Excavation Contractors in Wisconsin
Find excavation contractors serving Wisconsin properties, for site preparation, land grading, trenching, foundation and basement digs, pond excavation and other earthwork. We list 25 excavation contractors across 1 Wisconsin metro, each confirmed on the company’s own website (checked October 2026). Choose a city to compare them.
Browse Wisconsin Excavation Contractors by City
- Milwaukee excavation contractors: 25 verified
Wisconsin Excavation Contractors at a Glance
| City | Contractors | Also land clearing | Also forestry mulching | Also stump grinding |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee | 25 | 11 | 4 | 5 |
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 Wisconsin?
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 Wisconsin-specific average. For the full breakdown, see excavation cost.
Wisconsin Rules That Affect Your Project
| Rule | What it requires | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Call 811 before digging | Under Wis. Stat. 182.0175, the person excavating must notify Diggers Hotline at least 3 days before digging. Utilities then have three working days to mark the site. | Source |
| Construction stormwater permit | Landowners of most construction projects that will disturb one acre or more (clearing, grading, excavating or stockpiling) must apply for coverage under the DNR’s Construction Site Storm Water Runoff General Permit (WI-S067831-6). The whole project counts, including all phases of a common plan of development or sale. | Source |
| Burning cleared brush | DNR rules allow tree trunks, limbs and stumps from land clearing to be burned only under specific conditions, often using Air Program-approved methods, and generally on the property where the wood came from. Construction and demolition materials, painted or treated wood, plastics and garbage cannot be burned. Burns outside incorporated cities and villages may need a DNR burning permit, and local rules can be stricter. | Source |
Local rules vary by city:
- Milwaukee: Milwaukee requires an approved erosion control plan and permit before grading, vegetation removal, excavation or filling that affects 4,000 square feet or more.
How to Choose an Excavation Contractor in Wisconsin
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
- Wisconsin: 811 requirement (no date)
- Wisconsin: Construction stormwater permit (no date (permit reissued September 2021))
- Wisconsin: Open burning rules (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.