GRADELINE county guide
Excavation in Orange County
Soil regimes, rock depth, haul logistics and the contractors who work Orange County, Florida — the local ground data behind every bid.
Orange County is home to roughly 1,533,646 people, part of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL metro area, growing about 10.1% over the last five years, covering about 903 square miles of land — an urban county of Florida where site work scales with the building cycle.
Ground conditions
Florida's peninsular flatwoods are defined by deep, rapidly draining fine sands (Astatula, Tavares, Apopka series) over a spodic or clayey substratum, with seasonal water tables perched 1 to 3 feet below grade during the June-September wet season. Excavation is fast and low-cost in the upper sand profile, high production trenching with minimal rock. The tradeoffs are trench stability and water: cohesionless fine sand sidewalls collapse without benching, sloping, or trench boxes, and perched water tables require sump dewatering or well points for anything below 4 feet. Stormwater retention and detention pond excavation dominates site work; sand spoil is easy to move but must be kept clear of the pond floor where muck or spodic layers are hit. Phosphate-bearing clay strata common in the central ridge (Polk, Hillsborough) can slow production and hold water above the pit floor. Haul road traffic on saturated sugar sand demands tracked dozers and matting for cranes and concrete trucks.
Dominant soil textures include fine sand, sand, fine sandy loam; 0.0% of the county has bedrock or a restrictive layer within 50 inches of the surface; the median water table sits about 12 inches down, so dewatering is routine on deeper cuts.
| Soil regime | Florida Peninsular Flatwoods Sand |
|---|---|
| Dominant soils | Fine sand, Sand, Fine sandy loam |
| Shallow bedrock (≤50 in) | 0.0% of county |
| High shrink-swell soils | 0.0% of county |
| Median water table | 12 in deep |
| Slope >15% | 0.0% of county |
Haul costs & materials
Haul distance moves county prices more than machine rates do. Here, the nearest major aggregate source is Tulley Sand, about 18.0 miles out (with 22 active quarries within 50 miles).
Construction demand
Construction demand sets how busy crews are and how far out they book. 4,219 single-family permits were issued in the last 12 months (a +1.6% three-year trend), and 13,138 total housing units across all types, and About 28,742 residents work in construction, and 103 site-prep establishments are registered in the county.
Water, septic & flood
Water decides more site outcomes than any other input. In this county, 70.3% of soils carry severe limitations for conventional septic drain fields, so perc tests and alternative systems are common here, and 32.4% hydric soils mark seasonally saturated ground.
Water & ground hazards
Water and geology set the site rules here: 32.4% 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. Use the table for ballpark volumes, then confirm with line-item bids from Orange 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 Orange County
Published listings from the GRADELINE directory, ranked by rating. Every crew serves its own radius — confirm coverage for your address.
01. Forged Property and Land Services LLC
Orlando, FL · ★ 5.0 (7)
02. J&J Earthworks and Services LLC
Belle Isle, FL · ★ 5.0 (3)
03. Collins Clearing
Oakland, FL · ★ 5.0 (32)
04. PC Grading Inc
St Cloud, FL · ★ 5.0 (2)
Montverde, FL · ★ 5.0 (3)
Common questions
What is the ground like in Orange?
Florida's peninsular flatwoods are defined by deep, rapidly draining fine sands (Astatula, Tavares, Apopka series) over a spodic or clayey substratum, with seasonal water tables perched 1 to 3 feet below grade during the June-September wet season. Excavation is fast and low-cost in the upper sand profile, high production trenching with minimal rock. The tradeoffs are trench stability and water: cohesionless fine sand sidewalls collapse without benching, sloping, or trench boxes, and perched water tables require sump dewatering or well points for anything below 4 feet. Stormwater retention and detention pond excavation dominates site work; sand spoil is easy to move but must be kept clear of the pond floor where muck or spodic layers are hit. Phosphate-bearing clay strata common in the central ridge (Polk, Hillsborough) can slow production and hold water above the pit floor. Haul road traffic on saturated sugar sand demands tracked dozers and matting for cranes and concrete trucks. About 0.0% of the county has rock or a restrictive layer within 50 inches of the surface.
How deep is the water table in Orange?
The water table sits about 12 inches down. Holes dug deeper than that usually need pumps to stay dry. Pools, basements and septic fields are all designed around it.
How many excavation contractors work in Orange?
GRADELINE lists 5 published excavation and site work contractors for Orange, 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 Orange County and Florida agencies; confirm with the county before work starts.