Pool & Hardscape Excavation in Minneapolis, MN

Pool and hardscape excavation is the part of an outdoor project no one sees: digging the hole for an in-ground pool, removing soil for a paver patio base, cutting the trench for a retaining wall footing or preparing a driveway subgrade. The finish crew's work only lasts if the base under it is right.

Pools

HomeBlue's Minneapolis figures put a typical pool dig at about $4,300 to $7,600, about two and a half days of machine time, with soil kept on site. On most city and first-ring suburban lots there is not room to keep it, so hauling is added. We dig to the installer's plan and stage spoil for backfill around the shell.

Frost and hardscape

Frost heave is the enemy of patios, walks and walls in Minnesota. A paver patio needs a well-drained, compacted aggregate base deep enough to resist heaving, and walls need a base below the frost-prone soil or a design that tolerates movement. We excavate to the depth the hardscape contractor or manufacturer calls for and remove organic soil.

Sand and till

On sandy outwash, bases drain well but excavated sides slump. On loamy till or clay, water lingers, so base depth and drainage matter more. We adjust excavation depth to the soil we find.

Access

Backyard pools and patios often mean getting a machine past the house. We measure side yards and gates and use compact equipment where needed, with ground protection over lawns.

Cost

HomeGuide lists dirt pad excavation for a driveway, patio or deck at $1,000 to $2,500.

Spoil from a pool

An in-ground pool produces a lot of soil. Some goes back as backfill around the shell; the rest is hauled or spread to regrade the yard if there is room. We plan this before the dig so trucks and stockpiles do not end up on the lawn for weeks.

Retaining walls on slopes

On sloped yards in Eden Prairie, Burnsville or Minnetonka, pools and patios often need a retaining wall. We excavate the wall base and the drainage zone behind it so the wall can be built right.

Driveways

New driveways need organic soil removed and a compacted granular base. We excavate and grade for the paving or concrete contractor.