Excavation estimate?

Question

I'm need a hole dug in my back yard...it's going to be 15' x 12' x 36" deep. Nothing special, just dirt...

I have one estimate from an acquaintance who's in that line of work, but it seems a bit high for 'digging a hole'.

Can someone ballpark for me what something like this should cost?

My estimate was $1400...it seemed pretty high...

Answer 1

Rent a backhoe like a Case 580 or similar, should be about $200 a day, and that should take less than a day even for a novice. The guys near me I hired to dig out 2 15" tree stumps to put in a garage wanted $200.00 per stump, pretty much the same as everyone. I hired them for expediency, but the second time I rented one.
Backhoe operators typically charge MUCH less than excavator operators. Like 75% less.

Answer 2

We need to have a portion of our yard dug out to a depth of 4 inches (60' x 8') to have an imitation lawn installed, and the estimate is $5,000. I guess that excavation is just way more expensive than we think it should be.

I have offered $50 per hour to a yard man to do it, but so far, no takers.

Answer 3

It depends on the soil, if its rocky or hard clay, it will take longer and should cost more. I usually hire excavators by the hour, not the job. a hole this size should be around $400. It also depends if you need dirt moved around or hauled away. Equipment is very costly to run.

Answer 4

Around our area of Michigan it runs around 12 to 14 hundred dollars for a hole, yes, just digging a hole.

Answer 5

I agree with the first poster.

You also have to decide what to do with the dirt. If it's removed it'll need to be hauled away. That's costly too.