Vetting guide

Hiring an excavation contractor

Updated July 20268 min readUS

Earthwork disputes almost never start with bad digging. They start with an assumption nobody wrote down: who was hauling the spoil, whether rock was in the price, who was meeting the inspector. Settle six questions before the machine is trailered in and the rest of the job usually takes care of itself.

1. Who calls 811, and when

Calling 811 or filing online gets buried gas, power, water and telecom located and marked at no charge, typically a few business days ahead of the dig. It is required across the US before breaking ground. Agree in writing who files the ticket and confirm the marks are on the ground before anyone starts. Note that 811 covers public utilities up to the meter: private lines you or a previous owner installed, such as a run to a shop or a well, are yours to identify.

2. Where the spoil goes

Every hole produces more material than the hole, because dug soil swells. Spreading it on site is nearly free. Trucking it off means haul time and usually a tipping fee. If the quote does not say, ask, because this line alone explains most of the gap between two bids on the same job. The reverse applies too: if fill, gravel or topsoil has to come in, confirm whether material and delivery are in the number.

3. Permits and inspections

Grading, driveways, septic and anything near a wetland, stream or steep slope frequently require permits, and some jurisdictions want an erosion and sediment control plan before ground is opened. Establish who applies, who pays the fee, and who is on site for the inspection. Permit calendars are outside your contractor's control, so factor them into the schedule rather than the price.

4. Rock, water and the other unknowns

No one can see through soil. What separates a professional quote is that it states its assumptions: rock excluded above a stated depth, dewatering excluded, unsuitable soil handled at an agreed unit rate. That is not a contractor hedging, it is a contractor being honest about the one thing neither of you can know yet. A quote with no exclusions at all is more likely to produce an argument than a fair fixed price.

5. Insurance, licensing and who is actually on site

• Certificate of insurance. Ask the insurer to send it directly, showing general liability and workers compensation. Machines near a house are exactly the scenario liability cover exists for.
• Licence number. Requirements vary by state and by trade, and septic and utility work usually carry their own. Verify with the issuing board rather than taking a number on faith.
• Who runs the machine. On small crews the person quoting is often the operator. On larger ones, ask who is actually assigned, because in this trade the operator is most of the quality.

6. Payment tied to something you can see

A deposit is normal. Milestones are better than dates: mobilization, dig complete, inspection passed, restoration done. Keep a meaningful final payment until any required sign-off has happened, and never pay in full before the work is finished.

Prefer one contractor over three

If the job runs clearing, then grading, then a dig, one outfit that covers all three is usually cheaper and always simpler: one mobilization, one schedule, and nobody with an incentive to blame the previous trade. 10,132 of the 21,050 contractors in this directory carry two or more trades. Every city page lets you filter by the jobs you need so you can find the ones that cover all of yours.