All You Need to Know Before Hiring Excavation Contractors in Australia

Are you looking to get excavation work done in Australia? Are you trying to find out how much exactly would it cost you to get the job done? This article will break down excavation for you, providing all the nitty gritty of such kind of work.

Excavation contractors accomplish different types of tasks, which include basement excavation, excavating the foundation for a new house, swimming pool, garage, shed, renovations, extensions, driveways, poles, stormwater pits, drains, clearing of land, leveling of land, landscaping, etc. Contractors in Australia also excavate to create drainage on agricultural plots, clear grounds for construction, create trenches, and remove dirt and debris. Further, they also carry out various other soil-hauling related work.

Excavation-related work has to be meticulously planned for safety and compliance purposes. Further, there are other health-related, and safety regulations as mentioned in the Excavation Work – Code of Practice, that have to be adhered to. Contractors working excavation also have to adhere to the Code of Practice: Construction Work for site safety purposes. Access the list of the top 100 excavation and construction companies in Australia, also known as Tier 1 companies.

Before starting any excavation, certain mandatory tasks have to be performed to avoid possible risks. Companies have to find out a map of essential underground utility lines, get a soil test done, measure the land to know when it is safe to begin building, and when ground levelling is necessitated to avoid moisture, flooding, a pump line has to be drilled, etc. Last, but not least, comes safety equipment and moisture.

All about Excavation Costs

So, what factors affect the excavation cost of a project? Let’s find out.

• Area Size: As is apparent, a more significant area costs more since it takes longer to get the job done. Most excavation businesses charge by the hour.

• Accessibility: Costs also depend on how easy it is to access the area to be excavated. If it is a large and open area, then they are easier to access. This helps in keeping the costs down. If the target area is difficult to reach, specialized heavy machinery is used. The associated fees will increase because of this.

• Soil Type: Sandy soil makes for more natural excavation. However, if the area is rocky, or if there are trees, the degree of difficulty increases, adding to the cost.

• Equipment used: Every excavation project is unique and based on the demands of each, different machinery may be used. If a project needs more significant machinery, then this spikes the project costs. Different types of equipment include excavators, bulldozers, track mounted mini dumpers, tip trucks, compactors, diamond drills, augurs and more.

• Money Talk: Excavation and earthmoving services in Australian states and territories cost $90/hr on an average. The cost can increase depending on the size of the area, ease of access, and equipment used. The price ranges from $80/hr to $100/hr. Other than this, there are float charges (if the material cannot be parked on-site), travel costs to deliver the machinery to the site address, penalty charges (for wear and tear of machinery) and other surcharges.  Let’s consider the costs of specific common excavation jobs in Australia. The cost of excavating a house ranges from $2,000 to $5,000 on an average. If you want to get a basement excavated, then it will cost you on a percentage somewhere in the range of $8,500 and $15,000. To excavate a driveway of standard dimensions, you will have to shell out somewhere in the range of $300 and $1,500. If you want to excavate a swimming pool for your home, then it may cost you in the range of $1,350 to $12,000. To level land, the charges range from $1,000 to $6,000.

• Labour Cost: Labour costs are directly related to how complicated the job is, and machinery that has been used.