Oneida County & Central New York Excavation Services
One Crew for Every Phase of Your Site Work
Whether you need a foundation dug for a new home, a septic system replaced, or a full commercial site built from bare ground, our team handles it. We provide site preparation, grading, drainage solutions, septic systems, underground utilities, demolition, and 24-hour emergency excavation for residential, commercial, municipal, and industrial clients across the Mohawk Valley and Central New York.
Our Excavation Services
We handle every category of excavation and site work under one operation. Each service below links to a dedicated page with full details, process information, and answers to common questions.
Lot clearing, brush removal, topsoil stripping, building pad prep, cut and fill, subgrade compaction, erosion control, and final site cleanup. We prepare residential and commercial sites for construction from raw land to a build-ready surface.
Rough grading, finish grading, drainage grading, slope correction, driveway grading, and building pad final trim. If water pools in your yard or your lot needs leveling before construction, this is where we start.
Property drainage evaluation, French drains, curtain drains, catch basins, dry wells, culvert installation, and stormwater management systems. About 22% of New York homes depend on water management, and proper drainage protects foundations, basements, and septic systems from water damage.
New septic installation, tank replacement, emergency septic repair, leach field troubleshooting, drain field replacement, distribution box work, and septic abandonment We handle the full scope of septic work, not just the excavation.
Water line installation, sewer line trenching, sewer tap connections, storm drain structures, and HDPE pipe fusion. Our team holds an HDPE pipe welding certification, a specialty required for municipal water mains, leachate collection systems, and industrial piping.
Building demolition (houses, garages, barns, sheds, commercial structures), concrete and asphalt removal, driveway tear-out, foundation removal, pool removal, debris haul-off, and post-demolition site clearing.
Recurring site maintenance, drainage system upkeep, commercial snow plowing, heavy-duty commercial mowing, and landfill maintenance contracts. We serve commercial, municipal, and industrial clients who need a reliable partner for ongoing property and site maintenance.
Specialty & Standalone Services
Beyond our core excavation solutions, we provide specialized services including environmental earthwork, road and access construction, pond excavation, foundation excavation, emergency excavation, water pumping, and tree removal. Our experienced team handles everything from contaminated soil remediation and site restoration to road preparation, drainage solutions, flood response, and heavy equipment tree removal.
Your Excavation Team in Central New York
Hale Excavation is a veteran-owned, licensed, and insured excavation contractor
based in Sauquoit, NY. We bring over 35 years of construction experience to every job, from small residential drainage fixes to large-scale municipal infrastructure and landfill construction projects.
Our crews are HAZWOPER certified, OSHA 10 and 30 certified, and trained in HDPE pipe fusion, laser grading, and 811 safe excavation practices. We serve homeowners, general contractors, developers, commercial property owners, municipalities, and industrial clients throughout Oneida County, Herkimer County, Madison County, and the surrounding region.
We provide free estimates, free second opinions, and free consultations on any project. Payment options include checks, cash, ACH, and debit/credit. Active military, veterans, and first responders receive a discount on all services.
Not Sure What Service You Need?
Start with the problem. We will match you to the right service.
- Water Pooling in Your Yard or Basement
Possible causes: Poor grading, missing drainage, failed sump, or high water table.
Likely service: Drainage Solutions or Grading.
Urgency: Call soon. Standing water causes foundation damage over time.
- Sewage Smell, Slow Drains, or Soggy Yard Over Your Septic
Possible causes: Full tank, failed leach field, or broken distribution box
Likely service: Septic Repair, or Leach Field Services.
Urgency: Call today. Septic failures can become health hazards.
- Building a New Home, Addition, or Commercial Structure
Possible causes: You need ground-up site work before construction starts
Likely service: Site Preparation + Foundation Excavation.
Urgency: Schedule early. Site work should begin before your builder arrives.
- Need a Structure Torn Down or Concrete Removed
Possible causes: Old building, damaged garage, pool you want gone, crumbling driveway.
Likely service: Demolition.
Urgency: Schedule at your convenience. We handle permits and haul-off.
- Flooded Property, Burst Water Line, or Collapsed Sewer
Possible causes: Storm damage, frozen pipe, infrastructure failure.
Likely service: Emergency Services or Water Pumping.
Urgency: Call now. 24-hour emergency response available.
Three Decades of Major Project Experience
Hale Excavation LLC is a new venture led by Eric Hale, who brings extensive experience in landfill construction, environmental remediation, road construction, and federal projects. He has worked with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Forest Service, the Air Force, and major environmental firms throughout his career.
1991
Laborer & Surveyor
- Auburn, NY · Cayuga County
Eric returned from the Army to work full-time in construction while staying in the Army Reserves. Joined the apprenticeship program to become a certified operating engineer during this project (completed 1997, a certification he still holds).
1993
Laborer · Surveyor · Heavy Equipment Operator
- Malone, NY · Franklin County
Eric took on expanded field responsibilities on this project, working across three trades: laborer, surveyor, and heavy equipment operator.
1994
Laborer · Surveyor · Heavy Equipment Operator
- Frankfort, NY · Herkimer County
Constructed leachate collection and site drainage in 1994–95. Landfill closure completed in 1996. Gas removal windmill built in 1997. Eric worked across all phases of this multi-year project.
1998
Superintendent (First Time)
- Sodus, NY · Wayne County
Eric’s first job as a project superintendent — the beginning of his transition from the field to project leadership.
2008
Superintendent
- Wampsville, NY · Madison County
Cell 7 liner system construction on the Madison County Landfill. By this point Eric was running full field operations independently.
2012
Project Manager (First Time)
- Stanley, NY (Ontario County) + Morrisonville, NY (Clinton County)
Two of the largest projects Eric managed in his first year as a project manager. He worked on several other projects that year, but these were the biggest. Marks his transition from field superintendent to full project management.
2022
Senior Project Manager
- Middlesboro, KY + McGuire Air Force Base, NJ
2022 marked the first time Eric ever worked outside of New York State. He worked as senior project manager on both federal projects, plus several others that year.
2025
Founder · Owner · Director of Operations
- Sauquoit, NY · Oneida County
Eric founds Hale Excavation LLC — bringing 35 years of experience home to Central New York. From here we serve Oneida County, the Mohawk Valley, Herkimer, Madison, and surrounding counties. The scale is more personal now. The standards, work ethic, and project management discipline are exactly the same.
Projects listed above were completed under previous employers. They represent Eric Hale’s personal project resume and experience. Hale Excavation LLC was founded in November 2025.
Serving Central New York and the Mohawk Valley
From Utica and Rome through the Mohawk Valley, north into Lewis County, west across Onondaga, south into Chenango and Cortland — we work the full Central New York region. Our home base is Sauquoit, and our standard service radius is one to two hours from Utica. For the right project, we travel further.
What excavation services does Hale Excavation offer?
We handle site preparation, grading, drainage, septic systems, underground utilities, demolition, environmental earthwork, road construction, pond excavation, landfill construction and maintenance, emergency excavation, water pumping, snow removal, and commercial mowing. Residential, commercial, municipal, and industrial projects.
What areas do you serve?
We are based in Sauquoit, NY and serve Oneida County, Herkimer County, Madison County, Otsego County, Chenango County, Cortland County, and surrounding areas across Central New York. Our standard service area covers a 1 to 2 hour radius from Utica, and we will consider travel beyond that for the right project.
Do you work on both small residential and large commercial projects?
Yes. Our owner has managed projects ranging from residential drainage fixes to $10 million+ municipal landfill construction. We serve homeowners, builders, developers, municipalities, and industrial clients with the same level of attention and professionalism.
Do you offer 24-hour emergency service?
Yes. We provide 24-hour emergency excavation, water pumping, and septic repair. Call (315) 982-3673 any time for emergency response across Central New York.
How do I get a free estimate?
Call us at (315) 982-3673 or contact us online. We schedule a site visit to review the project, then provide a written estimate. Free estimates, free second opinions, and free consultations on every project.
Excavation Service Questions
