Excavation Invoice Template

Free invoice templates for excavation contractors built for equipment hours, labor, and trucking and disposal fees. Download and edit in PDF, Word, Excel, Google Docs, or Google Sheets.

Also called: excavation invoice, excavation bill, or excavating invoice.

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Download Free Excavation Invoice Templates

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Sheets, Excel, Word and Doc Templates Coming November 21, 2025.

Custom Excavation Invoice Template

Best for:

Logo, permit and utility fields.

Editable Excavation Invoice Template

Best for:

Edit rates, fuel, standby, spoils.

Printable Excavation Invoice Template

Best for:

Totals, ticket refs, signatures.

Free Excavation Invoice Template

Best for:

Equipment hours, haul, dump, locates.

How to Invoice as an Excavation Contractor

Turn your daily logs and tickets into a clear bill that covers heavy gear, dirt moved, and compliance.

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In 5 Steps:

Confirm scope, soil assumptions, and rates in a signed estimate, noting how unknowns will be handled.
Pull permits and utility locate tickets, schedule mobilization, and collect a deposit for startup costs.
Track work daily with dates, equipment hours, operator hours, load counts, materials, and any approved changes.
Create the invoice by listing labor, equipment, materials, haul-off, dump fees, permits, and extras with service dates.
Apply the deposit, attach tickets and photos, add payment terms, and send the invoice for approval and payment.

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What to Include in an Excavation Contractor Invoice

These are the must-have fields for clear, compliant invoices.

Contractor business name, contact info, and license #
Client name and site address
Invoice # and invoice date
Job/PO # and project phase
Permit/inspection # and utility locate ticket #
Itemized description of work with units (hours, loads, tons, cubic yards)
Equipment used and hourly or daily rates reference
Materials, haul-off, and dump fee lines
Deposit received, payments applied, and balance due
Payment terms, tax on materials if applicable, and compliance notes (check local rules)

Billing Scenarios for Excavation Contractors

How to label charges so every invoice makes sense the moment your clients see it.

Mobilization; Demobilization

Moving equipment to and from site

Covers lowboy transport and setup and teardown time so heavy gear shows up on time.

Rock excavation; Hammer/breaker time

Unexpected rock, ledge, or buried debris

Flags harder digging that slows production and wears tools faster.

Haul-off per load; Dump fees

Soil hauled off for disposal

Separates trucking from tipping so volume and facility charges are clear.

Standby time; Reschedule fee

Work paused by weather or site access

Add permit and inspection numbers and the authority on the invoice. If rules vary, write that the client should check local rules.

Utility locate; Potholing/Vac truck

Locating and exposing utilities

Documents safe dig steps and time to daylight lines before digging.

Import fill; Delivery charge

Shows material quantity separate from trucking to track site balances.

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Standard charges and fees for excavation services

Itemize machine hours, operator time, dump fees, mobilization, utility locates, and soil type with professional invoice line items.

Charge or Service

Unit

Taxable

When to use

How to show it

Site grading

Time

Reshape site to plan

Hours × hourly rate. Set grades from benchmarks and verify elevations before backfill.

Utility trenching

Time

Dig for utilities/footings

Hours × hourly rate. Shore or slope as required and stockpile spoils safely.

Equipment mobilization

Item

Move machines to site

Qty × flat rate or Hours × hourly rate. Includes lowboy scheduling and access coordination.

Utility locate coordination

Item

Before digging near utilities

Pass-through as billed + admin time. Schedule 811 and private locators; document tickets.

Haul-off and disposal

Item

Remove spoils/debris

Loads × unit rate + dump fees pass-through. Keep scale tickets and classify material properly.

Import fill material

Item

Taxable

Bring in clean fill

Tons/Yards × unit rate. Verify source, moisture, and compaction targets before placement.

Aggregate base material

Item

Taxable

Base for pads/roads

Tons/Yards × unit rate. Confirm gradation and depth; compact in lifts per plan.

Erosion control materials

Item

Taxable

Silt fence/wattles needed

LF/Each × unit rate. Install per BMPs and photograph for inspection records.

Compaction testing (lab)

Item

Proof for inspectors

Pass-through as billed. Coordinate third-party tests and attach reports to the invoice.

Change order excavation

Time

Scope change approved

Hours × hourly rate. Reference signed change order and track time separately from base scope.

Save and reuse your excavation rates and fees

Create a free account and save machine rates, dump fees, and mobilization once, so nothing gets retyped.

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Common Excavation Invoicing Mistakes

Excavation billing gets messy fast when details are missing. Use these fixes to stay paid and out of disputes.

Mistake

How to fix it

Not listing units next to quantities leads to disputes over how much was done.

Show units for every line and match them to your logs and tickets. Use hours, loads, tons, or cubic yards.

Bundling labor, equipment, and materials into one line hides cost drivers and slows approval.

Split labor, equipment, materials, and fees into separate lines. Keep short plain-language descriptions.

Show the deposit as a prior payment and subtract it from the subtotal before tax. Clearly show the new balance due.

Add permit and inspection numbers and the authority on the invoice. If rules vary, write that the client should check local rules.

Billing extras without a signed change order invites pushback and delays.

Attach the signed change order and reference its ID and date. Align the description with your field notes.

Using a vague site location or phase causes accounting mix-ups and misapplied payments.

List the full site address plus lot or phase and the project name. Include a Job or PO number to tie it to the contract.

Excavation Invoice FAQs

Line items for trenching, hauling, permits, shoring, and standby. Use our Excavation Invoice Template to price work and terms that speed payment. Clear answers.

How should I bill for rock excavation vs normal soil?

List rock at a higher unit rate or as a separate task. Example: “Rock excavation with hammer: 42 CY @ $95/CY = $3,990.”

What belongs on a mobilization line item?

Include lowboy haul, pilot cars if needed, and crew setup. Example: “Mobilization: 2 moves @ $750/move = $1,500.”

How do you handle rain delays and standby time on T&M jobs?

Spell out hourly standby for the machine and operator. Example: “Standby due to weather: 3 hrs @ $140/hr = $420.”

Can I charge for utility locates or 811 delays?

You can pass through private locate fees and bill waiting time if the crew is on site. Example: “Private locate service: 1 visit @ $185; Standby waiting on clearance: 1.5 hrs @ $120/hr.”

How do progress bills work on a subdivision mass grading job?

Bill by milestones like rough grade, utilities, and final grade with retainage noted. Example: “Milestone 1: Rough grade 50% complete = $48,000, less 10% retainage = $43,200 due.”

What do I include when contaminated soil pops up?

Add testing, manifests, special handling, and premium disposal rates. Example: “Contaminated soil export: 5 loads @ $360/load; Lab testing: 2 samples @ $95/sample.”

How to price trucking and dump fees so clients don’t squawk?

Break out per-load haul, dump by weight, and any fuel surcharge. Example: “Trucking: 8 loads @ $115/load; Landfill: 12.4 tons @ $68/ton; Fuel surcharge: 6% = $74.46.”

Should I list shoring and trench safety separately or include in equipment rates?

List it separately if rented or engineered to stay transparent and compliant. Example: “Trench box rental: 3 days @ $95/day; OSHA tabulated data review: lump sum $180.”