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Excavation Contractors in Providence, Rhode Island

Find excavation contractors serving Providence, Rhode Island, 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 Providence

37 excavation contractors serving Providence 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 Providence

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 Providence?

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

Providence Permits and Local Rules

In Providence, no tree 32 inches or more in diameter, on public or private land, may be removed without the City Forester’s permission.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Significant Tree preservationTrees 32 inches or more in diameter (at 4.5 feet) are protected on both public and private land and may not be removed without prior permission of the City Forester, who decides within 30 days. Unauthorized removal brings a fine based on the tree’s appraised value or the state maximum.Source
Tree canopy coverage and tree protection during developmentNo development or tree cutting may reduce trees below the Article 15 requirement; full canopy rules (30% of lot area in residential districts, 15% in most others) apply when development disturbs more than 50% of a lot or builds a new principal building in R-1A to R-3/RP districts. Construction may not trench through roots, change grade within the dripline or compact soil around retained trees.Source
Tree Work Permit for city treesA free permit from the Forestry Division is required before pruning, removing, digging or trenching near, or planting a city (right-of-way) tree; fines apply if city trees are damaged or removed without permission.Source
Flood zone managementThe Planning Department is the City’s designated floodplain management agency and administers the Special Flood Hazard Area regulations in the Zoning Ordinance and the Flood Insurance Rate Maps.Source
Call 811 before diggingR.I. Gen. Laws § 39-1.2-5: any person, public agency or utility excavating within 100 feet of a utility facility must notify Dig Safe at least 72 hours (excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays) but not more than 30 days before starting; excavation must begin within 30 days of the notice.Source
Construction stormwater permitRIDEM’s Office of Water Resources issues the RIPDES Construction General Permit. Coverage is needed for disturbance over one acre, or for smaller projects that are part of a larger common plan of development or sale disturbing one acre or more in total. The reissued permit runs until September 26, 2026, with reissuance planned for a five-year term to September 2031.Source
Burning cleared brushRIDEM Air Pollution Control Regulation Part 4 (Open Fires) allows burning of combustible material only by written exemption from the RIDEM Director after showing no practical alternative (such as chipping, cutting for forest products or landfilling), with local fire official and municipal approval, during good ventilation and without nuisance. Homeowners burning on their own property with no commercial activity fall under local ordinances instead.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 Providence

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 Providence land clearing contractors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do excavation contractors charge in Providence?

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 Rhode Island Directories

Sources

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