Updated August 2026
What Does Excavation Cost in Port Alberni?
Port Alberni Excavating prices every job on site rather than by a flat rate. Machine rates in the Alberni Valley run from about $142 an hour for a mini excavator up to $398 an hour for the largest classes, operator included, and disposal is billed separately by material and weight.
Updated August 2026
Excavation cost is driven mainly by machine time, site access, and how much material has to be hauled away — not by a single flat rate per job.
For a full breakdown of what's included, see excavation.
| Machine class | Hourly rate |
|---|---|
| Mini, Class 1–3 | $142 – $169 |
| Class 4–8 | $180 – $248 |
| Class 9–12 | $257 – $398 |
What drives the price
The biggest factors are the machine class the job needs, how long it takes, site access, and how much material has to be hauled away. Rates run from a mini excavator up to the largest Class 9–12 equipment. A tight lot in Port Alberni and an open rural lot at Sproat Lake can need different machines for the same size of job.
Disposal and haul-off
Waste goes to the Alberni Valley Sort'nGo Centre, where fees are set by material and weight. No clean-soil or clean-fill rate is published, so we price haul-off for your job separately.
| Material | Fee |
|---|---|
| Solid waste (83 kg+ loads) | $150.00/tonne, $15 minimum |
| Construction & demolition waste | $185.00/tonne, $15 minimum |
| Gypsum | $260.00/tonne, $10 minimum |
| Organics | $115.00/tonne |
| Residential branches | $10.00/load |
| Asbestos containing materials | $500.00/tonne, $25 minimum |
| Mattresses | $23.00 each |
Machine rates from the Island Equipment Owners Association's suggested rate guide, effective January 1, 2026. Disposal fees as published by the Alberni Valley Sort'nGo Centre, effective January 1, 2025. A load carrying recyclable, controlled or organic waste, or an unsecured load, is charged double the standard fee. Reactive, radioactive, hazardous and special waste are not accepted.
Permits add to the timeline
A permit doesn't usually change the machine time on a job, but it does set when work can start. See the permits guide for what needs one and what it costs.
How to get an accurate price
The figures above are the only rates and fees we publish. We confirm your exact price with an on-site visit and a written quote before any work starts.
See related work: drainage, or driveways. Port Alberni Excavating serves Beaver Creek.
Port Alberni Excavating prices and works across Port Alberni, Sproat Lake, Beaver Creek and Cherry Creek, throughout the Alberni Valley.
For an exact price on your project, request a free quote.