For 2026, HomeGuide's national excavation range is $2.50 to $15.00 per cubic yard, and most home projects total $1,100 to $5,600. Around Vancouver, the season matters as much as the soil: sandy flood gravel digs easily year round, while north county clay can be impossible to work in January.
We did not set the dollar figures on this page: they are national ranges from HomeGuide. In Clark County, wet-season clay, trees, slope, groundwater and haul distance are what push a real job up or down. Figures checked October 2026.
How much does excavation cost in Vancouver?
Excavation cost for a Clark County home project usually falls within HomeGuide's national $1,100 to $5,600, against a national average of $3,500, with very small jobs around $500 and big ones near $20,000. HomeGuide has no Vancouver figure. Soil volume, wet clay, trees in the way, access and haul-off decide yours.
| Type of job | National range, HomeGuide |
|---|---|
| Foundation pad for a new home | $1,500 to $10,000 |
| Excavation around an existing house | $5,000 to $15,000 |
| Driveway, patio or deck pad | $1,000 to $2,500 |
| Hillside or slope work | $1,000 to $5,000 |
| Grading before a new lawn | $1,000 to $5,000 |
| Rock or ledge removal | $1,000 to $20,000+ |
| Sewer, septic or drainage trench | $500 to $1,200 |
What does excavation cost per cubic yard here?
Per cubic yard, HomeGuide's bands are $2.50 to $6.00 for light soil, $6.00 to $10.00 for average soil and $10.00 to $15.00 for heavy, wet soil or loose rock, labor and machine included. Basalt that must be hammered runs $50 to $200 or more. Saturated winter clay belongs in the heavy, wet row.
Do excavators price by the square foot or by the acre?
For shallow, spread-out work they sometimes do: HomeGuide lists $1 to $5 per square foot and $1,000 to $3,000 per acre. Basements and footings are priced by the job or the cubic yard, because depth, pumping and shoring drive the time.
What do excavators charge per hour in Clark County?
An operator who brings an excavator, backhoe or skid steer runs $100 to $300 per hour on HomeGuide's national page, and an operator running your rented machine $50 to $150. Expect a one-day or eight-hour minimum, since trailering a machine to Brush Prairie or La Center takes the same time for any job.
What does it cost for an excavator and operator for a full day?
Eight hours at $100 to $300 comes to roughly $800 to $2,400 for the day. Without an operator, renting a mini excavator is $200 to $700 for a day and $800 to $1,700 for a week. Self-rental makes sense only on dry, easy ground where you know every buried line.
What will a mini excavator job cost?
A mini excavator is billed at the same $100 to $300 an hour, usually with a day minimum. Minis fit between houses in Hazel Dell and older Vancouver neighborhoods, but in sticky clay they move little soil per hour, so a large dig with one can end up costing more.
Is there a minimum charge for small digs?
Usually. HomeGuide reports that many excavators set a minimum project fee of $500 to $800, because loading and moving the machine costs the same for an hour's work as for a day's.
What does a small backyard dig cost?
HomeGuide puts small backyard landscaping digs at $500 to $1,000, and larger yard projects for drainage, pipe or erosion at up to $5,000. In Vancouver, the small job grows when roots from big firs fill the trench line or the yard is too wet to drive on.
What does hauling away dirt cost?
On HomeGuide's dirt removal page, hauling dirt away runs $140 to $230 per cubic yard, or $1,400 to $2,300 for a dump truck load. Saturated soil weighs more, so wet dirt runs $210 to $300 a cubic yard, and rocky dirt $175 to $265.
Is hauling included in my excavation price?
It may or may not be included, so check. On rural lots, good soil can often be spread or used for grading on site, which costs far less than hauling. In town, most spoil from a basement or an ADU footing leaves by truck.
What does fill dirt cost delivered?
HomeGuide's fill page lists fill dirt at $5 to $25 a cubic yard, topsoil at $10 to $50 and a 10 to 15 yard bulk load at $150 to $600, with spreading at $200 to $400. Under slabs and driveways here, crushed rock usually replaces fill because native clay will not compact when wet.
Why are my quotes so far apart?
The quotes differ because the bidders assumed different jobs. One included wet-season rock, erosion control, tree work and haul-off; another priced a summer dig with the spoil left on site. Compare them line by line: volume, depth, rock and fabric, hauling, fill, compaction, erosion control, permits and cleanup.
Should I pay by the hour or ask for a fixed price?
Pick a fixed price when the job is clear, such as a basement with plans and a soil report. Hourly fits uncertain work, like tracing a broken drain line. For jobs that may slip into the rainy season, a fixed price with a written rate for extra rock or pumping is fair to both sides.
Tell us about your project and we will come look at the ground, then send the scope and the price in writing. Call or text (360) 276-9112.