Princeton, Mercer County
Excavation & Earthwork in Princeton, NJ
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Fast, easy, no obligation. Firm written price after a site walk.
Princeton Excavation takes a careful, right-sized approach to foundations, land clearing, and grading on the town's trickier properties.
Few towns are less forgiving of careless excavation than Princeton. Old shade trees, stone walls, slate walks, and additions tucked between protected setbacks mean there's rarely room to swing a full-size machine, and rarely any patience for damage to what's already there.
That's the kind of work we set up for. A fleet that runs from a gate-width skid steer up to a 5-ton excavator lets us reach footings for an addition behind a 1920s colonial, or clear an overgrown corner of a bigger lot, with a machine sized to the access instead of one forced into it.
Every job is owner-operated and by appointment, so the person who walks your property to price it is the same person running the machine on the day.
- Licensed & Insured
- Owner-Operated
- By Appointment
- Princeton-Area Specialist
Working around what's already there
From the tight, tree-lined streets near the University and the Western Section to the bigger wooded parcels out toward the Princeton Ridge, it's the same story: narrow access and a lot to lose. Side yards are tight, root zones are protected, and hardscape isn't cheap to replace.
So we plan each job around the property. We lay ground protection, route the equipment along the least sensitive path, and keep the spoils contained, so when we're done it looks like the only thing that changed is the part you wanted changed.
Also serving nearby: Princeton Junction · Lawrenceville · Pennington · Hopewell
Excavation services in Princeton
The same disciplines, tailored to Princeton properties.
Foundation & Footing Excavation
Clean footings for additions, garages, pool houses, and sheds, dug to spec and ready for concrete.
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Land & Lot Clearing
Brush, vegetation, and stumps cleared selectively, keeping the trees worth keeping.
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Land Grading & Site Prep
Solid sub-base and yard grading for paver patios, pool decks, driveways, and level lawns.
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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.
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.
Princeton: Common Questions
Usually, yes. Our most compact machine is a tracked skid steer that fits through standard gates and narrow side yards, so we can work fenced backyards near the University, the Western Section, and similar areas, often without taking down fencing. We confirm the access for the right machine when we walk the site.
Yes. We mark the root zones, stone walls, and walkways when we walk the site, lay ground protection, and route the equipment around them. Looking after what's already there is most of the job.
Yes. We're a licensed and insured New Jersey contractor (HIC# 13VH11625300) and work by appointment throughout Princeton and the surrounding towns.
Service Areas
- 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
Planning earthwork in Princeton?
Request a by-appointment site visit and we'll walk your Princeton property to plan the right approach.
Request a Site Visit