Professional Excavation & Grading in the Bay Area & Eastern Sierras
Licensed General Engineering Contractor for Homeowners, Builders & Developers
CSLB #1117960
PG&E Operator Qualified
CA Micro SBE Certified
Licensed Timber Operator
Excavation and Grading for Homes, Builders and Commercial Sites
Harris Excavation is a licensed general engineering contractor based in South San Francisco. We handle the earthwork that has to be right before anything gets built: excavation, grading, site preparation, utility trenching, drainage and erosion control. We work across San Mateo County, Santa Clara County and Mono County.
What Our Customers Say
Based on 35 Google reviews
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Star R.
Super helpful and accommodating
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Bill Glaser
Dave was great to work with and I’d highly recommend him to anyone needing his services. He was clear with expectations, punctual, provided timely updates and went about the project with the type of care as if it were his own residence. Great experience all around. Highly recommend.
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frances carey buchanan
David is knowledgeable and wonderful to work with!!! 11/10 communication, service, and work.
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Chelsea Childress
I've known David for nearly 20 years, and he is the utmost professional. He's incredibly thorough, thoughtful, and trustworthy. There are few people this passionate about delivering quality work, and you'll be grateful that you chose David for your earthwork needs!
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James Estrada
David came out and did a thorough inspection of our property. Gave us valuable insight and offered lots of expertise for home projects. Honest and trustworthy. Would highly recommend
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Jack Johnson
David and the team have been great getting me out of tight spots. Consummate professionals. Would highly recommend working with them in the future.
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Alex Kossoff
Harris Excavation did an outstanding job from start to finish—professional, efficient, and great attention to detail. The team was reliable, easy to work with, and delivered high-quality results right on schedule.
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Justin Goodman
Couldn’t more highly recommend working with David. Rarely do you find someone who is excellent at their craft and cares about doing it the right way. Thank you David!!
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Blake Dittman
If you’re looking for excavation or earthwork of any kind, stop looking. David is your guy. My wife and I were very nervous about the process given the expense and time investment and David took all that worry away. The man knows his stuff. Unlike some of the other companies we talked to, David didn’t try to upsell us on anything and always made sure we were well informed on any decision we made. Could not recommend the company more highly. Thanks David!
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Spencer Barnett
David and his team are who I rely on when I need any kind of earthwork done. Great communication with updates through every step of our project and incredible attention to detail. If you want something done right the first time go with Harris Excavation.
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Ankush Patel
I know the owner David and he’s a solid, trustworthy guy who takes his work seriously. He cares about doing things right and treating people fairly. Harris Excavation is a business you can feel comfortable working with!
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Kathryn “KP” Palmieri
I enlisted David’s expertise as a General Contractor to review a partially built ADU project before proceeding. He reviewed the plans and the completed work, and shared the best ways to move forward, while taking into consideration time, costs, and building codes for the city, county, and state. He is thorough and caring, and if he is not the expert in a specific area, he will refer out or do the research. I would definitely work with David for my next project, as he demonstrated all the ethical business practices that were missing from my last General Contractor.
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Chris Young
Even though I didn't end up using Harris Excavation for my project, David came out to my house and provided great recommendations and a fast quote. He was very professional and knowledgeable with what was required by the city and even answered some questions I had that were not part of his scope. I won't hesitate to reach out to David for future projects
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Charles Swain
Harris Excavation is a highly professional excavation company that's been very great to work with. They're passionate, honest, and great communicators. Highly recommend.
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Christian Colburn
I can’t say enough good things about Harris Excavation and its owner, David Harris. David truly knows his craft and takes a lot of pride in the work he does. That level of care shows in every job, big or small. He genuinely cares about his customers and the vendors he works with, which is something you don’t see enough of these days. David is a hard-working guy who does exactly what he says he’s going to do—no excuses, no shortcuts. As a vendor, I jump at any opportunity to work with David because I know the project will be run right and with integrity. Highly recommend Harris Excavation.
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Jason Tsai
Amazing work, detail, communication, and everything you want in any kind of contracting. Excited to work with David and his team on an upcoming bar/grill in Hermosa/Manhattan Beach next year! He’s incredibly knowledgable, versatile, and trustworthy!
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Louie Ortega
I hired Harris Excavation to prepare my front yard for pavers and landscaping, which required precise excavation and backfilling at varying depths. From our initial conversations, David was highly professional—he provided detailed, written proposals and outlined clear options to ensure we were aligned on the project scope. He followed through on everything we discussed and honored every commitment he made. Even when unforeseen challenges arose, David stayed communicative and addressed them directly and efficiently. I truly value a company that operates with integrity and holds itself to a high standard. I would gladly have David back for any future projects.
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Travis Howard
Excellent. Professionals from start to finish that really helped me revitalize my home, will definitely be using them in the future!
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Cameron Bartlett
Harris Excavation did an outstanding job on my property. From start to finish, they showed up on time, communicated clearly, and handled the excavation with precision. The pricing was fair and transparent, which minimized surprises along the way. I’ll absolutely be using them again.
Thank you David! -
Ryan Apfel
David knows what he’s doing — Highly recommend
Based in South San Francisco
Harris Excavation was founded in South San Francisco to raise the bar on quality and communication in construction. You get a clear written estimate before we start, a clean and safe jobsite, and regular updates until the work is done.
Excavation, Grading and Trenching Services
- Foundation and basement excavation for new homes, additions, ADUs and rebuilds. Residential excavation
- Site preparation and grading: lots cleared, cut to grade and compacted to the geotechnical engineer’s spec. Site preparation
- Utility trenching for water, sewer, storm, electrical and telecom lines. Residential and commercial trenching
- PG&E service upgrade trenching. We’re PG&E Operator Qualified, and we dig and backfill to PG&E’s trench requirements alongside your electrician. PG&E service upgrades
- Drainage corrections for yards that pond, slope toward the house, or send water into the crawlspace. Residential drainage
- Erosion and sediment control to keep soil out of the street and storm drains. Erosion control
- Vegetation and fuel reduction for defensible space on wildfire-prone lots, backed by our California Licensed Timber Operator license.
Who We Work With
Homeowners hire us directly for drainage, grading and trenching. General contractors, developers and property managers bring us in as their excavation sub on new homes, ADUs and commercial projects. Either way, we know the local soils, permit rules and tree ordinances, from Bay mud on the Peninsula to mountain lots with snow-season deadlines.
Build Smarter. Dig Deeper.
We use digital project management tools to keep you updated throughout the project, so you always know where your job stands. See the work for yourself in our project highlights.
Get a Free Excavation Estimate
Tell us about your site and what you’re building. We’ll review your plans and send a clear written estimate. From Palo Alto to Mammoth Lakes, we’re ready for your next project.