If you’ve never booked excavation work before, not knowing what to expect is completely normal — most homeowners only need this done once or twice in a lifetime. Here’s what a typical small job actually looks like from start to finish.
Before the machine arrives
A quick phone conversation about the job — what’s being dug, roughly how big, and any access constraints — is usually enough to quote accurately over the phone or with a couple of photos. Underground services (power, water, gas lines) should be checked or marked before digging starts; ask if this has been arranged if you’re unsure.
On the day
- The excavator and operator arrive at the agreed time, ready to work — no separate setup crew or delivery truck to wait on with a 2T mini excavator, it’s trailered straight to site
- A quick walk-through on site confirms exactly what’s being dug and where
- The digging itself for a typical trench or hole job is usually a matter of hours, not days
- Spoil (the dug-up material) is either piled on site for you to deal with, or removed — worth confirming which when you book
After the digging
A good operator leaves the site tidy — no forgotten equipment, no unnecessary mess beyond what the job itself required. If the job feeds into other trades (an electrician running cable through your trench, for example), it’s worth timing the booking so they can follow straight in.
What actually varies job to job
Access (a narrow side gate vs. open driveway), ground conditions (clay, rock, tree roots), and whether spoil needs removing are the three things that change a quote and a timeline the most — mentioning these upfront when you call gets you a more accurate picture before the day itself.
First time booking a dig? Tell us what you’re picturing and we’ll walk you through exactly what to expect for your specific job.