Excavation costs vary depending on many factors such as area, soil type, depth, terrain and type of debris.
The average excavation cost per cubic metre of standard soil is around $50. Excavation cost per cubic metre for removing brush, trees, roots, logs, rocks, boulders, large debris and other unwanted materials may be as high as $150.
Here is an example of how to calculate land excavation cost:
Site 1: Labour: 15 man-hours @ $150 per man hour = $2250 Fuel: Two hours at $30 an hour = $60 Equipment: One truck, one loader and one excavator for 4 hours = $1000 Plus cost of site access (if not already included in the excavation quote) $80 Total Cost of Site 1 = $3330.
Site 2: Labour: 20 man-hours @ $150 per man hour = $3000 Fuel: Four hours at $30 an hour = $120 Equipment: One truck, one loader and one excavator for 4 hours = $1000 Plus cost of site access (if not already included in the excavation quote) = $100 Total Cost of Site 2 =$4020.
Still, an excavation cost calculator can help you determine the estimated excavator cost for your specific project, be it a swimming pool, house foundation or any other construction project. Generally, the excavation rates in New South Wales are at $90 an hour, $88 in Western Australia, $100 in Australian Capital Territory and $80 in South Australia. On average, earthmoving rates range between $80 and $100.
Excavation is essential for landscaping, pool installation or preparing a sloping block for construction. Land excavation services vary depending on the terrain, whether it's a flat surface or a sloping surface. The depth of dirt should be at least three meters to allow for proper filling if needed.
There are many kinds of excavating work that can be done, depending on the specialisation of the excavation contractor. Some examples are pipelines, ditches, trenches, foundations, swimming pools, ponds, septic systems and excavating basements. Other examples include excavating an inground pool and land grading where grading costs are charged per square metre.Excavation machinery varies depending on the type of work you need to do. Some projects may require heavy equipment while others may require light machinery. The recommended equipment is below.
Excavator (Bobcat, Mini-excavator, All Terrain Excavator)
Drill rig
Backhoe loader 3 to 5-meter buckets
If the job involves more than one dump site, then you might need a skip loader with a hydraulic arm and dump bucket which can load excavated materials onto trucks. In addition, if the excavation is over 1m deep it may be necessary to bring in a crane to handle large rocks or trees. The cost for this specialised equipment varies from $50 per hour up to $200 an hour depending on the size of your excavation project. The cost increases if it's needed for more time.
The average cost of renting an excavator for a day can be $500 on the low and $1000 on the high end, depending on the type and size of the excavator. Excavation companies will, however, charge you more if you need the combined service of the excavator and tip truck or track-mounted mini dumpers. Daily rental costs can get more expensive if it's for over a long period and you need additional equipment like diamond drills and diamond blade rock saws. Be aware of other charges that may arise like travel costs before hiring an excavator because hiring companies dictate the charges.
Earth pressure balance (EPB) machines are excavators equipped with special hydraulics that provide greater control than other models during horizontal slicing. They are used in underground utility and construction projects because they allow for greater excavation capacity, faster work speeds and better surface finish than conventional excavators. They work by adding an insertion tube to the excavator that is longer than conventional buckets. The added length means it can stay submerged in soft material like sand or clay for longer periods, take larger bites and work more quickly than traditional models. This specialised machinery is used when working with unstable surfaces because they allow professional excavators to maintain contact with the ground while digging.
An excavator is a versatile piece of equipment that can be used for digging trenches. However, if you are going to dig a trench it may be more cost-effective to rent a trencher instead of an excavator as they cut through the ground using a disc blade and do not need additional attachments.
A trencher is an excavation machine that uses a rotating disc blade to cut through sand, gravel, dirt or other types of loose material. It can dig ditches up to 90 cm deep for utility lines and gas pipelines. As the blade follows along the ground it cuts ridges on both sides of its path. The final result is a narrow ditch with sloped walls that will prevent water from pooling. This type of heavy machinery can also be used for laying pipes under roads, railways and highways by making trenches only 40 to 50 mm deep.
A mini excavator is a smaller version of an excavator that has some features that make it useful in small excavation projects. It does not have a shovel on its arm but it has other useful attachments like a ripper tooth bucket, rock grabber bucket, grapple buckets, pallet forks etc. The mini excavator is very useful when you need to work in tight spaces or where larger machines cannot fit because of the size of the job. The total price to buy or rent a mini excavator varies depending on the make and model.
A Bobcat is a tracked vehicle that can carry small loads. It has high manoeuvrability and speed which make it perfect for use in small excavation businesses like digging post holes, trenching or moving light objects. For larger jobs, Bobcats are often used to transport equipment. The hourly rental rates for bobcats vary according to make and model but their average price is around $300 per day. They are ideal for jobs where a mini excavator is not suitable such as light digging and transporting objects.
A backhoe loader is an excavation machine that uses its arms to carry out different types of excavation work including digging, trenching and loading material to a truck from excavated area. The arm has two primary buckets: the dipper and the clamshell bucket. A rear-mounted dozer blade is attached below them to help with horizontal movement when required. Backhoe loaders are designed for construction and small civil engineering projects because they can both dig and transport excavated material quickly on site.
For more information on excavation, take a look at Safe Work Australia.