Excavation Contractors in Tennessee
Find excavation contractors serving Tennessee properties, for site preparation, land grading, trenching, foundation and basement digs, pond excavation and other earthwork. We list 80 excavation contractors across 3 Tennessee metros, each confirmed on the company’s own website (checked October 2026). Choose a city to compare them.
Browse Tennessee Excavation Contractors by City
- Knoxville excavation contractors: 49 verified
- Memphis excavation contractors: 14 verified
- Nashville excavation contractors: 17 verified
Tennessee Excavation Contractors at a Glance
| City | Contractors | Also land clearing | Also forestry mulching | Also stump grinding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | 49 | 26 | 8 | 7 |
| Memphis | 14 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
| Nashville | 17 | 10 | 5 | 2 |
| Total listings | 80 | 40 | 15 | 10 |
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 Tennessee?
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 Tennessee-specific average. For the full breakdown, see excavation cost.
Tennessee Rules That Affect Your Project
| Rule | What it requires | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Call 811 before digging | Anyone who plans or performs any excavation must contact Tennessee 811 at least three working days (72 hours, excluding weekends and holidays) before digging. Each excavating company needs its own locate request; a homeowner’s ticket does not cover a hired excavator. | Source |
| Construction stormwater permit | Construction activities (including clearing, grubbing and grading) that disturb one acre or more, or less than one acre if part of a larger common plan of development or sale, need coverage under TDEC’s Construction Stormwater General Permit (TNR100000). The current permit is effective October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2031. | Source |
| Burning cleared brush | TDEC’s open burning rule (TAPCR 1200-03-04) has an exception for burning wood waste solely for disposal, subject to Tenn. Code Ann. 68-201-115(c): within 200 feet of an occupied building someone must attend the burn the whole time, each burn may last no more than 48 hours, and no more than twice in 30 days; within 100 feet an adult occupant must give written authorization. Construction/demolition debris and vegetation not grown on site may not be burned. Separately, a Tennessee Division of Forestry burn permit is required from October 15 to May 15 where local rules do not supersede, and cities may have their own permit systems. | Source |
Local rules vary by city:
- Memphis: Removing trees 10 inches DBH or larger from a non-exempt lot in Memphis or unincorporated Shelby County requires filing a tree removal Notice of Intent with the Office of Planning and Development 10 to 45 working days before work starts.
- Knoxville: In Knoxville you need a City site development permit before grading, filling or clearing any site in a way that disturbs soil, and you must leave a 30- to 60-foot riparian buffer along streams undisturbed.
- Nashville: In Metro Nashville a grading permit from Metro Water Services is needed once you disturb more than 10,000 square feet or move more than 100 cubic yards, and any grading in a floodplain needs one regardless of size.
How to Choose an Excavation Contractor in Tennessee
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
- Tennessee: 811 requirement (no date)
- Tennessee: Construction stormwater permit (last modified 2026-10-02)
- Tennessee: Open burning rules (last modified 2026-07-06; Division of Forestry permit season per https://www.tn.gov/tnwildlandfire/prevention/safe-debris-burning.html (no date))
- 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.