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    Average homeowner rating
  • Verified reviews icon14
    Verified excavation services reviews

Find Excavation pros in Princeton

Avatar for D's Fencing, LLC
D's Fencing, LLC
4.8(
53
)
Landscape - Minor Grading or Resloping

Serving Princeton, NJ and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2012

Free estimates

Warranties offered

"Amazing job installing wood fence. Quick response. Hard workers. Very impressed with this company, if you need a fence this is the company you should call. No talking to machines! JiI called Sunday job completed Wednesday 5 stars!!!"
  Fence
Chain Link Fences
Chain Link Fences
Aluminum Fence
Aluminum Fence

+36

1 neighbors recently requested a quote
Recommended by100%of homeowners
Avatar for Long Hill Contracting, LLC
Long Hill Contracting, LLC
4.9(
28
)
Building Site - Preparation and ClearingBuilding Site - Preparation and Clearing - For Business

Serving Princeton, NJ and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2017

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"If anyone is looking to get grading and land level I recommend that you use Long Hill Contracting. Dave, who is the owner comes out to your home and does a walk thru. He asks questions on what you are looking to get down. He then present vision of your project with you. The projects turnaround time was very quick. He is extremely professional, project pricing is fair/reasonable and he goes out of his way to work within your budget. Thank you Dave!"
Excavation of contaminated soil
Loading truck for disposal of contaminated soil
Backfilling excavation with certified clean
Placement of clean material
Remediation complete

+45

Response time10 hrs
Recommended by100%of homeowners
Avatar for N and J Hardscaping Landscaping, LLC
N and J Hardscaping Landscaping, LLC
4.8(
14
)
Landscape - Minor Grading or Resloping

Serving Princeton, NJ and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2004

Free estimates

Customers say: Quick response

"Nelson came out quickly, looked at the job, and gave me great ideas and a fair estimate. The work was performed beautifully and in less time than I expected. My new steps and walk were lovely, and I never would have thought of the design myself. I am more than pleased with his wonderful work."
Response time2 days
10 neighbors recently requested a quote
Recommended by91%of homeowners
Avatar for Panaro Outdoor Design, LLC
Panaro Outdoor Design, LLC
4.3(
172
)
Landscape - Minor Grading or Resloping

Serving Princeton, NJ and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 1979

Free estimates

Small jobs welcome

"Gino and his team did a great job!! I tried to do this project alone and realized I was not up to the task. Gino came to our home on Sunday because he realized, I was in trouble. Gino and team did the excavation, concrete base then built a beautiful paver patio well above our expectations. He was honest, helpful and charged a very fair price. He made us feel very comfortable and did not take advantage of us knowing the predicament and poor shape of our backyard was in after I tried to do this project myself. The very same day he came to assess the job, he realized my backyard needed to be fixed ASAP. Gino started up the skid steer I rented, rolled up his sleeves and said, “Let’s get this backyard into shape and then we will talk numbers. First, you need some help, then we will talk business.” I could tell he was not going to rip me off, but I knew he was just genuinely trying to help. He saved me form any possible flooding and drainage issues prior to when he and his team could officially start the job. He's a good man, I can't say enough great things about Gino and his team."
Pavers Down
Pavers Finished and Locked in
Gino himself putting the finishing touches
Beautiful shrubs
Another walkway done

+299

Response time1 day
Response rate88%
11 neighbors recently requested a quote
Avatar for Alliance Service Professionals, LLC
Alliance Service Professionals, LLC
4.3(
22
)
Building Site - Preparation and ClearingBuilding Site - Preparation and Clearing - For BusinessExcavation - Major Grading or Resloping+2 more

Serving Princeton, NJ and surrounding areas

Approved (Corporate)

In business since 2018

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"I hired Alliance to complete several jobs in my newly purchased home including: 1. bringing bathroom and kitchen plumbing up to code, 2. installing a garbage disposal and faucet, 3. installing a new toilet and fixing plumbing to toilet, and 4. multiple pinpoint leaks and pipe corrosion in the basement plumbing. From the start, it was such an easy and stress-free process. Communication was constant through email and text about the service dates and ETA of the team members, which was fantastic as I was traveling back and forth between my current and new home. The estimator (Mike) was at my home the day after I made the initial call and walked through everything with me in a friendly, well-informed, and pressure-less manner. He never tried to upsell me and, in fact, helped me prioritize the most important items to address. The plumbing technician (Andrew) was at my house five days later with all of the required materials and worked for 8 hours on the various items. He even found and fixed another broken component while working which probably saved me additional stress and money! At the end of the service, he walked through all of the fixes, went over the warranties associated with them, and ensured my satisfaction before processing payment. He was so impressive that another contractor working on the painting in my home asked him for Alliance's business card. I would hire Alliance again for any plumbing need and would recommend them without hesitation to friends, family, strangers, or anyone else with plumbing needs!"
Before
Long view of completed work
Close up of completed work
Additional Photos
Additional Photos

+19

8 neighbors recently requested a quote
Recommended by90%of homeowners
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Excavating questions, answered by experts

Excavation is priced in cubic yards, so you’ll need to find the volume of the area in order to calculate costs. Multiply the length, width, and proposed depth of your excavation site, then convert it into yards to get the volume. Multiply this figure by the price per cubic yard.

Most homeowners can measure by hand to get a rough estimate, even if it’s tedious. You may want to pull out a tape measure or use a string to help mark the area.

There are many ways to cut through roots when digging, especially if your trencher doesn’t seem to be removing the roots. First, use a shovel to expose the roots. Then, use gardening shears to clear out smaller roots or a reciprocating saw to remove larger plant roots. If you plan on keeping the plant, avoid cutting any roots over 2 inches thick.

Directional drilling is complex and requires training to use the advanced machinery. It can be challenging to monitor the position of the drill since there’s no direct line of sight. Directional drilling can also be more expensive with a cost of $10 to $30 per linear foot compared to $5 to $12 per linear foot for trenching. 

The time it takes to build a pool—and dig out the area—varies based on the pool size and type. A professional excavator will take between four and eight hours to dig a pool. The process will take longer if they encounter large boulders or tree roots. Keep in mind that this is a small part of the process in the long run. You will need between eight and 12 weeks to build a pool from start to finish, including the time to apply for permits.

The best way to protect tree roots is to avoid the roots entirely by excavating outside the root radius of the tree. For nearby projects, it’s a good idea to construct a temporary retaining wall. But that’s not always possible, depending on the project and the root system. In these cases, consider using alternative equipment like an auger to tunnel under the ground.

Remember, tree roots can damage nearby cement foundations as they grow. If a tree is close enough to interfere with large excavations, it may be better to remove the tree than risk future problems.

The Princeton, NJ homeowners’ guide to excavation services

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