Excavation Costs

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Lershac

Lershac

TFP Expert
LifeTime Supporter
May 1, 2007
1,217
Baton Rouge, LA
Anyone have any idea what excavation costs are on a typical pool? I know it varies wildly in different areas, but I just want some figures for comparison. My excavator was a friend and I want to offer him compensation even though he called it a favor, without insulting him by offerring him too little. Its a tactfully difficult situation, but I feel compelled to offer it.
 
My good friend that helped me dig mine charged me $25/hr. It was his first pool dig and he felt he would be a little slow so he even cut the hours back from actual. I think we settled on 12 or 16 hrs of bobcat and excavator work, so it was 300-$400. I don't remember the exact amount because he helped me with the walls and a few other things for only $10/ hr.
I rented the equipment at $210 for an excavator for one day and $440 for the bobcat for a week.
Basically 1k total for digging a sport depth 18x36.
John
 
Thanks John. Well I had 5 guys, 14 hours, a big trackhoe, a rubber-tire loader, and 2 dump trucks. Should have got more trucks we waited on them alot even though they were only running 10 miles to dump (construction on interstate highway).

This was a heavy road construction crew loaned to me by a friend who owns the company. I have since talked to him about it and while he wouldnt take cash, we settled on me installing a security system with cameras at his "camp" on the river. (camp is in quotes coz this camp is a mini-mansion with a dock, pool, speedboats and every toy known to man).

They worked their butts off and moved over 150 cubic yards of dirt. Lowered the entire backyard grade by 1 foot and then dug the pool. I had given the crew some cash just cuz they worked like demons and put up with me badgering the heck out of them, but I wanted to offer my friend compensation for equipment and crew too.
 
Hi Lershac,
I also should have mentioned, I did not have to haul off any dirt, I just piled it up nearby with the Bobcat while my excavator friend dug it. My pool area was sloped so I eventually used the dirt to backfill and raise the area around the pool by up to 2 feet.
I don't know what the security system cost you but it sounds like you got a very good deal too... :cheers:

John
 
My total cost to excavate was about $5800 and that was for a 200 ft perimeter (40K gallon) pool. Typically the excavator runs between $70 and $105 depending on its size. I had both a bobcat and an excavator and mine took two days due to the amount of dump truck loads needed - 24 truckloads of a super 10. For the labor $25 per hour is fair. Trucks run about $60 per hour in these parts so long as they do not have to go far to dump.
 
I paid $3100 7 years ago. Thats a 40x19, 11 feet deep. And there ended up being some rock work! They quoted 15 hours but it ended up being like 18 and they didnt even stop for lunch!
 

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I think I did pretty good. Also my excavators gave me my steel guy's also! Kind of a package deal! One went with the other! The dig crew lost money, he under estimated the job. The only had a mile to dump though so there was no waiting, good thing for him!
 
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