Northern Beaches Council
Forestville is in the Northern Beaches Council area. Confirm the approval pathway and any conditions for your address before work is booked.
Northern Beaches · Forestville NSW 2087
Excavation Forestville.
Excavation for foundations, trenches, site levels and spoil removal. Share the dimensions, plans and access so we can match the machinery and scope to your property.
5.0 from 22 Google reviews
Lane Cove WestExcavation · Our work
View the work - NSW demolition licenceAD204777Held since 2007Check the register
- Class B asbestos licenceAD211698Held since 2013Check the register
- Insured on every job$20M + $20MPublic & asbestos liabilityOur insurance
- Based in Ryde30+ yearsIn demolition
Excavation in ForestvilleStart with
the levels you need.
Three decisions set the scope and the price. We agree each one with you in writing before the work is booked.
Dimensions and levels
Tell us the area, depth and finished level required. Your builder or engineer supplies the design; we agree the excavation against those details.
The way into the site
Gate width, overhead clearance, slope and the route for trucks affect the machinery and how spoil can leave the property.
What is below ground
Existing services, rock, roots and possible contamination need consideration. Rock breaking, disposal and engineering requirements are assessed for your job.
Clearing before excavation
Our work in SydneyEquipment chosen
for the space.
Raking and grading a residential site between retained boundary fences.
Explore the Lane Cove West project
More excavation work
All our projectsCustomer reviews
Good work.
In their words.
Just had my house, garage and 3 trees demolished… The builder was very impressed with the cleared block which is on a slope with difficult access.
Our business has used Active Demolition on many occasions. Bill, Hussein and the team are professional and well priced.
After weeks of putting us off and not giving us a start time, we had to look elsewhere and Active were able to fit us in at short notice. Very impressed with how the lot was left.
Excavation costsWhat shapes
the price?
The dig dimensions, material, machinery access, spoil volume and disposal requirements set the scope. A machine hourly rate alone is not a complete job price.
Get a free quoteRead our excavation cost guideSydney market guide
Not Active’s price list. Each site is quoted individually. Checked 10 October 2026.
| Job | Typical range | What the figure covers |
|---|---|---|
| Mini excavator (1–2 t) with operator | $110–$170per hour | Ex GST. Sydney plant-hire guides; minimum hire and float extra. |
| Mini excavator (3–5 t) with operator | $120–$210per hour | Ex GST. Sydney plant-hire guides; minimum hire and float extra. |
| Bulk digging in soil | $50–$120per m³ | GST not stated. Sydney excavation guides; rock costs two to four times as much. Check whether disposal is included. |
| Tip fees for general or unclassified soil | $200–$400per tonne | GST not stated. Includes the NSW waste levy (about $170 a tonne in 2025–26); trucks are extra. |
What these rates cover
Hourly rates are for an excavator with its operator and fuel (wet hire), ex GST. Most hire has a minimum of 3 to 4 hours, plus the float that brings the machine in and takes it away.
Your property in ForestvilleBefore work
starts.
Check the address, underground services and any conditions affecting excavation, retaining structures, trees or truck access. Engineering and survey requirements depend on the proposed work.
Find the plan for your address
Northern Beaches Council still uses the old Manly, Pittwater and Warringah plans while new ones are drafted. Look up your address on council’s maps; heritage and hazard rules apply to particular land, not the whole area.
Check your address on the NSW Planning Portal (opens in a new tab) Northern Beaches planning controls and maps (opens in a new tab)Council guidance checked 15 September 2026. These are matters to check, not a determination for an individual address. Your council or certifier confirms what applies.
How excavation runsFrom enquiry
to handover.
Three stages, in the order they happen. Who arranges each item is agreed before the job is booked.
- 01
Confirm the dig
Review the plans, access and services information, and identify any engineering or approvals needed.
- 02
Excavate to the agreed scope
Use suitable machinery for the site, with changes in ground conditions discussed as they arise.
- 03
Remove spoil and check levels
Complete the agreed spoil handling and check the excavation against the specified dimensions and finish.
Quotes are free. Call 7 days, 7am–7pm, or send the details and photos with the form below.
More about excavationCan excavation follow house demolition?
Yes. We can plan the demolition and the excavation together, with the structures, the concrete and the ground preparation each priced on its own line.
House demolitionWhat if you hit rock or old fill?
Sydney ground varies from sandstone and clay to fill from an earlier build, and it can’t all be confirmed before digging. The quote sets out what is known, what still needs checking and how unexpected material will be assessed and priced. Rock can change the machine, attachment and time needed; old fill or buried material can mean extra loads and different disposal.
Excavation costs in SydneyDoes the spoil have to leave the site?
Not always. Some can stay for fill or landscaping where your plans allow; the rest is loaded and trucked away. Tell us which, because it changes both the method and the price.
Do you dig under an existing house?
No, we don’t take on under-house digs. Our excavation is on open ground: footings, building platforms, basements and site cuts, often straight after we’ve demolished the house.
Is a quote free?
Yes, by phone or through the form. If a job needs testing, reports, professional advice or approval work, those costs are agreed with you before anything is ordered.
Excavation near ForestvilleNearby
suburbs.
Work on a nearby street? Each suburb has its own excavation page and a quote form set to that suburb.
Get a free quote
Let’s plan your excavation
in Forestville.
Send plans or dimensions, the required depth and levels, and photos of the machine access. Let us know whether spoil will stay on site or needs removal.
0402 548 0047 days a week · 7am–7pm- We talk it throughThe work, what stays and when you need it done.
- We look at the siteWhere the job needs it, before we price the work.
- You get a written quoteThe scope, separately priced items and the agreed finish.