Excavation Contractors in South Carolina
Find excavation contractors serving South Carolina properties, for site preparation, land grading, trenching, foundation and basement digs, pond excavation and other earthwork. We list 71 excavation contractors across 3 South Carolina metros, each confirmed on the company’s own website (checked October 2026). Choose a city to compare them.
Browse South Carolina Excavation Contractors by City
- Charleston excavation contractors: 21 verified
- Columbia excavation contractors: 23 verified
- Greenville excavation contractors: 27 verified
South Carolina Excavation Contractors at a Glance
| City | Contractors | Also land clearing | Also forestry mulching | Also stump grinding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | 21 | 9 | 3 | 4 |
| Columbia | 23 | 13 | 3 | 5 |
| Greenville | 27 | 18 | 3 | 4 |
| Total listings | 71 | 40 | 9 | 13 |
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 South Carolina?
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 South Carolina-specific average. For the full breakdown, see excavation cost.
South Carolina Rules That Affect Your Project
| Rule | What it requires | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Call 811 before digging | State law requires a locate request to SC811 before any excavation begins. For a normal request, operators have three full working days to mark their lines (working days exclude the day you submit, weekends and holidays); you may dig the next working day once Positive Response shows all locates are complete. A normal ticket is valid for 15 working days. Underwater excavation needs at least 10 working days’ notice and large projects at least 30 days. Private lines are the owner’s responsibility to have marked. SC811 reports that a new state law (HB 3571) took effect May 22, 2026. | Source |
| Construction stormwater permit | The SC Department of Environmental Services (SCDES), under EPA delegation, issues coverage under the NPDES Construction General Permit SCR100000. Coverage is required for projects that disturb more than one acre, or that are part of a larger common plan that disturbs one acre or more. Sites within one-half mile of a coastal receiving water body must also apply. The re-issued permit takes effect March 30, 2026 and expires March 30, 2031. | Source |
| Burning cleared brush | SCDES Regulation 61-62.2 prohibits open burning except as listed. Burning land-clearing debris (outside predominantly residential areas) is allowed only if: the burn is at least 1,000 feet from public roadways and far enough from neighboring homes and businesses; the wind blows smoke away from roads and occupied sites; only plant material generated on site is burned, with salvageable timber and pulpwood removed first; burning starts between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. with no material added between 3 p.m. and 9 a.m.; and no more than two 30-by-30-foot piles burn within a six-acre area at once. Local ordinances still apply. Separately, S.C. Code 48-35-10 requires notifying the State Forester before outdoor burning of woods, brush or debris; that chapter does not apply inside town or city limits (48-35-30) and bars burning during a declared forest fire emergency (scstatehouse.gov/code/t48c035.php). | Source |
Local rules vary by city:
- Charleston: Grand Trees (24 inches or more DBH, excluding pines and sweet gums) are protected in the City of Charleston, and land disturbance, fill or vehicles are not allowed inside a fenced protective zone around them during construction.
- Columbia: In Columbia, any grading or land disturbance of 5,000 square feet or more needs a City land disturbance permit before work starts, unless it is an exempt activity such as a single-family home not built as part of a subdivision.
- Greenville: In Greenville, clearing that removes canopy trees 6 inches DBH or larger during permitted development must be offset by replacement or fee-in-lieu, and land substantially cleared for forestry is barred from development applications for 36 months.
How to Choose an Excavation Contractor in South Carolina
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
- South Carolina: 811 requirement (Excavator Manual 2026 (posted May 2026); new law effective May 22, 2026 per https://sc811.com/state-law/)
- South Carolina: Construction stormwater permit (no date on fact sheet; permit effective March 30, 2026)
- South Carolina: Open burning rules (R.61-62.2 last amended per State Register December 27, 2013; S.C. Code 48-35-10 from 1969)
- 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.