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Excavation Contractors in St. Louis, Missouri

Find excavation contractors serving St. Louis, Missouri, 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 St. Louis

27 excavation contractors serving St. Louis 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 St. Louis

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 St. Louis?

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

St. Louis Permits and Local Rules

In the City of St. Louis, site grading or excavation requires a building permit from the Building Commissioner, except minor site work that does not change grades by more than six inches at property lines, block drainage or cause erosion.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Building permit for site grading or excavation (Building Code 105.1, 105.2)Any owner who intends to perform site grading or excavation must first apply to the building official and get the required permit. Exempt work includes miscellaneous site work and landscaping, and excavation or fill that does not permanently change elevation more than six inches along property lines, block drainage, or cause erosion or damage to neighbors.Source
City trees: permit to maintain (Secs. 22.48.110, 22.48.150)Pruning or removing any City tree (trees on City property such as street trees) requires a permit to maintain from the Commissioner of Forestry, including removals tied to demolition or construction. Removing a City tree without the permit carries a $500 fine plus reforestation fees and replacement costs, and reasonable steps must be taken to protect City trees during construction.Source
Flood damage review of building permits (Ch. 25.16)The Building Commissioner reviews building permit applications to minimize flood damage, and construction in flood hazard locations must be anchored, use flood-resistant materials and methods, and provide adequate drainage.Source
MSD review of site drainageThe Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District states that public and private sewerage and drainage works within MSD boundaries, including any altering of a storm drainage channel, site drainage or flood plain, require MSD review and approval.Source
Excavation in public right-of-wayA Street Department excavation permit is needed any time part of the public right-of-way is removed, creating a cavity or unequal grade; applicants need a City of St. Louis business license.Source
Call 811 before diggingRSMo 319.026 requires an excavator to serve notice of intent to excavate on the notification center (Missouri One Call, 811 or 1-800-DIG-RITE) at least two working days, but not more than ten working days, before the planned start of excavation, by 24-hour toll-free phone or the internet.Source
Construction stormwater permitLand disturbance permits are required for construction disturbance of one or more acres, or less than one acre when part of a larger common plan of development or sale, through the Land Disturbance Stormwater General Permit (MO-RA) applied for via ePermitting; a separate Area-Wide permit (MO-R100) is for government jurisdictions only.Source
Burning cleared brushUnder 10 CSR 10-6.045 as summarized by MoDNR, open burning of tree trunks, limbs and vegetation from land clearing is allowed when it takes place outside city limits and more than 200 yards from the nearest occupied structure; commercial land clearing inside city limits or within 200 yards must meet the fuller open burning rule. Tires and used oil may not be used or burned, and local governments (including Kansas City and the City of St. Louis air programs) may impose stricter rules.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 St. Louis

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 St. Louis land clearing contractors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do excavation contractors charge in St. Louis?

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 Missouri Directories

Sources

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