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Excavation Contractors in Rochester, New York

Find excavation contractors serving Rochester, New York, 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 Rochester

40 excavation contractors serving Rochester 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 Rochester

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 Rochester?

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

Rochester Permits and Local Rules

In Rochester, stripping or grading more than 10,000 sq ft, moving more than 50 cubic yards of soil or fill, or doing any site preparation in a floodplain, wetland or on steep slopes requires a City site preparation permit under Chapter 39.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Site preparation permit (clearing, grading, excavation, fill)A site preparation permit is required before stripping or grading that affects more than 10,000 sq ft, excavation affecting more than 50 cubic yards (not tied to building construction), or filling over 50 cubic yards on a parcel or contiguous area; stripping is defined to include clearing and grubbing (Sec. 39-404, 39-405). Permits are issued by the Commissioner of Neighborhood and Business Development after Stormwater Management Officer review, and the City may require a financial guarantee for erosion and stormwater controls (Sec. 39-403, 39-406, 39-409).Source
Floodplain, wetland and steep-slope site workAny site preparation within the floodplain of a watercourse, within wetlands, or on slopes steeper than 1.5 feet of rise per 10 feet of run (shown by a topographic survey) needs a site preparation permit regardless of size (Sec. 39-405). Approved work must keep erosion and sedimentation to a minimum and must not block watercourses or drainage (Sec. 39-408).Source
Stormwater plan for one acre or moreChapter 39 Part II applies to land disturbance, including clearing, grading and excavating, of one acre or more, or less if part of a larger common plan of development or sale (Sec. 39-442). A SWPPP signed by a New York licensed professional engineer must be approved (or waived) before the City issues building, grading or site plan approval (Sec. 39-444, 39-448).Source
Tree protection during grading and constructionDuring grading and construction, a protected zone out to each retained tree’s drip line must be fenced with a barrier approved by the Director of Zoning and Permitting, and no paving, grading or storage of soil, materials or equipment is allowed inside it; failing to keep barriers up can lead to revocation of the building permit (Sec. 120-169). Disturbed ground must be permanently stabilized to prevent erosion.Source
Coastal erosion hazard area permit (Lake Ontario shoreline)Within the Coastal Erosion Hazard Area mapped by NYSDEC, regulated activities need a coastal erosion management permit from the City’s Administrator, and the work must not measurably increase erosion (Sec. 43A-5, 43A-6). On bluffs, excavating is prohibited except for permitted minor alterations, and soil disturbance that sends runoff over the bluff face is prohibited (Sec. 43A-11).Source
Call 811 before diggingExcavators and contractors must contact New York 811 (online ITIC or by calling 811) at least two working days but no more than 10 days before digging, not counting weekends and legal holidays.Source
Construction stormwater permitNYSDEC issues SPDES General Permit GP-0-25-001 for construction stormwater (effective Jan 29, 2025, expires Jan 28, 2030). Coverage is required for soil disturbance of one or more acres; 5,000 sq ft or more in the NYC East of Hudson watershed; and, inside New York City, 20,000 sq ft or more (or 5,000 sq ft or more of new impervious area), including smaller parts of a larger common plan of development.Source
Burning cleared brushStatewide, burning trash, leaves and treated or painted wood is banned. Downed limbs and branches under 6 inches in diameter and 8 feet long may be burned on site only in towns with fewer than 20,000 residents, and never from March 16 through May 14. Open fires of organic agricultural waste are allowed on contiguous farmland over 5 acres. The DEC page does not list land-clearing or construction debris as an allowed exception, so large land-clearing burn piles are not authorized by these 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 Rochester

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 Rochester land clearing contractors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do excavation contractors charge in Rochester?

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 New York Directories

Sources

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