Get matched with top excavation pros in Roland, OK

The best method for digging a trench depends on the scope of the project. For a short, shallow trench (less than 2 feet deep) in light, soft soil, digging by hand may be sufficient. However, digging by hand is labor-intensive, so consider the effort required. A machine trencher is the better option for longer trenches (over 100 feet), deeper ones, or when dealing with difficult soil conditions, such as rocky or hard ground, or obstructions like tree roots. A machine can save significant time and energy in these situations.

Prior to excavation, you should prepare the dig site and call 311 before you sign anything.

To get your site ready for excavation, you should move anything in the area that isn’t affixed to the land. You can save money on the excavation by removing hardscaping, including walkways, decks, concrete patios, and paver patios.

Before you carry out any digging, you should call 311 to confirm that there are no utility lines running through your excavation site. Skipping this step could lead to severe injury and property damage if your excavator hits a water, sewage, or gas line.

Most professional excavation teams will charge between $8 and $15 per cubic yard. Calculate the cost by finding the volume of your pool—width x length x depth—and dividing it by 27. Then, multiply the price by the cubic yards from your equation. Budget for complications like a rocky lawn, hard-to-access pool area, or high local labor prices.

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.