Excavation & Site Prep in Mulino, Oregon: 2026 Guide

Excavation and Site Prep in Mulino

Out in Mulino, excavation work tends to look different than it does in town. Properties are larger, the ground is hilly and clay-heavy, and a lot of jobs involve drainage, building pad prep, driveway access, or clearing land for a new structure. The foothills of Clackamas County reward careful site prep and punish shortcuts. Water finds the low spot, clay holds it there, and a poorly graded site stays wet for months.

This guide walks through the common excavation services in the Mulino area, what affects pricing, and the permitting and safety steps that matter on rural Oregon property.

Common Excavation Services in the Mulino Area

• Site grading. Shaping the ground so water drains away from buildings, driveways, and work areas. The foundation of nearly every other project.
• Drainage and french drains. Moving water off the property. Critical in clay soils that hold moisture.
• Building pad prep. Excavating and compacting a stable base for a home, shop, barn, or addition.
• Driveway and road excavation. Cutting and building the base for new access, often paired with asphalt paving in Mulino.
• Utility trenching. Digging for water, power, septic, and other lines.
• Land clearing. Removing brush, stumps, and debris to open up usable ground.
• Pond and culvert work. Common on rural acreage.

What Excavation Costs in Mulino

Excavation pricing is hard to generalize because every site is different. Soil type, slope, access, haul-off distance, and how much rock you hit all swing the number.

Industry baseline ranges shown below. Actual costs vary widely with site conditions, equipment needs, haul distance, and project scope.

Service	Industry Baseline Range
Site grading	$1,500–$6,000+ per project
Excavation (per hour, machine + operator)	$120–$250+
Excavation (per cubic yard)	$50–$200+
Utility trenching	$10–$30+ per linear foot
Land clearing	$1,500–$6,000+ per acre

These are starting reference ranges, not quotes. A Mulino site with steep grade, heavy clay, or buried rock will run above them. Our excavation cost in Oregon and site grading cost in Oregon guides break down what moves the price.

Clackamas County Soil and Drainage Realities

The valley and foothill soils around Mulino hold water. That clay-and-silt mix swells when wet and stays saturated through the long PNW winter. For excavation, that means a few things:

• Grading has to actually move water. A flat pad in clay soil becomes a pond. Positive slope away from structures is not optional.
• Drainage is often the whole point. Many Mulino excavation calls are about a wet yard, a flooded shop, or standing water on a driveway. French drains, swales, and proper grading solve it.
• Compaction matters. Clay needs to be worked and compacted correctly or it will settle and shift under whatever you build on it.
• Timing helps. Excavation in saturated soil is messier, slower, and costlier. The drier summer months are easier to work and often cheaper.

Getting drainage right at the excavation stage protects everything built on top of it, including future driveway repair in Mulino needs.

Permits and Erosion Control

Clackamas County regulates ground disturbance. You will likely need permits or approvals when a project:

• Disturbs ground above the county's erosion-control threshold
• Falls within a floodplain, wetland, or sensitive-lands overlay
• Involves grading near a stream or steep slope
• Connects new access to a county road or to Highway 213 (an ODOT route)

Erosion-control measures, silt fencing, and proper sediment management are often required during the wet season. A contractor who works in Clackamas County regularly will know which permits your project triggers and handle the paperwork. Skipping approvals can mean fines and stop-work orders. For larger projects you can review what we cover under Clackamas County excavation.

Call Before You Dig: 811 Locates

This is not optional and it is not just a suggestion. Oregon law requires calling 811 before any excavation so underground utilities get marked. On rural Mulino property you may also have private lines: well lines, septic, private power runs to outbuildings, irrigation. A good excavation contractor confirms the public locate and asks about private utilities before the bucket hits the ground. Hitting a line is dangerous and expensive.

Choosing a Mulino Excavation Contractor

Rural excavation rewards experience and the right equipment. Questions worth asking:

• Are they licensed, bonded, and insured in Oregon? Verify the CCB number.
• Do they understand local drainage and clay soils? A contractor who has worked the foothills knows how this ground behaves.
• Can they handle access and haul-off? Long driveways, soft ground, and distance to a disposal site all matter.
• Will they pull permits and call locates? A pro handles compliance as part of the job.

You can see examples of completed site work on our portfolio page and learn more about our professional excavation services.