Princeton, NJ · Residential Earthwork
Princeton Excavation: Digging, Grading & Land Clearing in Princeton, NJ.
Get a Free Estimate
Fast, easy, no obligation. Firm written price after a site walk.
Princeton Excavation provides residential excavation for homeowners who need a hole dug, water moved, a driveway cut, or a lot opened up. Jobs run from a single backyard trench to a full building pad, across Princeton and nearby parts of Mercer and Somerset Counties. You get a free walk of the property, a written price, and a machine sized to your gate.
Firm Written Prices
The number we quote after the site walk is the number you pay, and NJ One Call marks the utilities before every dig.
- Licensed & Insured
- Owner-Operated
- By Appointment
- Princeton-Area Specialist
Two ways to book
Full projects
Full projects are quoted after a free site walk, with a $3,000 minimum.
You get a firm written price, and that is what you pay.
Day rates
Half Day
$1,600
+ $400 mobilization per machine
Full Day
$2,800
+ $400 mobilization per machine
- Crew and equipment on site
- The machine sized to your access, from our fleet
- Price agreed before we start
How long jobs typically take
- A single utility trench or small drainage job:
- typically a full day
- Foundation excavation:
- usually 4–8 days, depending on size
- Demolition of a single-story structure around 3,500 sq ft:
- typically 3–6 days
Materials, dumping and haul-off, and permits aren't assumed to be included. They're quoted separately when the job needs them.
Rent it yourself, or hire us
A rental gets you the machine for the day. Hiring us gets you the machine and an operator who runs it. Here are the real numbers.
Rental, United Rentals online quote
Rent both machines for one day
10,500 to 12,000 lb. mini excavator
Cat Class 907-0100
- Day rate
- $521.00
- Transportation to and from the jobsite
- $708.00
- Environmental fee
- $10.42
- One-day estimate
- $1,239.42
2,900 to 3,100 lb. compact track loader
Cat Class 903-0590
- Day rate
- $583.00
- Transportation to and from the jobsite
- $717.00
- One-day estimate, incl. fees
- $1,311.66
Both machines, one day
$2,551.08
No operator. You run them.
Princeton Excavation
Hire us, operator included
Half Day
$1,600
Full Day
$2,800
+ $400 mobilization per machine
An experienced operator is included.
A fair example
A half day with one machine and our operator is $2,000 ($1,600 + $400), versus $2,551.08 to rent both machines for a day and run them yourself.
Two machines for a full day with us is $3,600, more than the rental in raw dollars. The difference is who runs the machines.
Who runs the machine
Rental: You do, after learning the controls
Us: An experienced operator, included
Getting it there
Rental: A delivery and pickup charge, and a return window to meet
Us: We haul our own machines. Mobilization is a flat $400 per machine
The dirt
Rental: You dig, move, and spread it yourself
Us: The dirt actually gets moved and graded
If something gets hit or damaged
Rental: The risk is on you. Ask the rental desk about damage waiver and insurance
Us: Our crew handles the work
Extras on the rental
Rental: Fuel, damage waiver or insurance, and your own time
Us: The day rate and mobilization, agreed before we start
Before anyone digs
Both: Call NJ One Call (811). It's free, and required in NJ before digging.
Rental figures: United Rentals online quotes for Princeton, NJ, October 2026 (10,500 to 12,000 lb. mini excavator, Cat Class 907-0100; 2,900 to 3,100 lb. compact track loader, Cat Class 903-0590). Rental rates vary by date, location, and availability.
Book a Day RateExcavation & Earthwork Services
A handful of things we do well, each with the same care for the property around the work.
Foundation & Footing Excavation
Clean footings for additions, garages, pool houses, and sheds, dug to spec and ready for concrete.
View Service
Land & Lot Clearing
Brush, vegetation, and stumps cleared selectively, keeping the trees worth keeping.
View Service
Land Grading & Site Prep
Solid sub-base and yard grading for paver patios, pool decks, driveways, and level lawns.
View Service
Large Tree Planting
Mature, balled-and-burlapped trees set with an excavator. Privacy and shade now, not in ten years.
View Service- Tight-Access & Small-Job ExcavationBackyard digs through a 36-inch gate. The small excavation jobs big companies won't return calls about.
- French Drain InstallationExterior French drains built the right way: fabric, washed stone, perforated pipe, and an outlet that actually works.
- Yard Drainage SolutionsStanding water in the yard? We find where it's coming from first, then build the fix that matches.
- Driveway Excavation & Gravel DrivewaysFailed driveways dug out and rebuilt from the base up, finished in gravel or prepped for your paver.
- Inground Pool ExcavationPool digs to your builder's spec sheet, with the spoils and the access planned before the first bucket.
- Demolition & RemovalHouses, garages, interiors, commercial buildings, sheds, and decks taken down, hauled off, and graded where they stood.
- Pool Removal & Fill-InInground pools broken out, filled in compacted lifts, and graded back to lawn.
- Trenching & Utility TrenchesWater, sewer, electric, and gas trenches opened, bedded, and backfilled. Your licensed trade makes the connection.
- Septic System ExcavationTank pits, field excavation, and abandonment digs, done to your licensed septic contractor's plan.
- Test Pit & Perc Test ExcavationPits opened on schedule for perc tests, soil logs, and footing investigations, backfilled clean when the witness is done.
- Whole-Stump RemovalStumps pulled out whole, roots and all, then backfilled flush and ready for seed.
- Retaining Wall Excavation & Base PrepThe benched cut, compacted base course, and drainage that keep a wall standing straight.
- Shed Pads & Gravel BasesCompacted gravel pads for sheds, barns, and hot tubs, level to your installer's spec.
- Snow Removal & PlowingSnow plowing with a compact track loader for commercial lots, long driveways, and private roads.
The right-sized fleet
Good earthwork comes down to bringing the right machine, not the biggest one. Ours ranges from a tracked skid steer that fits a backyard gate up to a telehandler and dump truck. So we can get into tight residential spots and still handle foundations, clearing, grading, and material on the same property.
The right machine for the job
Our fleet runs from a tracked skid steer that fits a backyard gate up to a 5-ton excavator, telehandler, and dump truck. We match the equipment to your access and scope instead of forcing one machine to do everything.
Reaches tight spots
For fenced backyards and narrow side yards, our compact machines get into spaces full-size equipment can't. That means we can work close to the house and plantings without taking the garden apart to get in.
Careful around the work
We lay ground protection, plan the access route, and keep the work zone tidy. The lawns, trees, and hardscape around the dig are part of the job, and we leave the site clean.
Ready for the next trade
Spoils contained, work zone tidy, grades set with a laser. The next crew or your inspector finds the site ready to go.
Topsoil, fill and stone, delivered by the load
Need material for a project? We deliver bulk topsoil, fill dirt, sandy fill, and 3/4" clean stone across Somerset, Middlesex, and Mercer County. Prices are listed by the yard and the ton. Call with your order and we'll confirm the delivery fee and a drop-off time.
- Topsoil$45/yd
- Sandy / Fine Fill$30/yd
- 3/4" Clean Stone$70/ton
- Fill Dirt$15/yd
What homeowners say on Google
Real reviews from homeowners around Princeton.
Read all our reviews on Google- 5 out of 5 stars
Princeton Excavations is fantastic at their job. They always go the extra mile by explaining their services clearly and keeping clients updated on their progress. Their prices are fair, and they are very friendly to work with. They work hard and are always ready to get the job done quickly and efficiently.”
Ameena L.Google review
- 5 out of 5 stars
“Had a really great experience with Princeton Excavations. Service was done with high quality, efficiency, and precision, and they were exceedingly professional and a pleasure to do business with. Will absolutely be working with them again for future projects.”
Ahmed E.Google review
- 5 out of 5 stars
“Great work. Very professional. Would recommend to anyone!”
Ashley H.Google review
- 5 out of 5 stars
How a job goes
From the first call to a clean handover
Site Walk
We come look at the property by appointment, check the access and any constraints, and go over your plans or what you have in mind.
Marking & Layout
We set the layout on the ground with laser accuracy. Depths, lines, and elevations are marked before anything gets dug.
The Work
We bring the right machine for the access, lay ground protection where it's needed, and keep the mess around lawns, trees, and hardscape to a minimum.
Clean Handover
You're left with a site that's ready to go and a yard that's still in one piece, set up for whatever's next.
Permits and rules to sort out before a dig
Your town's engineering or zoning office has the final word, so check with it before work starts.
Call 811 first
New Jersey law requires notice to NJ One Call at least three full business days before digging, weekends and holidays not counted. We call it in before every dig.
Soil erosion plans and stormwater
If a project disturbs more than 5,000 square feet, the state's soil erosion law calls for a plan certified by your county's Soil Conservation District. Princeton also wants an on-site stormwater facility when a home project adds more than 400 square feet of net new impervious area, and stone driveways count.
Trees, brush, and protected land
Princeton requires a permit to remove a tree 6 inches in diameter at breast height or larger. Burning cleared brush is prohibited statewide. Work in riparian areas, wetlands, or flood hazard areas needs NJDEP approval. Other towns differ, so ask yours.
Recent work
A few recent jobs around the Princeton area: foundations, clearing, grading, and planting.
Residential excavation in Princeton, NJ
Most of what we dig is a hole or a trench next to somebody's house, with a lawn to protect and a buried line to avoid.
Foundation and footing digs for additions and garages
A new addition or detached garage starts with a clean, square hole and footing trenches cut to the right depth. In Mercer and Middlesex Counties, and every county north of them, New Jersey's building code sets frost depth at 36 inches, so footings have to bottom out below that line. We cut to your plans and leave the bottom firm for the inspector. See foundation excavation for additions and garages.
Backyard digs where a big machine will not fit
Many lots have a gate barely wider than a mower. Our tracked mini skid steer, the Dingo, rolls through it and leaves the front lawn alone. Read about tight-access excavation.
Pool digs and pool removals
We dig new pools and fill old ones, as inground pool excavation and pool removal and fill-in.
Utility trenching
Water, electric, gas, and drain lines each need a trench at the right depth. We get the markout first and backfill so the lawn does not sink. More on utility trenching for water, electric, and drain lines.
Septic work and test pits
We do the machine work for septic excavation and open test pits for soil evaluation so the engineer can read the soil profile.
Site work, drainage, and driveways
The other half of our work is shaping land: moving water off it, putting a drive on it, and clearing it so something can be built.
Soggy yards and French drains
If water sits in a low corner or runs toward the foundation, a perforated pipe in a stone trench usually moves it. See French drain installation for wet yards. Typical New Jersey ranges run about $10 to $50 per linear foot, and the real number comes from walking the yard.
New and rebuilt driveways
A driveway is only as good as what is under it. We strip, cut to depth, compact, and pitch it before any stone goes down. Our page on driveway excavation and gravel driveways covers the details. For budgeting, gravel drives commonly land around $4 to $10 per square foot in this market.
Overgrown lots and building sites
Overgrowth here is often multiflora rose, honeysuckle, barberry, and tree-of-heaven. Stumps get pulled, not ground, and brush is chipped or hauled because burning is not allowed. Details on land and brush clearing.
Grading and site prep
Regrading fixes the slope near the house or sets finish grade before seed. See grading and site prep.
Retaining walls and shed pads
A wall needs a proper trench and compacted base, or it leans. A shed needs a flat pad, or the doors stop closing. We do the dig and stone for retaining wall excavation and build shed pads and gravel bases.
Drainage beyond the French drain
Sometimes the fix is a swale, a regraded bank, or a downspout line run out to daylight. Our overview of drainage solutions explains how we choose.
Service Areas
We work by appointment across the area, including excavation in Hopewell Township, Montgomery and Skillman, West Windsor and Princeton Junction, excavation in Lawrence Township, and Plainsboro, along with Princeton itself.
Princeton, Hopewell Township, Montgomery & Skillman, and surrounding Mercer and Somerset County, NJ.
Don't see your town? Ask us →- PrincetonMercer County
- Hopewell TownshipMercer County
- Montgomery & SkillmanSomerset County
- West WindsorMercer County
- Lawrence TownshipMercer County
- PenningtonMercer County
- RobbinsvilleMercer County
- Hamilton TownshipMercer County
- PlainsboroMiddlesex County
- CranburyMiddlesex County
- South BrunswickMiddlesex County
- HillsboroughSomerset County
- EwingMercer County
Frequently Asked Questions
We work throughout the greater Princeton, NJ area. That includes Princeton, Hopewell Township, Montgomery, and Skillman, plus the surrounding Mercer and Somerset County towns. Everything is by appointment.
Usually, yes. Our most compact machine is a tracked skid steer that fits through a standard backyard gate, so we can work fenced rear yards and narrow side yards that full-size equipment can't get to. For bigger jobs we bring a larger excavator, telehandler, or dump truck. We confirm the access and the right machine when we walk your property.
We stick to residential work: foundations, land clearing, grading and site prep, and tree planting. Staying in that lane is what lets us do it well and treat your property like it matters.
Full projects that we scope and quote have a $3,000 minimum, because getting a machine to your property and back takes the same effort whether the work lasts an hour or a full day. For smaller jobs, you can book our crew and machine by the day: $1,600 for a half day or $2,800 for a full day, plus $400 mobilization per machine. You can also combine tasks, like a few stumps plus some grading, into one quoted project.
Send us a note through the contact page. We'll set up a time to walk your property, talk through access and scope, and follow up by email with a plan.
Sometimes. Jobs that disturb more than 5,000 square feet need a soil erosion plan from your county's Soil Conservation District, and Princeton wants a stormwater facility when a home project adds more than 400 square feet of new impervious surface. Trees, wetlands, and flood areas have their own rules. Your town has the final word.
In Mercer and Middlesex Counties, and every county north of them, New Jersey's building code puts frost depth at 36 inches. Footings have to bottom out below that line. Your plans and inspector set the exact depth.
Typical New Jersey ranges run about $10 to $50 per linear foot. That is a market range, not our quote. After a free site walk you get one firm written price.
Yes. Spoil from a dig and cleared brush can leave on our dump truck, and brush can be chipped. Burning is not allowed in New Jersey. The written price covers it.
Let's walk your site.
Every property is a little different. Set up a time and we'll come look at the access, talk through what you have in mind, and tell you the best way to go about it.
Request a Site Visit