Excavator and dirt work on a residential site

The full guide for excavator and dirt work on a residential site lives at Excavator contractor on a residential job. That article covers scope, plant selection, licensing by state, HRCW obligations, Dial Before You Dig, pricing, tolerances, and the subbie quote checklist. This page exists to catch search traffic using “dirt work” terminology and route it to the canonical article.

What “dirt work” covers on a residential build

“Dirt work” is the informal term builders use for everything the excavator contractor does before concrete goes in: site scrape, bulk cut and fill to pad level, batter shaping, footing excavation, and service trenching. The scope and the trade are the same regardless of which term you use.

Key points before engaging

• Trenches deeper than 1.5 m are HRCW under the model WHS Regulations. A SWMS is legally required before any bucket goes in.
• Call 1100 or lodge at byda.com.au before any ground-breaking. Dial Before You Dig is a legal obligation in most jurisdictions, not optional practice.
• NSW requires a contractor licence for excavating work over $5,000 in labour and materials. QLD and VIC have equivalent licensing requirements. See state-by-state detail in the full article.
• Controlled fill under slabs and footings needs AS 3798:2007 geotechnical supervision. The excavator places and compacts; an independent geotech certifies. These are separate engagements.

Full guide

Everything you need to engage, manage, and pay an excavator contractor on a residential job is in the canonical article:

Excavator contractor on a residential job (trades)

References

• Australian Building Codes Board (NCC)

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Last updated: 2026-05-10.