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Excavation Contractors in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Find excavation contractors serving Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 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 Milwaukee

25 excavation contractors serving Milwaukee 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 Milwaukee

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 Milwaukee?

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

Milwaukee Permits and Local Rules

Milwaukee requires an approved erosion control plan and permit before grading, vegetation removal, excavation or filling that affects 4,000 square feet or more.

RuleWhat it means for your projectSource
Erosion control permitAn erosion control plan and permit from the Department of City Development are required before grading, removing ground cover or vegetation, excavating or filling 4,000 square feet or more, or moving or storing 100 cubic yards or more of material. Work in the public right-of-way needs a Department of Public Works permit instead.Source
Stormwater management planA stormwater management plan approved by the city engineer is required when development disturbs one acre or more (including one acre over three years) or adds half an acre or more of impervious area. Lower half-acre thresholds apply in the Milwaukee River Greenway overlay zone.Source
Floodplain overlay zonesFilling, grading and excavation in a mapped floodplain count as development and need a permit. Fill in the floodway is allowed only by permit under strict conditions, and grading in the flood fringe must not reduce the floodplain’s water-carrying and storage capacity.Source
Call 811 before diggingUnder 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 permitLandowners 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 brushDNR 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

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 Milwaukee

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 Milwaukee land clearing contractors.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do excavation contractors charge in Milwaukee?

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 Wisconsin Directories

Sources

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