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Avatar for LDS EXCAVATING
LDS EXCAVATING
5.0(
4
)
Building Site - Preparation and ClearingBuilding Site - Preparation and Clearing - For Business

Serving Salem, NY and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2025

Free estimates

"I highly recommend LDS! They responded promptly to my septic emergency, making time in their schedule between other visits to come by to assess the issue. They let me know exactly what was going on. They even showed me a camera view of what the pipes looked like and where they were failing. David provided several options to update my system which I plan to do with LDS in the future. He also explained what was needed to fix the current problem. They were onsite and completed the needed repair quickly. Other companies would only provide estimates to replace the entire system but LDS fixed the immediate issue to make it all work! Fair pricing, honest communication and prompt service."
Response time3 hrs
Response rate94%
5 neighbors recently requested a quote
Avatar for The Solutions Construction
The Solutions Construction
4.4(
7
)
Building Site - Preparation and ClearingExcavation - Major Grading or Resloping

Serving Salem, NY and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2018

Free estimates

Small jobs welcome

"This company is one of the best iv every worked with as a female itâ s hard to trust that Iâ m not being taken advantage of because Iâ m not familiar with the industry but the solution construction educated me on everything I needed to know to make me feel comfortables and trusting them and they built an addition for my house that maid it my dream space for a very fair price never late always keeping me updated and happy to make my dreams come to life 5 stars is a under statement highly recommended"
Hunting camp/Cabin
Garden Shed/ATV Garage
Garage Door Shed
Garage Door Shed
Tiki Bar

+14

Response time1 day
4 neighbors recently requested a quote
Recommended by71%of homeowners
Avatar for Day and Sons Enterprises LLC
Day and Sons Enterprises LLC
4.6(
10
)
Landscape - Minor Grading or Resloping

Serving Salem, NY and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2021

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"Ryan has provided top-notch service in taking care of my mother-in-law‘s house – mowing, trimming, plowing, etc., and has always been attentive and responding to any requests. I highly recommend this service."
Mulch
Mulch
12 neighbors recently requested a quote
Recommended by20%of homeowners
Avatar for Drew's Driveways and Landscaping
Drew's Driveways and Landscaping
3.8(
16
)
Landscape - Minor Grading or Resloping

Serving Salem, NY and surrounding areas

Approved

In business since 2019

Free estimates

Warranties offered

"We are selling a house and needed to have someone clean out the house , cellar and garage . Drew responded to our request immediately and actually completed the job within a couple of days undercutting the quote we had with another company . Highly recommend and plan to hire him for some landscaping work !"
New crushed slate driveway
New crushed slate driveway
New crushed slate driveway
Regrading and resurfacing driveway
Regrading and resurfacing driveway

+117

Response time1 day
5 neighbors recently requested a quote
Recommended by92%of homeowners
Avatar for Kej enterprise llc
Kej enterprise llc
5.0(
1
)
Building Site - Preparation and ClearingExcavation - Major Grading or Resloping

Serving Salem, NY and surrounding areas

Approved

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

Small jobs welcome

"I had a stump ground down and needed the area cleaned up afterward, and I couldn’t be happier with the service I received. Bryan was quick to respond, communicated clearly throughout the entire process, and showed up exactly when he said he would. The job was done quickly and efficiently, and he was very friendly and professional the whole time. Everything was cleaned up great afterward. I would absolutely recommend him to others and would definitely hire him again in the future!"
15 neighbors recently requested a quote
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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.

The best type of soil to build on is a mixture of sand and clay, known as loam soil. Loam soil has the best combination of these soil types to build a foundation on. The clay particles help with water retention, so it won’t erode like sandy soil might, and the sandy particles help with drainage, so you won’t see unsafe soil expansion or have an increased risk of leaks from water sitting against your foundation.

Professional installers often include a deep layer of crushed gravel under permeable pavers to allow more runoff to soak through into the soil below. Many installations will include multiple layers of gravel, with coarser aggregate at the base and finer aggregate that sits on top of that bottom layer. Above the gravel, you’ll often find coarse sand that helps reduce paver shifting over time. Some permeable paver designs include a water collection system set into the gravel layer to route runoff to a safe area for disposal.

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. 

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.

The Salem, NY homeowners’ guide to excavation services

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