Excavation Contractors in Utah
Find excavation contractors serving Utah properties, for site preparation, land grading, trenching, foundation and basement digs, pond excavation and other earthwork. We list 35 excavation contractors across 1 Utah metro, each confirmed on the company’s own website (checked October 2026). Choose a city to compare them.
Browse Utah Excavation Contractors by City
- Salt Lake City excavation contractors: 35 verified
Utah Excavation Contractors at a Glance
| City | Contractors | Also land clearing |
|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City | 35 | 8 |
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 Utah?
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 Utah-specific average. For the full breakdown, see excavation cost.
Utah Rules That Affect Your Project
| Rule | What it requires | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Call 811 before digging | Homeowners and professional excavators must notify Blue Stakes of Utah 811 at least 3 business days before excavating, with specific dig site location information, by calling 811 or submitting an online request. | Source |
| Construction stormwater permit | Utah DEQ’s Division of Water Quality requires a UPDES construction stormwater permit for soil disturbance (clearing, grading or excavating) of an acre or more, or smaller sites that are part of a common plan of development or sale over an acre. Current permit is UPDES Construction General Permit UTRC00000, effective July 1, 2024. | Source |
| Burning cleared brush | Open burning requires a valid permit from the county or municipal fire authority, issued only during set windows and clearing-index conditions (in nonattainment and maintenance areas, April 1-May 31 and September 15-October 31). The rule allows burning of clippings, bushes, plants and tree prunings incident to property and residential clean-up; open burning may be prohibited in some areas. | Source |
Local rules vary by city:
- Salt Lake City: Salt Lake City requires its own Public Utilities stormwater permits before land disturbance on sites of 1 acre or more, even when the state’s low erosivity waiver applies, and work within 100 feet of a stream falls under riparian corridor review.
How to Choose an Excavation Contractor in Utah
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
- Utah: 811 requirement (no date)
- Utah: Construction stormwater permit (last modified 2026-07-29)
- Utah: Open burning rules (last modified 2026-04-09)
- 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.