What Does Earthworks & Garden Excavation Cost?
By Hovenier Hoofddorp · Updated August 5, 2026
Earthworks are the first, invisible cost item in almost every complete garden landscaping project: machine excavation costs an indicative €30 to €70 per m³, and disposing of the excavated soil another €30 to €50 per m³ for clean soil - more for contaminated soil. Below is where these costs come from and when a soil quality test is needed.
What does earthworks cost per m² or m³?
Machine excavation with a mini-excavator costs an indicative €30 to €70 per m³, or roughly €5 to €15 per m². A mini-excavator's hourly rate runs €25 to €120, depending on machine size and the job. For back gardens with no machine access, manual excavation is needed - more labour time (wheelbarrow work), so a higher rate than the machine figure above.
What does disposing of soil cost?
Budget roughly €30 to €50 per m³ for disposing of clean soil, rising to €40–€200 per m³ for contaminated soil. Fully excavating and disposing of soil from an average back garden typically costs €850 up to several thousand euros in practice, depending on area and accessibility.
Why is a soil quality certificate sometimes needed?
In the Netherlands, soil that is removed and reused elsewhere often needs a soil quality certificate (an AP04 batch test). For larger volumes - from roughly 90 to 100 m³ - such a test is financially worthwhile: a soil bank can then reuse the soil elsewhere without re-testing, which lowers the acceptance price per m³. For smaller quantities the cost of testing usually outweighs the saving, and the soil is simply disposed of as an untested batch at the standard rate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does it cost to excavate an average back garden?
For an average back garden (machine-excavated, good access) budget somewhere between €850 and several thousand euros all-in, including disposal. The exact price depends on area, depth, accessibility and whether a soil test is needed.
Do I always need a soil test before disposing of soil?
Not always required for small quantities, but for larger volumes (indicatively from around 90 to 100 m³) an AP04 batch test is often more cost-effective than disposing of soil without a certificate. We advise on this for larger landscaping projects.
Can excavated soil be reused in my own garden?
Often yes, for example as fill material elsewhere in the garden or under a raised planting bed - saving on both disposal and delivery costs. We assess during the site visit whether this makes sense for your situation.
Do you include earthworks in a landscaping quote?
Yes, for a complete <a href="/en/garden-landscaping/">garden landscaping</a> project we include earthworks and any soil disposal in the quote as standard, so you know where you stand upfront.
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