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TRUSTED BY SANTA BARBARA, CA HOMEOWNERS

  • Average homeowner rating star icon4.7
    Average homeowner rating
  • Verified reviews icon12
    Verified excavation services reviews

Find Excavation pros in Santa Barbara

Affordable Construction Services
4.8(
22
)

Serving Santa Barbara, CA and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 1997

Free estimates

Customers say: Quick response

"Dan laid a concrete pad for a shed. He excavated and leveled the site, framed, rebarred , poured and finished work in a timely manner. His costs were fair and he was extremely courteous. I would not hesitate to recommend him or use him again."
Response time2 days
6 neighbors recently requested a quote
Recommended by95%of homeowners
Avatar for FENCE 4 U
FENCE 4 U
5.0(
17
)

Serving Santa Barbara, CA and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2019

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"Very well, Mr. Guillermo Gonzalez arrived as expected for estimate, e- mailed quote, and showed up with crew to install fence as scheduled. Good workmanship, good materials, completed fence better than expected. Went very smoothly, competitive price, professional."
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+68

2 neighbors recently requested a quote
Recommended by93%of homeowners
Avatar for Shofar Landscape Contracting
Shofar Landscape Contracting
5.0(
13
)

Serving Santa Barbara, CA and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2018

Free estimates

Small jobs welcome

"Shofar Landscaping contracting was honest, timely, and efficient! They were professional and completed all the work we discussed and met our expectations. The crew were wonderful to work with! Looks great! Thank you!"
Response time1 day
Response rate87%
8 neighbors recently requested a quote
Avatar for Essential Landscapes Inc.
Essential Landscapes Inc.
5.0(
4
)

Serving Santa Barbara, CA and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2024

Customers say: True professional

"The job went very well, from the initial walk-through of the landscape clean up project through the planning and execution of the work. Jorge understood our needs, offered suggestions, was very knowledgeable and professional and prompt and on time in all phases of the project. The landscape cleanup involved over 40 hours of labor. We felt the total cost was quite reasonable. His team continues to provide monthly maintenance services."
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+21

Response time2 days
Response rate100%
4 neighbors recently requested a quote
Avatar for Thomas Parks Contracting
Thomas Parks Contracting
4.8(
100
)

Serving Santa Barbara, CA and surrounding areas

In business since 1976

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"I am so very pleased with the work that Thomas Parks and his crew accomplished on my home/decks/roofs and gazebo. It took three weeks but he was very thorough. The first day was powerwashing the house. One day to dry and then each day thereafter there was a crew of five. The preparation work was extremely tedious. They used hand powersanders to cover almost every inch to even out cracks and layers of old paint. It was no easy job. In some spots it is three levels.....up and down ladders; and it just happened to be very hot weather. After completing Thomas asked me to write a list of things that might need touch up. Again, I was impressed. As we walked around the house/decks/gazebo together he spotted some small things that I did not see. That is to say, he is very honest and trustworthy. I highly recommend Thomas Parks Contracting. Thomas Parks and company is a company of high work ethics, trustworthy and honest. I will certainly call him for any other work that I might need."
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+12

Recommended by94%of homeowners
Avatar for Richco Plumbing Inc
Richco Plumbing Inc
4.6(
107
)

Serving Santa Barbara, CA and surrounding areas

In business since 2000

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"They came out and gave us a free estimate to clean out and re-line our main sewer line. They ran into some problems trying to insert the liner due to the angle of the access pipe.  It ended up being a lot of extra work for them - however, they stood by their original estimate. They were very professional and left the job site clean.
"
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Recommended by88%of homeowners
Avatar for Roof Rx
Roof Rx
4.2(
1,190
)

Serving Santa Barbara, CA and surrounding areas

In business since 1998

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"not that great. basically paid $99 to get an estimate. included cleaning roof and minimal repairs. took a while to get appointment, and then when they came, they didn't even do the work! gave a really big estimate and then re-seheduled to have someone else do the work. they wouldn't totally replace the roof, gave different estimates to repair, I went with a different company to do a full roof rplacement."
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Roof Leak Repair
Recommended by81%of homeowners
Avatar for 1st Demo, Inc.
1st Demo, Inc.
4.9(
15
)

Serving Santa Barbara, CA and surrounding areas

In business since 1998

Free estimates

Offers commercial services

"I had my stucco stripped completely from my two story house. This task is quite labor intensive, and it would take me the rest of my year to do it, and I didnâ t want to do it. Cleanly done, no nails or detritus left around,worth it to me-very satisfied indeed- Dave Coon"
It is not done until clean
careful removals
Every detail is important
Roof removal
Same day progress

+1

Response time1 day
Response rate89%
Recommended by92%of homeowners
Showing 1-10 of 45
Excavating questions, answered by experts

Some two-in-one tools and machines do both jobs, and those could be the right solution for smaller residential projects. However, the phrase “use the right tool for the job” definitely applies to digging. For the best results, get two separate tools for your trenching and landscape edging projects or call a pro to take care of everything for you.

Landscape edging is more DIYable than trenching. You can DIY your own digging projects, but proceed carefully and only with proper knowledge of the equipment and appropriate safety measures in place. Keep in mind the project's scope and estimate how long it will take you to do it on your own. While you can certainly save money by DIYing home improvement projects, you can’t exactly hide an unfinished—or worse, ruined— landscaping job from the neighbors. It’s always safer to call an excavation pro near you to get an estimate.

Hard soil could be a sign of overly dry dirt, either from poor drainage or drought. It's important to test the nutrient levels, density, and drainage capacity of your soil to see if it's absorbing water properly. Begin by adding a light layer of water and observing how long the soil retains moisture. If you experience a good deal of runoff, you may need to aerate your lawn, apply a wetting agent, or hire a professional for a closer look.

You can dig 60 to 80 linear feet by hand per day depending on the depth. Digging a 100-foot trench by hand will take you two work days, but it can take longer if you have heavy or rocky soil. If you’re digging a deep trench or one that’s over 100 feet, consider renting a mechanical trencher, such as a walk-behind or ride-on, or calling a pro for help. 

Excavation and grading are both generally necessary for designing your foundation, and leveling the ground where your foundation will go. These steps can also prepare the area by removing vegetation and anything else that could interfere with your home’s foundation.

The Santa Barbara, CA homeowners’ guide to excavation services

From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.