Honest and Fair Price Ranges
Real ballpark numbers — not bait-and-switch. Every project is different, so we quote in writing after walking the site.
No surprise invoices. Ever.
We publish ranges because they’re honest — not because they’re the final number. Every property, every scope, every access situation is different. The only way to give you a real price is to walk the site.
Here’s what the ranges below cover:
- Typical scope for the service
- Standard access and working conditions
- North Idaho soil and weather reality
- Our equipment, operators, and fuel
What drives the price up?
- Dense vegetation and forest — thicker stands, more passes, slower production
- Steep terrain — slower work, more equipment passes
- Buried surprises — ledge rock, stumps, old fill
- Limited access — small gates, soft ground, long hauls
- Permit complexity — engineered walls, advanced septic
- Material hauls — import fill or export spoils
What can bring it down?
- Combining multiple services in one mobilization
- Flexible scheduling during slower weeks
- On-site material you can re-use
| Service | Typical range | What shifts the price |
|---|---|---|
| Site Preparation View service → |
$3,000 – $15,000+ Highly variable — small lots to multi-acre builds |
Scope, acreage, haul-off volume, and rock content are the main drivers. |
| Excavation (hourly) View service → |
$125 – $225 / hr Operator + machine, minimum charges apply |
Rate depends on machine size (mini-ex vs full-size), project type, and operator skill. |
| Septic Systems (full install) View service → |
$8,000 – $25,000 Conventional to advanced systems |
Tank size, drainfield type, soil percolation, and site access all factor in. |
| Roads and Driveways View service → |
$15 – $40 / linear ft Per-foot rate for typical rural driveway |
Varies with width, base depth, culverts, grade, and surface (gravel vs. paved sub-grade). |
| Grading and Drainage View service → |
$2,000 – $7,500 / project $1,500 / day machine minimum on most jobs |
Smaller fixes (French drain, swale) priced per project. Full-site grading scales with square footage and haul volume. |
| Retaining Walls View service → |
$30 – $80 / sq ft of wall face Block, boulder, or timber |
Engineering, drainage backfill, and base prep drive most of the cost. |
| Forestry Mulching View service → |
$1,500 – $4,500 / acre Per-acre mulching — pass count varies with site |
Factors: density of vegetation, terrain, rock content, desired finish quality, pass count, and pruning. Timber rebate may apply on properties with merchantable logs. |
| Fire Fuels Reduction View service → |
$1,500 – $4,500 / acre Defensible space, firebreaks, and ladder-fuel removal |
Priced like forestry mulching. Timber rebate may apply — merchantable logs sold to a local mill and credited back to your invoice. |
| Land Clearing View service → |
$2,000 – $6,000 / acre Heavier than mulching — haul-off, on-site burning where permitted, or mulched in place |
Timber value, slope, access, and stump removal all factor in. Timber rebate may apply — on properties with merchantable timber, clients can recoup some or all of the clearing cost through log loads. |
| Brush Removal View service → |
$1,000 – $2,500 / acre Defensible-space, pasture reclamation, fence-line cleanup |
Chipping, hauling, or piling priced by acreage and disposal method. |
| Slash Removal View service → |
$800 – $3,500 / day Burn piles, logging slash, storm debris — chip, burn, or haul |
Volume of material, disposal method (chip/burn/haul), access, and burn-ban timing drive cost. |
| Logging & Timber Sale View service → |
Priced after site walk Net cost often offset — merchantable timber credited against clearing |
Selective harvest or full clearing with log recovery. Timber rebate applies — on timbered properties, log value can reduce or fully offset the clearing bill. |
Minimum mobilization: Most jobs have a half-day minimum. Small fixes we can add to another job in the same area are priced on the lower end — ask.
Payment terms: Typically 50% to start, balance on completion. Larger multi-phase jobs use progress draws we agree on in writing.
Estimates are free. Always.
Three things to look for in any excavation quote.
Scope in writing
“Dirt work” isn’t scope. You want bullet points: what’s cleared, what’s dug, what depth, what’s hauled where.
Assumptions spelled out
Soil type assumed. Rock assumed. Access assumed. Change-order language agreed to upfront — not surprise-billed later.
Licensed and insured, verifiable
Idaho contractor license number on the estimate. Proof of liability insurance on request. Not optional.
Want a real number for your project?
Send over a few details, or call and we’ll set up a site walk. Free estimate within one business day of the walk.