Foundation holes, garage pads, additions, utility trenches, final grade — the dirt work that turns a Holderness lot into a build site, done on schedule so your contractor isn’t waiting.
Squam sets the tone for everything in Holderness. The Shoreland Water Quality Protection Act applies as it does on any New Hampshire lake — the tree-removal point system in the 50-foot waterfront buffer, the natural woodland buffer requirements out to 150 feet, permits for earth-moving within 250 feet — but here the community’s expectations run ahead of the statute. Clearing on a Squam lot is subtraction with a purpose: selective cuts that open a view corridor while keeping the shoreline reading as forest from the water. Erosion control gets done to a visible standard because everyone on the lake is watching everyone’s shoreline. The estates tucked off Route 113 and around the Squam River bring quieter work — long drives, thoughtful grading, utility trenches routed to spare root zones. Ledge is a frequent guest on these wooded slopes, and we test-pit before quoting any foundation near it.
On Squam, involve the state early and over-deliver on erosion control — double-row silt sock near the water, stabilized construction entrance, mulch on any bare soil before a rain. The Shoreland Permit is the legal floor; the lake community’s standard is higher, and your project’s reputation on that water is set in its first muddy week.
Every build starts and ends with dirt. We dig foundations and frost walls to spec (four-foot frost depth here isn’t a suggestion), cut and fill to bring a sloped lot to grade, trench for water, power, and septic lines, and come back at the end for the finish grade that sheds water away from the new foundation. On ledge-prone ground we dig test pits first — finding granite with a quote instead of a change order.
We coordinate directly with your builder, and we show up when the schedule says — because everyone downstream of the dirt is waiting on it.
Machine-and-operator excavation runs $110–$200/hour in the region; typical foundation digs land $3,000–$10,000 depending on size, soils, and ledge. Test pits and a site walk get you a flat number before we start.
Most Lakes Region foundation excavations run $3,000 to $10,000 — driven by size, soil, water table, and whether we hit ledge. Test pits before quoting mean the number you get is the number you pay.
It's common here. We dig test pits at the corners before quoting, so ledge shows up in the plan — hammering or blasting gets priced up front, not as a mid-job surprise. If ledge makes one corner of the lot expensive, sometimes shifting the footprint twenty feet saves five figures.
Prime season is May through November. Deep frost slows winter digging, and March–April mud season closes many posted town roads to loaded trucks. We schedule around both — and fall is the smart time to book a spring dig.
Free site walks, test pits before quotes, flat pricing, and a crew that knows Lakes Region ground.
Tell us where the property is and what you’re trying to do. We’ll walk the site, talk it through, and give you a straight, flat quote.
