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Excavation Contractors in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Find excavation contractors serving Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 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 Pittsburgh

56 excavation contractors serving Pittsburgh 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 Pittsburgh

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 Pittsburgh?

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

Pittsburgh Permits and Local Rules

In Pittsburgh, removing vegetation or trees over 10,000 sq ft, or on any slope steeper than 25%, requires a City Land Operations Permit.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Land Operations Permit (grading and clearing)A Land Operations Permit is needed for grading over 50 cubic yards, grading 5 feet deep or more on slopes over 25%, vegetation, tree and ground cover removal over 10,000 sq ft or on any slope over 25%, and new paved surfaces over 10,000 sq ft. Zoning development review and special inspections are required.Source
Stormwater permitA City stormwater permit is required for 10,000 sq ft or more of land disturbance (grading, excavation or fill) or a 5,000 sq ft or more increase in impervious surface; 5,000 sq ft of disturbance triggers it in some Riverfront (RIV) district projects.Source
Floodplain Overlay (FP-O)Zoning approval from the Zoning Administrator and a building permit are required before any construction or development in the floodplain. In the floodway no encroachment, including fill, is allowed unless analysis shows no rise in flood levels, and watercourses may not be altered without notifying neighbors and obtaining DEP permits.Source
Landslide-Prone Overlay (LS-O)In landslide-prone areas, no building or land operations permit involving grading or vegetation removal is approved until the Bureau of Building Inspection approves plans based on a professional site investigation showing the work will not increase landslide or erosion risk.Source
Call 811 before diggingHomeowners and contractors must call 811 (PA One Call) at least three business days before starting any digging or excavation. The PA One Call Law, Section 180(2.1), sets the window at not less than three nor more than ten business days before excavation or demolition.Source
Construction stormwater permitUnder DEP’s Chapter 102 program, construction activities with earth disturbance of one acre or more need NPDES permit coverage (PAG-01, PAG-02 general permits or an individual permit). Other activities disturbing 5 acres or more that are not listed elsewhere need an E&S permit.Source
Burning cleared brush25 Pa. Code § 129.14: open burning is prohibited in air basins, except that clearing and grubbing wastes may be burned there only in air curtain destructors approved in writing by DEP beforehand. Outside air basins, clearing and grubbing wastes may be burned if the fire causes no visible emissions beyond the property line, malodors, nuisance, or damage; DEP may order it stopped.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 Pittsburgh

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 Pittsburgh land clearing contractors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do excavation contractors charge in Pittsburgh?

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 Pennsylvania Directories

Sources

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