Excavation Contractors in Ohio
Find excavation contractors serving Ohio properties, for site preparation, land grading, trenching, foundation and basement digs, pond excavation and other earthwork. We list 120 excavation contractors across 3 Ohio metros, each confirmed on the company’s own website (checked October 2026). Choose a city to compare them.
Browse Ohio Excavation Contractors by City
- Cincinnati excavation contractors: 27 verified
- Cleveland excavation contractors: 54 verified
- Columbus excavation contractors: 39 verified
Ohio Excavation Contractors at a Glance
| City | Contractors | Also land clearing | Also forestry mulching | Also stump grinding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | 27 | 16 | 3 | 5 |
| Cleveland | 54 | 18 | 2 | 4 |
| Columbus | 39 | 6 | 2 | 2 |
| Total listings | 120 | 40 | 7 | 11 |
Counts come from the listings on each city page. The Contractors column is the number of excavation companies listed; each confirms excavation on its own website. The other columns count companies whose sites also confirm that service, so one company can appear in more than one column.
How Much Do Excavation Contractors Charge in Ohio?
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 Ohio-specific average. For the full breakdown, see excavation cost.
Ohio Rules That Affect Your Project
| Rule | What it requires | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Call 811 before digging | The excavator must notify the protection service (OHIO811) at least two working days before excavation begins, not counting the day of notice, and no more than sixteen calendar days before. A property owner digging on their own property is generally exempt unless digging where a utility easement or public right-of-way is located or where utility facilities are known to serve the property; an excavator hired by the owner must comply. | Source |
| Construction stormwater permit | Ohio EPA’s Construction General Permit (OHC000006) covers stormwater from construction that disturbs one or more acres, including clearing, grading, excavating, grubbing and filling, or less than one acre if part of a larger common plan of development or sale that will ultimately disturb one or more acres. Sites disturbing at least one but less than five acres may request a waiver based on rainfall erosivity or a TMDL. | Source |
| Burning cleared brush | Land clearing waste is plant material removed to prepare land for residential, commercial, industrial or new agricultural development. Inside any municipal corporation and a surrounding zone (one mile for cities of 10,000 or more), which Ohio calls a restricted area, open burning is prohibited except for listed exceptions, none of which names land clearing waste. Outside restricted areas, burning land clearing waste needs prior written permission from Ohio EPA, must be at least 1,000 feet from inhabited buildings off the premises, and must use an air curtain destructor or an equally effective method. | Source |
Local rules vary by city:
- Cincinnati: Cincinnati requires a Buildings and Inspections permit, with prior Stormwater Management Utility approval, to excavate or fill land beyond small exempt jobs (about 5 feet deep or 100 cubic yards per 5,000 square feet), and an operational plan once work exceeds 1,000 cubic yards or one acre.
- Cleveland: In Cleveland, a site development that disturbs more than 1 acre needs a Storm Water Pollution Prevention Plan with its permit, and projects over half an acre in the combined sewer area also go to the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District for stormwater review.
- Columbus: In Columbus, a SWPPP may be required once total disturbance exceeds 1 acre, and any work in the critical root zone of public right-of-way trees can trigger a Public Tree Plan and mitigation for removed trees.
How to Choose an Excavation Contractor in Ohio
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, read site preparation, excavation cost and land grading.
Sources
- Ohio: 811 requirement (effective June 9, 2026 (amended by H.B. 227, 136th General Assembly))
- Ohio: Construction stormwater permit (effective April 23, 2023; expires April 22, 2028)
- Ohio: Open burning rules (effective April 30, 2018 (page updated March 7, 2023); see also rules 3745-19-01 and 3745-19-03)
- HomeGuide: How Much Does Excavation Cost? (written February 5, 2026)
Reviewed October 16, 2026. Prices are attributed national estimates. Confirm permit requirements for your parcel with the city or county.