Request a Quote
Excavating Contractor in Portland, OR | Site Prep & Grading Experts
The ground beneath Portland tells a story before any building does.
We learned that lesson the hard way on a residential project near Mt. Tabor. The homeowner wanted to add a daylight basement, which seemed straightforward enough, but nobody had done proper excavation work beforehand. What should’ve taken two weeks turned into a month long headache involving drainage issues and unstable soil. That’s when it hit us: excavation isn’t just digging holes. It’s about understanding Portland’s terrain, the clay heavy soil in some neighborhoods, and the volcanic rock east of 82nd.
At Mayer Construction Inc Portland, we handle excavation projects across the Portland metro area. Whether you’re prepping a site in Sellwood, clearing land in Happy Valley, or need grading before a new build in Northwest, we’ve probably worked in your neighborhood. Our crew knows the difference between soil in Forest Park and what you’ll find in Clackamas County.
What keeps property owners up at night isn’t just cost, it’s wondering if their contractor actually knows what they’re doing. We approach every job like it’s our own property.
Complete Excavation Services for Portland Properties
Excavation work isn’t one-size-fits-all, especially not around here. What works for a flat lot in Beaverton won’t cut it for a sloped property in the West Hills. We’ve been doing this long enough to know that every site has its own personality, and honestly, that’s what makes this work interesting after all these years.
Site Clearing That Actually Clears Everything
We start most projects with thorough site clearing because you can’t build on a foundation of problems. Trees, stumps, brush, old concrete, whatever’s in the way needs to go, and it needs to go right. I’ve seen contractors rush through this phase only to have issues pop up months later. Our team uses the right equipment for Portland’s mix of Douglas fir roots (those things go deep) and blackberry thickets that seem to grow back overnight. We haul everything off-site, leave the area clean, and make sure you’re not inheriting someone else’s buried trash. Because yeah, we’ve found some weird stuff over the years, old septic systems nobody knew about, random foundation chunks from buildings that stood here decades ago.
Grading and Leveling Done With Precision
Here’s where experience really matters. Portland’s rainfall means grading isn’t just about making things flat,it’s about directing water away from structures, preventing pooling, and setting up proper drainage before anything else happens. We’ve worked on properties from the Columbia River corridor down to Lake Oswego, and each area has different water table considerations. Our crew uses laser-guided equipment for accuracy, but we also rely on that old-school knowledge of how Portland’s seasonal weather patterns affect soil settlement. A site that looks perfect in August might have drainage issues by November if it wasn’t graded correctly.
Excavation Services Built Around Your Timeline
Whether you need a basement dug, utility trenches cut, or land leveled for new construction, we coordinate with your other contractors to keep projects moving. We’ve worked alongside builders, landscapers, and architects throughout the metro area, and that coordination matters more than people realize. A delayed excavation throws off everyone’s schedule.
The thing about excavation work is that it’s mostly invisible once a project’s finished. Nobody sees the grading work under that beautiful new patio or the site prep beneath a home’s foundation. But it’s there, doing its job year after year, which is exactly how it should be. We price our services competitively because we’re not trying to be the most expensive option in Portland,we’re trying to be the one you recommend to your neighbors when they ask who did your site work.
Why Portland Property Owners Choose Mayer Construction
Local Excavation Experience
There’s something to be said for sticking around. We’ve watched Portland grow from what it was in the mid-90s to the city it is today, and we’ve had our equipment on job sites through all of it. Started as a small family operation, still a family operation, just with better machinery now and a whole lot more experience under our belts. My dad used to say that every excavation job teaches you something new, I’m still finding that to be true.
We Know Portland's Ground Like Nobody Else
From the basalt formations you hit in East Portland to the marine clay deposits near the Willamette, we’ve dug through it all. That knowledge doesn’t come from a textbook—it comes from actually doing the work, year after year, across every neighborhood in this city. We’ve handled excavation projects for residential additions in Eastmoreland, commercial site prep in the Pearl District, and land clearing for new construction out in Gresham.
Community-Focused, Competitively Priced
Being family-owned means we don’t have corporate overhead inflating our prices. We bid jobs fairly because, honestly, we want to keep working in this community. A lot of our business comes from referrals, someone’s neighbor sees the work we did, asks who handled the excavation, and gives us a call. That’s how it’s supposed to work. We’re licensed, insured, and we’ve built relationships with inspectors and builders throughout the Portland metro area over the years. Those relationships matter when projects hit unexpected complications.
Ready to Start Your Portland Excavation Project?
Here’s the thing about excavation work, the longer you wait, the more complicated things can get. Whether you’re planning new construction, need site clearing before spring, or you’ve got grading issues that need attention before the rainy season hits, now’s the time to get it handled.
We serve the entire Portland metro area, from Vancouver down to Oregon City, and everywhere in between. If you’re in Multnomah, Clackamas, or Washington County, we’ve got you covered. Our team responds quickly because we know construction timelines don’t wait for anyone, and honestly, we’d rather walk your property and give you straight answers than have you guessing about what needs to happen.
Get Your Free Estimate Today
Contact Mayer Construction Inc at (503) 847-2786 to discuss your excavation needs. We’ll schedule a site visit, assess what you’re working with, and provide a competitive quote that actually makes sense. No pressure, no run-around, just honest feedback from people who’ve been doing this work in Portland for years.
Visit us to see full services to see more of our excavation and construction services, or just pick up the phone. We’re local, we’re ready, and we’d like to hear about your project.
Request a Quote Now
Common Questions About Croisan Salem Demolition
Can you handle steep hillside lots in Croisan?
Absolutely. We’ve specialized in hillside demo across Croisan for years, using proper equipment positioning and slope management for safe, efficient work on even the steepest properties.
How do you protect drainage during demo near Croisan Creek?
Properties near the creek need careful erosion control during any soil disturbance. We set up drainage protection and coordinate with Salem’s environmental standards to protect downstream water quality.
What permits do I need for South Salem demolition?
Demo permits through Salem Building and Safety are required for most teardowns. Slope or creek area properties may need extra Marion County coordination. We handle all applications.
What does demolition cost in Salem, ORegon?
Costs depend on structure size, access, and site conditions, and hillside lots may need added slope work. We provide free on site estimates that account for every property specific factor.
How long does home demolition take in Salem?
Most residential projects run 1 to 3 days depending on size and conditions. Hillside properties may need extra time for slope management. We give accurate timelines during your free consultation.