How to Bid Excavation Work and Get More Excavation Jobs
How to bid an excavation job
In this article
To bid excavation work, visit the site and study the plans, calculate cut, fill and haul quantities, estimate machine and labour hours, add trucking, disposal, materials, mobilisation and testing, then add overhead and profit. To get more jobs, build relationships with builders and general contractors, and watch public bid boards.
Step 1: Site visit and plans
Check access, soil, rock, water, slopes, existing utilities and trees. Read the plans and specs carefully, including compaction and testing requirements.
Step 2: Quantities
- Cubic yards = length × width × depth (ft) ÷ 27
- Account for swell (soil expands when dug) and shrink (compaction)
- Calculate cut, fill, import and export amounts
Step 3: Equipment and labour
Estimate production (yards per hour) for each machine, then:
Machine hours × hourly machine cost + operator hours × wage burden
Step 4: Other costs
| Cost | Examples |
|---|---|
| Trucking | Loads × cost per load |
| Disposal | Dump or tipping fees |
| Materials | Gravel, pipe, fabric, fill |
| Mobilisation | Moving machines to and from site |
| Testing | Compaction tests |
| Permits | Grading or erosion permits |
| Erosion control | Silt fence, inlet protection |
Step 5: Overhead and profit
Add a share of overhead (office, insurance, yard) and your profit margin. Include contingency for rock or bad soil, or exclude it clearly.
Step 6: Write the bid
Scope, quantities, exclusions (rock, dewatering, unsuitable soil), schedule, payment terms and unit prices for extra work.
How to find excavation work
- Builders and home builders
- General contractors and developers
- Concrete, septic and landscaping companies
- Public bids from cities, counties and utilities
- Google Business Profile and a strong website
- Referrals from engineers and surveyors
Related: How to run a successful excavation company and How to bid concrete jobs.
Frequently asked questions
How do you bid an excavation job?
Calculate quantities and machine hours, add trucking, disposal and other costs, then overhead and profit.
How do I calculate excavation cubic yards?
Length × width × depth in feet ÷ 27, then adjust for swell and compaction.
How do I find excavation work?
Builders, general contractors, public bid boards and referrals.
What should an excavation bid exclude?
Commonly rock, dewatering and unsuitable soils unless priced separately.
How do I get more excavating jobs?
Build relationships, bid often, finish on schedule and get reviews.
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Start a conversationWritten by Sachin Rawat
AI & automation engineer · websites, apps and motion design
I build AI agents, automations, websites, apps and motion design for businesses. These guides answer the questions people actually search, written from hands-on experience building them.
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