscaping and tree standards unless a permit for the clearing has been issued; the application requires a $35.00 fee and a landscape plan showing existing trees 12 inches in caliper or larger and whether they will be removed. The code defines a landscape permit as one issued by the building permit division before clearing and development of land in the city.Source
Applicability and listed activitiesSec. 26-449 says the landscaping and tree standards apply to all land in the city, and lists items including building permits for conventional single-family detached dwellings and clearing of trees for forestry or agricultural purposes in its exemptions subsection.Source
Erosion and sediment control plan over 2,000 sq ftNonresidential users applying for permits to disturb ground must submit a stormwater management plan, including an erosion and sediment control plan before any grading or earthwork affecting more than 2,000 square feet but less than five acres; over five acres, an MDEQ construction stormwater general permit is required and a copy goes to Public Works. Residential building permit applications must also include a stormwater plan addressing erosion and sediment control (Sec. 122-306).Source
Floodplain development permitA development permit from the floodplain administrator is required before any development activities in special flood hazard areas and community flood hazard areas; development includes filling, grading, excavating and storage of materials or equipment.Source
Call 811 before diggingThe person doing the digging must notify Mississippi 811 no less than 2 and no more than 10 working days before excavating; working days exclude Saturdays, Sundays and legal holidays.Source
Construction stormwater permitThe Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality (MDEQ) issues construction stormwater coverage under a Small Construction General Permit (1 to less than 5 acres) and a Large Construction General Permit (5 acres and greater).Source
Burning cleared brushUnder 11 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 2, Ch. 1, Rule 1.3(G)(2), land-clearing debris may be burned only if not barred by local ordinance, without starter or auxiliary fuels that cause excessive smoke, without creating a traffic hazard, and not during a Forestry Commission High Fire Danger Alert or an air pollution episode alert. Burning without a forced-draft air system must be at least 500 yards from an occupied dwelling; with a forced-draft system it may be within 500 yards but not within 50 yards. No burning within 500 yards of commercial airport property.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 Jackson

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 Jackson land clearing contractors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do excavation contractors charge in Jackson?

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 Mississippi Directories

Sources

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