GRADELINE county guide
Excavation in Broward County
Soil regimes, rock depth, haul logistics and the contractors who work Broward County, Florida — the local ground data behind every bid.
Broward County is home to roughly 2,037,472 people, part of the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL metro area, growing about 4.3% over the last five years, covering about 1,203 square miles of land — an urban county of Florida where site work scales with the building cycle.
Ground conditions
South Florida site work is a race between peat and bedrock. Organic soils (muck, marl, and peat of the Everglades margins) run 1 to 6 feet deep and demand over-excavation and disposal or peat stripping to reach mineral subgrade; they saturate instantly and pump under wheel loads. Beneath the peat sits Miami oolite or Tamiami limestone, often within 1 to 3 feet in Miami-Dade and Broward, that digs with large toothed buckets when young and soft, but rips hard or requires hydraulic hammer work where cemented caprock layers interleave. Water control is the defining constraint: the water table sits at or near grade, canal and pump infrastructure is omnipresent, and dewatering, cofferdams, or cut-off walls are standard for any deep excavation. Wet season (May-October) effectively doubles the effort on any open cut. Expect rock quarries and marl borrow sources to dominate the haul mix rather than sand pits.
Dominant soil textures include fine sand, sand, silty clay loam; 80.2% of the county has bedrock or a restrictive layer within 50 inches of the surface — rock clauses belong in every bid; the median water table sits about 6 inches down, so dewatering is routine on deeper cuts.
| Soil regime | South Florida Marsh Peat & Bedrock Limestone |
|---|---|
| Dominant soils | Fine sand, Sand, Silty clay loam |
| Shallow bedrock (≤50 in) | 80.2% of county |
| High shrink-swell soils | 0.0% of county |
| Median water table | 6 in deep |
| Slope >15% | 1.2% of county |
| Design frost depth | 0 in |
| Dig notice | Sunshine 811 · 48 h notice |
| Homes on septic | 10.0% |
Haul costs & materials
Haul distance moves county prices more than machine rates do. Here, the nearest major aggregate source is Rowan Construction Operation, about 10.1 miles out (with 22 active quarries within 50 miles).
Construction demand
Construction demand sets how busy crews are and how far out they book. 730 single-family permits were issued in the last 12 months (a -12.4% three-year trend), and 2,809 total housing units across all types, and About 34,491 residents work in construction, and 115 site-prep establishments are registered in the county.
Permits in Broward County
Permits come in layers: state construction stormwater coverage runs under FDEP NPDES Generic Permit for Stormwater Discharge from Large and Small Construction Activities (62-621.200(4)(b) F.A.C.; >1 acre); the state disturbance threshold is 1.00 acre(s); a local grading/land-disturbance permit is required for most earthwork; septic permits run through Florida Department of Health in Broward County; a soil evaluation by fdoh-licensed septic contractor; percolation test per 64e-6 f.a.c. is required before design approval; burn permits for clearing debris go through the florida forest service (fdacs) — county-by-county authorization. Check the county building or development services office for the current rules. Each Florida county sets its own thresholds.
Water, septic & flood
Water decides more site outcomes than any other input. In this county, 72.8% of soils carry severe limitations for conventional septic drain fields, so perc tests and alternative systems are common here, and onsite sewage permits run through Florida Department of Health in Broward County, and 50.1% hydric soils mark seasonally saturated ground, and 50.0% of the county sits in a mapped FEMA flood zone.
Water & ground hazards
Water and geology set the site rules here: 8.1% of the county maps as NWI wetland, so wetland delineations are common on bigger parcels; 50.0% of the county sits in a mapped FEMA flood zone, which triggers floodplain development permits for earthwork in those areas; 50.1% hydric soils signal seasonally wet ground across the county.
Rough cost estimator
Bulk excavation is commonly priced per cubic yard — roughly $2 to $8 for ordinary soil and far more where rock must be hammered, which applies to a meaningful share of this county. Use the table for ballpark volumes, then confirm with line-item bids from Broward County crews.
| Project volume | Typical range | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| 100 cubic yards | $200 – $800 | Pool hole or small trenching job, easy soil |
| 500 cubic yards | $1,000 – $4,000 | House pad cut or driveway cut on easy ground |
| 1,000 cubic yards | $2,000 – $8,000 | Basement dig or modest site cut, before hauling |
| Rock excavation | $40 – $100+ / cubic yd | Hammered or blasted rock, priced separately |
| Machine + operator | $100 – $250 / hr | Hourly rate for mid-size excavator or dozer |
National ranges, not a quote: bulk excavation is usually priced per cubic yard, roughly $2 to $8 for ordinary soil and $40 to $100 or more where rock has to be hammered or blasted. Rock, groundwater and haul distance move the number most.
Excavation contractors in Broward County
Published listings from the GRADELINE directory, ranked by rating. Every crew serves its own radius — confirm coverage for your address.
01. PC Grading Inc
St Cloud, FL · ★ 5.0 (2)
02. JB Excavation Services LLC
Plantation, FL · ★ 5.0 (22)
Pompano Beach, FL · ★ 5.0 (5)
Plantation, FL · ★ 5.0 (7)
05. Dennis Bobcat Services, Corp.
Plantation, FL · ★ 5.0 (2)
Common questions
What is the ground like in Broward?
South Florida site work is a race between peat and bedrock. Organic soils (muck, marl, and peat of the Everglades margins) run 1 to 6 feet deep and demand over-excavation and disposal or peat stripping to reach mineral subgrade; they saturate instantly and pump under wheel loads. Beneath the peat sits Miami oolite or Tamiami limestone, often within 1 to 3 feet in Miami-Dade and Broward, that digs with large toothed buckets when young and soft, but rips hard or requires hydraulic hammer work where cemented caprock layers interleave. Water control is the defining constraint: the water table sits at or near grade, canal and pump infrastructure is omnipresent, and dewatering, cofferdams, or cut-off walls are standard for any deep excavation. Wet season (May-October) effectively doubles the effort on any open cut. Expect rock quarries and marl borrow sources to dominate the haul mix rather than sand pits. About 80.2% of the county has rock or a restrictive layer within 50 inches of the surface.
Who do I call before digging in Broward?
Sunshine 811 (811). Notice is required at least 2 working days before excavation. It is free and required by law; confirm who places the ticket in writing.
How deep is the water table in Broward?
The water table sits about 6 inches down. Holes dug deeper than that usually need pumps to stay dry. Pools, basements and septic fields are all designed around it.
Do I need a grading permit in Broward?
In most cases, yes for significant earthwork. Septic permits run through Florida Department of Health in Broward County. Confirm current rules with the county development services office.
How many excavation contractors work in Broward?
GRADELINE lists 5 published excavation and site work contractors for Broward, Florida. Search the directory by ZIP to see who covers your address.
Sources & data
- USDA NRCS SSURGO county soil data (ground conditions, shrink-swell, water table)
- FEMA National Flood Hazard Layer (floodplain share)
- US Census Building Permits Survey (construction demand)
- County permit authorities (grading, septic, burn permits)
- 811 Before You Dig, Common Ground Alliance
This guide is general information, not legal or engineering advice. Permit thresholds, fees and restrictions are set by Broward County and Florida agencies; confirm with the county before work starts.