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Anonymous09/28/26, 04:40No.3009761trades bro, are you under-pricing yourself?
You should charge 2.5×–3× direct equipment cost to cover your fuel, transport to/from the site, insurance, depreciation, permits, and your own labor.
>Utility Trenching (water, sewer, electrical)
>$15–$40/linear ft
Machine trenching with backfill. $500 minimum is common. Rocky or deep work pushes it higher.
>Foundation Excavation (slab-on-grade or crawl space) $3,000–>$12,000
Includes digging, grading, and stockpiling soil. Slab work on the low end; full basement dig $12K–$20K.
>Dirt/Debris Hauling (dump truck) $150–$400/load (delivery) or >$1,400–$2,300/truckload (removal)
Removal (hauling off) costs more than delivery due to dump fees at the landfill. 10–16 yd3 per load.
>Site Clearing & Grubbing
>$1,000–$5,000+
Depends on acreage and vegetation density. Often quoted per acre or as a flat project bid.
>Small Demolition (sheds, concrete slabs, fences)
$1,000–$10,000+
A slab break with loader/hammer and haul-off easily hits $3K–$8K. Small structures on the low end.
>Driveway Grading / Earthwork
>$2,000–$8,000
Cut/fill, compaction, and final grade. More material movement = higher end.
>Septic Tank Dig / Replacement
>$1,500–$4,000
Excavation, tank placement, and backfill. Add $1K–$2K if you're also hauling the old tank.
>Small Crane Lift (materials, trees, equipment)
>$500–$2,000/day (minimum)
Small mobile crane or boom truck. Most operators charge a half-day or full-day minimum even for a quick lift.
>Gravel Delivery & Spreading
<$500–$1,500/load
10-yd3 load with delivery and spreading. Bulk orders (20+ yd3) drop the per-yard rate.
>Swimming Pool Excavation
>$5,000–$15,000
Dig, shape, and haul off. Includes form work for gunite pools. Gunite itself is separate.
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Anon09/28/26, 04:51No.3009763
Top paying gigs:>Crane work (mobile/tower)
NCCCO cert, high liability, few qualified operators $800–$2,000+/day; tower crane $1,200–$2,500/day>Utility trenching (water/sewer/gas)
Permit-driven, can't be DIY'd, recurring demand $15–$40/ft; $2K–$10K per project>Refinery/industrial shutdowns
3–6 week stints, OT-heavy, remote locations $55–$88/hr (CA prevailing wage); $75K–$120K+ per stint>Foundation excavation + basement digs
High ticket, one job = weeks of income $8K–$20K per basement>GPS-guided excavation / machine control
Premium skill, fewer operators can do it $35–$42/hr equivalent; $500–$900/day as a sole prop>Directional drilling (horizontal boring)
25–40% pay boost over standard digging, niche $100–$300/ft for small bores>Septic installation (dig + set + backfill) Recurring, residential cash flow, low competition in rural areas $3K–$6K per system>Demolition + haul-off (combined)
You control both ends of the job, no subcontractor margin $5K–$25K per structure>Land clearing for solar/wind farms
Multi-month contracts, bulk material movement $1,500–$4,000/acre>Pile driving / foundation support
Specialized equipment, high barrier to entry $100–$300/ft per pileThe #1 money multiplier is going from "I'll dig your hole for $500" to "I'll handle the full utility connection, trenching, backfill, and compaction for $8,000." Same truck, same day, 16× the check.
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Anon09/28/26, 05:56No.3009768
how much do (you) get per emdash?
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Anon09/28/26, 11:58No.3009789
>–
gm sir thank you for doing the AI needful and reverting back with the same