Serving the Regional District of Nanaimo
Excavation & Site Preparation, Nanaimo
Nanaimo Excavators provides excavation and site preparation across Nanaimo and the Regional District of Nanaimo, from lot clearing through foundation digs to finished driveways. Crews run Class 4 to Class 8 excavators and cover Lantzville, Cedar, South Wellington and Extension.
- Licensed & Insured
- BC 1 Call Locates On Every Dig
- WorkSafeBC-Compliant Trenching
- Class 4–8 Machines
Text or call (778) 762-2194
Get a quote
Tell us the job and we'll get back to you with a written quote.
3-Step Local Quoting Process
How It Works
Tell us about the job
Call or text us with the address and what needs digging — a foundation, a drainage line, a driveway, or clearing a lot.
We walk your property
We check access, slope, where the utilities run and where the spoil can go, then call in locates before any machine moves.
You get a written quote
We quote the machine class, the timeline and what's included, with nothing left for later.
What Nanaimo Excavators does
What We Dig
One local crew, one clear quote — we run site prep, foundation digs, drainage and driveway work with our own Class 4–8 equipment, start to finish.
Site Prep & Grading
We clear the lot, strip the topsoil and grade the pad level so it's ready for forms, gravel or landscaping.
Footings & Foundation Work
We dig to your drawings, cut the building area to grade and compact the base before the forms go up.
Drainage & French Drains
We install perimeter drains, French drains and daylight outlets that move water away from your foundation.
Driveways & Access Roads
We cut, grade and compact driveways and access roads to carry vehicle loads through an Island winter.
Pricing
What It Costs
Site prep, foundation digs and drainage work are quoted from a walk of the property once the job's scope is set.
| Machine class | Rate / hour |
|---|---|
| Mini, Class 1–3 | $142–$169 |
| Standard, Class 4–8 | $180–$248 |
| Larger, Class 9–12 | $257–$398 |
Island Equipment Owners Association Suggested Rate Guide, effective 1 January 2026. Operator included, transport excluded.
We quote your job after a walk of your property, which is where what changes the price for your job comes in.
Local, across the Regional District of Nanaimo
Where We Dig
Much of Nanaimo sits over glacial till and the Nanaimo Group's sandstone and shale, with pockets of well-draining Quadra Sand closer to the water. We adjust the dig, the shoring and where the spoil goes to whatever the machine actually finds on your property.
Frequently asked
Questions We Get
- Do I need to call before I dig on Vancouver Island?
- Yes. BC 1 Call is free and members respond within three working days. A ticket is valid 30 days from the request date, and digging must start within 14 days of the locate.
- How deep can a trench go before it needs shoring?
- Any excavation over 1.2 metres that a worker enters has to be sloped, benched, engineered or shored under WorkSafeBC's regulation — we plan the method before the machine arrives.
- What does excavation cost in Nanaimo?
- Hourly machine rates on Vancouver Island run from about $142 to $398 depending on the excavator class. Site prep and foundation digs are priced from a walk of the property.