Earthworks Vienna every tonne that stays doesn't go to landfill.

Earthworks Vienna: from the contractor who does the work — not from a broker.

Earthworks Vienna: earthworks in Vienna cost €8 to €95 per cubic metre – depending on whether the soil stays on the plot or is taken away. Cut-and-fill balancing on site €8–18/m³, fill with compaction €25–55/m³, soil replacement €45–95/m³. Landscaping, slope cutting, terracing and topsoil work from a single source.

Send enquiry View costs

The biggest cost lever in earthworks is not the excavator but the lorry. Soil that is relocated on the plot – from the slope into the hollow, from the house footprint into the garden – costs €8 to €18 per cubic metre. Removing and disposing of the same soil quickly costs four to six times as much with transport and landfill, because one cubic metre of soil weighs around 1.8 tonnes. That is why every earthworks job starts with a cut-and-fill balance: how much is removed, how much is needed, and what is left over.

✓ Cut-and-fill balance before the quote✓ Compacted in layers with test record✓ Topsoil stored separately✓ Disposal with weighbridge ticket✓ Fixed price under ÖNORM B 2110

Earthworks, excavation or grading?

Service	What it is about	Typical for	Details
Earthworks	Reshaping the terrain, relocating, filling and cutting soil	Sloping plot, garden, terraces, change in ground level	this page
Excavation	Pit for basement, foundation or utility lines	New build, extension, sewer	Excavation Vienna
Grading	establishing final level and bearing capacity	Paved area, floor slab, driveway	Grading Vienna
Demolition	removing existing structures, separating materials	Old structures, outbuildings	Demolition Vienna

If the prepared area is to carry vehicles, we follow on directly with asphalt surfacing or paving.

If the area is to become a drivable road, we also handle the route, utility lines and carriageway: road construction.

Earthworks Vienna: costs 2026

Guide prices net, as of 2026, binding after a site visit and cut-and-fill balance. Access, soil type and whether material must be removed are decisive.

Service	Unit	Net price	What is included
Stripping topsoil and stockpiling to the side	m²	4–9 €	around 20–30 cm, separate from the subsoil
Cut-and-fill balancing on the plot	m³	8–18 €	cut, relocate, place roughly
Fill with compaction	m³	25–55 €	in layers of 20–30 cm, roller or plate compactor
Soil replacement	m³	45–95 €	poor soil out, load-bearing material in
Slope cutting with embankment	m³	18–40 €	slope angle according to soil type
Garden landscaping	m²	15–45 €	falls, swales, terrain edges
Spreading topsoil back	m²	5–12 €	placing, rough grading
Removal and landfill, uncontaminated	t	22–45 €	Lorry, landfill fee, weighbridge ticket
Purchasing fill material	t	18–35 €	Gravel, crushed stone or recycled material, delivered
Compaction test	pcs	250–550 €	Plate load test, record
Mini excavator with operator	Day	650–950 €	for narrow access and gardens
Crawler excavator with operator	Day	950–1.600 €	for larger volumes

Earthworks Vienna: the prices from the table at a glance, as of 2026, net.

Worked example · 650 m² sloping plot, garden in two terraces, 180 m³ of soil moved

Strip topsoil 420 m², stockpile to the side€2,700

Cut-and-fill balance 150 m³ on the plot€2,100

Fill 30 m³ compacted, test record€1,650

Spread topsoil, landscaping€3,800

Total approx. €10,250 net. If the same 180 m³ had to be removed and replaced with purchased material, transport, landfill and material alone would add around €9,000 to €14,000 – which is why the cut-and-fill balance is the most important part of the planning.

How an earthworks job runs

1 · Site visit and level surveyExisting ground levels, access, utility lines, boundaries with neighbours. The basis for the cut-and-fill balance.

2 · Cut-and-fill balanceHow much is cut, how much is filled, what is left over. The aim is to remove and buy in as little as possible.

3 · Clarifying permitsChanges to ground level may require notification or a permit under the Vienna Building Code, especially at the plot boundary. We clarify this before starting.

4 · Securing the topsoilThe top layer is stripped and stored separately. It is the most valuable material for the future garden and must not be mixed with subsoil.

5 · Relocating and compactingFill is placed in layers and each layer is compacted. Under future paths, terraces or walls with a test record.

6 · Topsoiling and handoverTopsoil back, falls established, photo documentation and handover.

The most common mistakes

Topsoil and subsoil mixed. The garden then grows poorly for years and the soil becomes compacted.
Filled in one go. The fill settles over months, and paths and terraces on top of it sink.
Started without a cut-and-fill balance. First hauled away, then material bought back for the hollow – paid for twice.
Water forgotten. New falls may direct rain towards the house or the neighbour. The fall must lead away from the building.
Fill placed at the plot boundary. Changes in level at the boundary often require a permit and are a classic neighbour dispute.

Filled ground does not become load-bearing by itself. Loose fill settles by several centimetres over months. Where paving, a terrace or a wall is to stand later, it is therefore placed in layers of 20 to 30 cm and each layer is compacted – with a plate load test as proof. For lawns and beds, lighter compaction is enough; there the topsoil matters more than bearing capacity.

The soil decides, not the machine

Every earthworks job starts with the question of what you are dealing with. Viennese soils range from sandy terrace gravel in the north to heavy Tegel clay in the west and south – and the difference shows up in every single item on the bill.

Soil type	Behaviour when excavated	Behaviour when placed	Cost effect
Sand and gravel	easy to loosen, runs	compacts well, load-bearing	inexpensive, slope must be flatter
Silt	medium	sensitive to water, unusable when it rains	weather-dependent
Tegel, clayey soil	stiff, sticks to the bucket	compacts poorly, swells and shrinks	expensive, often soil replacement
Made ground, rubble in the subsoil	inconsistent, obstructions	not load-bearing	Sampling, disposal according to findings
Rock or conglomerate	breaker or rock cutter needed	very load-bearing	considerably more expensive to excavate
Groundwater in the excavation area	slope slides, formation softens	dewatering required	largest single item

The most expensive surprise is not rock but water. Rock can be calculated: hours with the breaker, a known day rate, done. Groundwater in the excavation area changes the entire method – dewatering, a watertight pit, uplift protection, condition surveys of neighbouring houses because of the drawdown. That is why larger excavations need a ground investigation, and before the price is negotiated, not afterwards.

Investigation	What it provides	Net price
Trial pit with the excavator	Soil profile to about 3 m, visual inspection	450–1.200 €
Core drilling in the ground	Layer sequence, samples from depth	€900–2,800 per borehole
Geotechnical report	Bearing capacity, foundation recommendation, water level	1.800–5.500 €
Chemical sampling of the excavated soil	Classification for disposal	€280–850 per sample
Plate load test	Proof of compaction	€250–550 per test

Anyone who skips the geotechnical report for a detached house saves a few thousand euros and risks a soil replacement that costs many times more – or a foundation that later gives way. For small landscaping jobs in the garden, on the other hand, skipping it is justifiable: there a trial pit is enough to see what lies beneath the topsoil.

Where the excavated soil goes

On most Viennese sites, removal is the largest item – not the digging. What matters is how the soil is classified.

Classification	What it means	Disposal costs net
Uncontaminated excavated soil	natural ground, no foreign matter	€22–45/t
Excavated soil with minor foreign matter	brick fragments, roots, old fill	€45–85/t
Contaminated excavated soil	hydrocarbons, heavy metals according to findings	€95–260/t
Hazardous waste	heavy contamination	considerably higher, on quotation
Reuse on the plot	cut-and-fill balance instead of removal	€8–18/m³

Depending on the soil, one cubic metre of excavated material weighs around 1.6 to 2.0 tonnes – and loosened material takes up more space than it did in the ground. This bulking amounts to 15 to 35 percent depending on soil type. Anyone who calculates cubic metres from the plan and disposes of tonnes underestimates both. For a basement excavation of 180 cubic metres that is around 320 tonnes and about 20 lorry loads – and whether the soil is classified at €30 or €85 per tonne makes a difference of around €17,000.

That is why sampling before starting almost always pays off: it costs a few hundred euros and decides whether the excavated soil counts as uncontaminated. Without test results the landfill will classify it unfavourably if in doubt, and the weighbridge ticket then becomes the most expensive piece of paper on the whole site.

Slope or shoring

As soon as you dig deeper than about one and a half metres, the question is no longer whether the pit will hold but how it is held. In Vienna, the available space usually decides.

Method	When	Space required	Costs
Open slope	enough space, stable soil	high, the slope needs area	cheapest solution
Benching	medium depth, some space	medium	low
Soldier pile wall, Berlin-type shoring	tight location, no slope possible	low	high
Sheet pile wall	water in the ground, soft layers	low	high, causes heavy vibration
Bored pile wall	deep pits, neighbouring buildings directly adjacent	low	very high
Underpinning	neighbouring foundation is higher than the formation level	low	very high, in sections

The slope angle is not a matter of discretion. It depends on the soil type, and a cut that is too steep in cohesive soil will hold for days in dry weather – and slide at the first rain. That is why the slope is set before excavation, the edge of the pit is kept clear and no material is stored at the top edge. Where there is not enough space for that, shoring is not the more expensive option but the only one.

If digging takes place right at the plot boundary, a condition survey of the neighbouring building is added. This is not a formality: the pit removes the lateral support of the neighbour's ground, and settlement shows up first as cracks in their house. Without a documented initial condition it is then one person's word against another's.

Water on site

Problem	Cause	Measure
Surface water runs into the pit	terrain slopes towards the site	perimeter ditch, bund, drainage away
Formation softens	rain and vehicle traffic	blinding layer, gravel haul roads
Perched water seeps out of the slope	water-bearing layer in the ground	drainage, gravel soakaway packing
Groundwater above the formation level	high water level	dewatering with sump or wells
Neighbouring building settles	lowering of the groundwater	monitoring points, condition survey, limit the drawdown

The simplest and most often forgotten measure is the perimeter ditch around the pit. It costs a few hundred euros and prevents surface water from softening the slope from above – the cause of most slope failures on small sites.

Compaction: the part that counts later

Point	Rule	Consequence of mistakes
Layer thickness	20 to 30 cm per layer	voids remain, it settles later
Material	compactable, uniform	cohesive soil never becomes load-bearing
Moisture	material neither bone-dry nor wet	sufficient compaction cannot be achieved
Equipment	plate compactor, roller, rammer depending on location	equipment that is too light only compacts the top
Proof	plate load test for load-bearing areas	no proof, no acceptance
Backfilling the working space	in layers, not tipped in one go	settlement along the basement wall, paving sinks

The most common cause of sunken paving along house walls is the backfill of the working space. If the space between the basement wall and the ground is tipped in one go instead of compacted in layers, the material settles over years – and the terrace or path along the house tilts towards the house. It is then repaired with new paving, which sinks again after two years because the cause lies a metre deeper.

Earthworks before building a house: the sequence

On a new build, the earthworks set the pace of the first weeks. Sticking to the sequence saves waiting times that nobody can make up later.

Step	What happens	What is possible afterwards
1. Setting out	building and levels by the surveyor	building lines are fixed
2. Site setup	access, storage areas, connections	machines can work
3. Topsoil stripping	20 to 30 cm, stored separately	subsoil exposed
4. Excavation	pit to plan, slope or shoring	formation level reached
5. Checking the formation	assessing bearing capacity, soil replacement if needed	release for the foundation
6. Blinding layer	thin layer of concrete on the formation	reinforcement can be placed
7. Shell construction	foundation, basement, waterproofing	working space can be backfilled
8. Backfilling the working space	compacted in layers, drainage if planned	terrain can be landscaped
9. Landscaping	falls away from the house, connection levels	Outdoor areas
10. Spreading topsoil	topsoil back on the area	garden

The critical point is step five. The formation is assessed before anything is built on it – and if it cannot bear the load, this is the cheapest moment to find out. Soil replacement at this point costs €45 to €95 per cubic metre. The same discovery after the shell is built costs many times more and, in the worst case, means retrospective foundation underpinning.

Between steps seven and eight lie the curing and the waterproofing of the basement wall. Anyone who rushes here and backfills too early damages the fresh waterproofing – and the damage only shows when the basement becomes damp. Everything else about the pit is on the excavation page, and about foundations on the foundations page.

Access, space and choice of machine

In Vienna, earthworks rarely fail because of the volume, but because of access. The machine has to get in and the material out – and both determine the price more than the cubic volume.

Access	Possible machine	Output per day	Cost effect
Under 1 m, only through the house	micro excavator or by hand	5–15 m³	very high, up to three times as much
1 to 2 m, garden gate	Mini excavator 1.5–2.5 t	20–45 m³	high
Over 2.5 m, courtyard entrance	Midi excavator 5–8 t	60–150 m³	medium
Clear access, lorry can deliver	Crawler excavator from 10 t	150–400 m³	inexpensive per cubic metre
No access, only via the neighbouring plot	subject to consent	depending on solution	additional agreement required

The difference between a mini excavator and a crawler excavator is not the day rate but the daily output. A mini excavator costs €650 to €950 a day and handles 20 to 45 cubic metres; a crawler excavator costs €950 to €1,600 and handles five times as much. For 200 cubic metres that means five to ten days of mini excavator versus one and a half days of crawler excavator. That is why it is almost always worth asking whether a wall, a fence panel or a gate can be opened for the duration of the work.

Extra item	When it applies	Net price
No-parking zone for lorries and skips	street occupation in Vienna	€120–380 per day
Ground protection mats for haul roads	soft ground, lawn areas	€18–45/m²
Gravelling the site access	longer construction period	€25–60/m²
Street cleaning	dirt from site traffic	€250–900 per call-out
Tree protection	trees in the working area	€180–600 per tree
Hand digging near utility lines	cables, pipes, sewer in the area	€85–180/m³

The last line is the one most often underestimated. Where utility lines run, machine digging is not allowed – they are located by hand, which is many times slower. Requesting utility information from the operators before starting costs nothing and establishes where this applies.

Utility lines in the ground

Step	What is done	Why
Obtaining utility information	plans for electricity, gas, water, sewer, district heating, telecoms	mandatory before every excavation
On-site detection	cable locator, determining the route	plans are often inaccurate
Trial trenches by hand	exposing crossings	confirms position and depth
Marking	marking routes, setting safety distances	protects against the excavator bucket
Securing exposed utility lines	suspending, wrapping, propping	prevents damage in the trench
Warning tape when backfilling	laid above the line	protects during future digging

A damaged power cable means an expensive day; a damaged gas pipe means an evacuation. The costs are as a rule borne by the contractor, and not only for the repair but also for the supply outage. The only protection is the sequence of utility information, detection, trial trench and only then the machine – on every dig, even for the small line in your own garden.

Understanding volumes: what's in the calculation

Quotes for earthworks are hard to compare because the same quantity can be stated in three different ways. Knowing the terms lets you see immediately whether two quotes mean the same thing.

Term	Meaning	Conversion
Bank volume	volume in natural ground, as calculated in the plan	base value
Loose volume	volume after excavation, as on the lorry	bank volume plus 15–35 %
Compacted volume	volume after placing with compaction	about bank volume, less depending on material
Tonnes	landfill billing by weighbridge ticket	1 m³ bank volume equals around 1.6–2.0 t
Lorry load	transport unit	about 8–16 t depending on vehicle

A quote in bank volume billed in tonnes always ends up higher than the quote. This is not a trick but physics – what matters is that it is stated in the quote. We therefore show both: the cubic volume from the plan and the expected tonnage based on the assumed bulk density. Then the final invoice can be checked against the weighbridge tickets instead of having to be taken on trust.

For developers and property managers

Point	How we handle it
Preliminary investigation	trial pit or geotechnical report before the quote, not after
Quantity take-off	calculated from the plan, with bulking and tonnage shown
Disposal records	weighbridge tickets per load, assigned to the site
Neighbours	condition survey before excavation at the plot boundary
Traffic	no-parking zones, street cleaning, access times coordinated
Records	compaction tests, photo documentation of the formation before construction
Interface	handover to the next trade with a recorded formation

The last point saves the most arguments. If the formation is photographed and its level surveyed before concreting, it is clear later in what condition it was handed over – and who pays for rework if it has softened two weeks later.

How to recognise proper workmanship

Feature	Good workmanship	Warning signs
Before starting	utility information, detection, trial trenches	excavator starts on day one
Quote	cubic volume and tonnage, disposal class stated	lump sum without quantities
Slope	angle according to soil type, edge clear	cut steeply, material at the edge
Water	perimeter ditch, drainage in place	pit fills up when it rains
Backfill	in layers, visibly compacted	tipped in one go
Topsoil	stored separately and reused	mixed with subsoil
Disposal	weighbridge tickets are handed over	no receipts, lump sum
Site	street clean, access stabilised	a trail of mud across half the district

Weighbridge tickets are the most honest document on an earthworks site. They show date, quantity, material and landfill – and can be compared with the calculated volume. A company that does not hand them over has either not weighed or is billing something other than what was taken away. We attach them to the final invoice without anyone having to ask.

Price examples from practice

Worked example 1 · Basement excavation for a detached house, 180 m³, good access

Strip topsoil 220 m², stockpiled to the side€1,540

Excavation 180 m³ with crawler excavator, two days€2,800

Removal approx. 320 t, classified as uncontaminated€9,600

Grade the formation, prepare blinding layer€1,250

Perimeter ditch, form slope, keep edge clear€680

Sampling of excavated soil before removal€620

Total approx. €16,490 net, four working days. The largest item is removal – had the soil been classified as containing foreign matter, this item alone would have cost around €19,000.

Worked example 2 · Landscaping a garden and retaining a slope, 340 m²

Slope cut 95 m³, cut-and-fill balance on the plot€2,660

Fill with layer-by-layer compaction, 60 m³€2,400

Landscaping 340 m², falls away from the house€8,500

Spread topsoil 340 m²€2,720

Mini excavator with operator, four days, narrow access€3,200

Removal of surplus 40 t€1,400

Total approx. €20,880 net. Thanks to the cut-and-fill balance, around 95 cubic metres were not hauled away – that equals about 10 lorry loads and around €5,000 saved in disposal costs.

Falls and water management on the plot

With any landscaping, what decides is not the look but where the water runs. Most moisture damage to basement walls is not due to missing waterproofing but to ground that slopes towards the house.

Rule	Guide value	Why
Fall away from the house	about 2 % over the first metres	surface water runs off instead of against the wall
Clearance between ground and waterproofing	plinth stays visible, not buried	splash water and moisture ingress
Drip strip	gravel or paving with a fall	spreads drip water, keeps the plinth dry
Hollows and depressions	no closed low points	standing water seeps in
Interface with neighbouring plot	no water directed onto someone else's land	neighbour law, avoidable dispute
Infiltration	according to soil and regulations	the sewer may not be loaded at will

Two percent fall is two centimetres per metre – small enough that you don't see it, and enough for water to run off. Anyone who lays the area flat because it looks calmer gets a puddle against the basement wall after the first heavy rain. This shaping costs almost nothing during excavation and can later only be corrected with a separate construction job.

What you can prepare

Know the plot boundaries: current plan or survey, especially when working close to the boundary.
Obtain utility information: from all operators, including for your own supply line in the garden.
Clarify access: width, height, load capacity, whether a fence panel or gate can be opened.
Space for temporary storage: topsoil and excavated soil need room, otherwise everything is transported twice.
Mark trees and shrubs: what is to stay is protected; what can go saves manual work.
Inform neighbours: especially for work at the boundary and with lorry traffic.
Collect old plans and photos: clues to earlier fills, cesspits, oil tanks.
Water and power connection: for wetting and equipment on site.

The point about old plans is the one that saves the most money. Viennese gardens regularly contain old cesspits, decommissioned oil tanks, foundations of demolished outbuildings and rubble fills from the post-war period. If you know about them, you can budget for them. If you find them while digging, you have a site that stands still until sampling and disposal are sorted out.

Special cases

Case	Special feature	Approach
Old oil tank in the ground	residual contents, contaminated soil	empty, clean and remove professionally, sample the soil
Cesspit or old soakaway	void beneath the planned area	clear out, backfill and compact, document
Rubble fill from the post-war period	not load-bearing, often contaminated	soil replacement according to findings
Trees in the working area	root zone is protected	protective fence, hand work in the root zone
Archaeological finds	duty to report, work must stop	report, wait for release
Wartime ordnance	cannot be ruled out in Vienna	stop work immediately, notify the authorities
Pool or cistern	uplift with high groundwater	uplift protection, backfill as specified
Work next to an underground car park	existing wall not designed for earth pressure	structural assessment before excavation

What the last three lines have in common is that they cannot be solved with more machine power, only by clarifying things beforehand. If wartime ordnance is suspected, this applies without any weighing up: stop work, secure the area, notify the authorities – anything else is not an option.

After the earthworks

Step	What is included
Handing over the formation	level surveyed, condition photographed, compaction proven
Finishing areas	topsoil spread, falls checked, edges clean
Clearing the site	leftover material removed, access dismantled
Handing over documents	weighbridge tickets, test records, photo documentation
Monitoring settlement	for larger fills over a few months

The last point mainly concerns fills more than one metre high. Even material compacted cleanly in layers still settles slightly, and anyone who paves straight afterwards will be annoyed the spring after next. Where possible, a winter passes between filling and surfacing – the cheapest quality assurance there is in earthworks.

Winter work and season

Condition	Impact	Approach
Continuous rain	formation softens, cohesive soil unusable	cover, gravel the haul roads, pause if necessary
Frost in the ground	excavation laborious, compaction impossible	never place frozen material
Snow on site	gets placed with the material, voids	clear before backfilling
Heat and drought	material too dry to compact	wet it, work in layers
Open pit over winter	freeze-thaw cycles destabilise the slope	cover, check the edge

Frozen material is never placed. When it thaws, voids form exactly where load will be later – the settlement follows months afterwards, when nobody is thinking about the winter work any more. The same applies to snow pushed in during backfilling. If backfilling cannot be done properly in winter, it is postponed and the pit stays open and secured.

The most common mistakes

Dug without utility information. A damaged cable costs the day, a gas pipe an evacuation – and the contractor pays for both.
Excavated soil not sampled. Without results the landfill classifies unfavourably; the difference runs into five figures.
Calculated in cubic metres instead of tonnes. One cubic metre weighs 1.6 to 2.0 tonnes and bulks by 15 to 35 percent when loosened.
Material stored at the edge of the pit. The surcharge makes exactly the slope it loads start to slide.
Working space tipped in one go. Settlement along the basement wall will certainly come, just later.
No perimeter ditch. Surface water softens the slope from above – the cause of most slides on small sites.
Ground shaped flat instead of with a fall. Water stands against the basement wall, and the correction is a separate job.
Topsoil mixed with subsoil. It is then worthless as topsoil and has to be bought in.
Compaction without proof. For load-bearing areas the test report is missing and acceptance fails.
Dug at the plot boundary without a condition survey. Cracks in the neighbour's house can then no longer be attributed.

Points one to three arise before the excavator's first bite, points four to nine during the work. Together they cost a few thousand euros to avoid and regularly ten times that if they happen.

How this differs from our other services

Situation	Matching service
Cutting, filling and shaping terrain	Earthworks, this page
Pit for basement or foundation	Excavation
Sewer, drainage, utility trenches	Civil engineering
Laying and connecting utility lines	Pipeline construction
Retaining a slope permanently	Retaining wall
Paving or asphalting areas	Paving
Building a foundation	Foundations
Recording the condition of neighbouring houses beforehand	Pre-construction survey

When you do not need us

For a few cubic metres of soil in the garden, a mini excavator hire with operator is often enough. A coordinating company pays off when volumes need balancing, material needs disposing of, areas need to be made load-bearing, or retaining walls, paving and drainage are to be built afterwards.

Basement excavation in the north and east of Vienna

North and east of the Danube, more houses have basements than in the dense city centre, because detached and terraced houses are built here on private plots. But the soil there is different from the west of the city, and that fundamentally changes the calculation for a basement pit.

Basement excavation in the 21st district (Floridsdorf, 1210)

Large parts of Floridsdorf lie on the gravel terraces of the Danube. Sandy gravel is easy to loosen with an excavator but does not stand well: the pit wall runs, the slope has to be flatter than in loamy soil, and that costs plot area. Towards Bisamberg and Stammersdorf the ground often becomes more loamy; there the wall holds better, but the formation turns soft in the rain. The closer the plot is to the Danube or the Old Danube, the more likely a basement excavation in 1210 will reach groundwater. For a typical detached house with a 180 m³ pit and good access, we estimate around €90 per cubic metre including removal and sampling, guide price net. If water stands in the pit, pumps and a watertight basement structure are added – we clarify this with a trial pit before the price is fixed. More about the pit itself under excavation for basements and foundations.

Basement excavation in the 22nd district (Donaustadt, 1220)

In Donaustadt the groundwater level is the first question, not the soil type. In parts of the district the water table lies only a few metres below ground and fluctuates with the level of the Danube. A basement excavation in 1220 therefore often means: dewatering during construction, a basement built as a watertight concrete structure instead of masonry walls, and a check whether the empty structure will be subject to uplift. If groundwater is lowered for the pit, a water-law permit may be required depending on the quantity, and the neighbouring houses should be documented beforehand, because drawdown can trigger settlement. Anyone building in Essling, Aspern or Breitenlee should therefore know the water level before the design: a basement set half a metre higher may save the entire dewatering. How the slab beneath is built is described on the floor slab page.

Planning excavation support: who calculates, who checks, who is liable

An excavation is not secured by the excavator operator but on paper. Anyone having excavation support planned in Vienna needs three things: the soil profile from a trial pit or borehole, the exact position of neighbouring foundations and the planned excavation depth including working space. From these, an authorised structural engineer – a chartered civil engineer (Ziviltechniker) or master builder – designs the support to Eurocode 7 (ÖNORM EN 1997). From a depth of 1.25 m, occupational safety rules require a slope or shoring anyway; the planning only decides which solution works in the available space. As general contractor we coordinate this planning with our partner firms, align it with the excavation sequence and include it as a separate item in the quote. In terms of timing it belongs before contract award: shoring that is only designed after construction starts delays excavation by weeks, because beams, laggings or sheet piles have to be ordered.

What an excavation support design contains

A usable excavation support design for Vienna covers more than a sketch with a slope angle. It includes the chosen type of shoring with justification, the load assumptions – neighbouring foundation, lorry traffic at the pit edge, crane position, material storage – and the permissible deformations, especially when an old building is directly adjacent. Added to this are excavation stages, the sequence of strutting or tieback anchoring and a monitoring programme that shows whether the wall or the neighbouring house is moving. If anchors extend beneath the neighbouring plot, the owner's written consent is required; without it, the only option is strutting within the pit. Finally, the design describes removal: what is pulled, what remains in the ground, and how the void is backfilled.

Type of shoring	Suitable when	Guide value net
Soldier pile wall (Berlin-type shoring)	no groundwater present, moderate space available	as designed
Sheet pile wall	water in the ground, soft layers, vibration acceptable	€180–420/m²
Bored pile wall	deep pit directly next to existing buildings	€380–950/m²

In Viennese detached-house construction, the soldier pile wall is usually the most economical vertical solution: steel beams are drilled or driven at intervals, and timber laggings are slid in between as digging proceeds. But it is not watertight. Sheet pile walls cost more and cause vibrations when driven, which in densely built-up areas require a monitoring programme on the neighbouring house. For smaller digging work such as utility trenches, a trench box that moves along section by section is enough. Which option makes sense for you is only shown by the ground investigation – which is why for us it comes at the beginning and not as an add-on at the end. The construction of deeper pits is described on the civil engineering page.

Frequently asked questions about earthworks in Vienna

How much do earthworks cost per cubic metre?

Relocating on the plot €8 to €18/m³, fill with compaction €25 to €55/m³, soil replacement €45 to €95/m³. If soil has to be removed, transport and landfill at €22 to €45 per tonne are added – one cubic metre weighs around 1.8 tonnes.

What is a cut-and-fill balance?

The calculation of how much soil is cut and how much is filled. The aim is to use the material on the plot instead of hauling it away and buying in other material. It is the most important cost lever in any earthworks job.

What is the difference from excavation and grading?

Excavation is the pit for a basement, foundation or utility lines. Grading establishes the final level and bearing capacity of an area. Earthworks reshape the terrain. Often all three interlock. See excavation and grading.

Do I need a permit?

Changes to ground level may require notification or a permit under the Vienna Building Code, especially near the plot boundary or on a larger scale. We clarify this before starting. Outside Vienna, the respective state building code applies.

Why is the topsoil stripped separately?

The top layer of soil contains nutrients and soil life; the subsoil does not. If they are mixed, the garden grows poorly for years. That is why topsoil is stripped first, stored separately and spread back at the end.

How does fill become load-bearing?

Place it in layers of 20 to 30 cm and compact each layer with a roller or plate compactor. Under paths, terraces or walls with a plate load test as proof, €250 to €550 per test.

Can I use the excavated soil from my new build in the garden?

Often yes, and it saves a lot of money. The prerequisite is that the material is suitable and uncontaminated and that the change in ground level is permitted. Stony subsoil is suitable for fills but not as garden soil.

What happens to surplus soil?

It is hauled away and, depending on its composition, recycled or landfilled, with a weighbridge ticket. If contamination is suspected, it is sampled beforehand – contaminated material costs many times more at the landfill.

Can you work on tight plots?

Yes, with mini excavators and small dumpers that fit through narrow access ways. It takes longer because each load is smaller – which is why a good cut-and-fill balance pays off especially here.

What needs to be considered on a slope?

Cutting only with a safe slope, whose angle depends on the soil type. Larger changes in level need a retaining wall with drainage. See retaining wall.

Where does rainwater go after the change in ground level?

The new fall must lead away from the house and must not direct water towards the neighbour. With large sealed areas, channels or a soakaway are added.

What is the best time of year?

Spring to autumn when the soil is dry. Wet loam can hardly be compacted and is churned up by heavy machines. Backfilling is not done on frozen ground.

How long do earthworks take?

A garden with 100 to 200 m³ takes two to five working days, depending on access and weather. Larger landscaping projects one to three weeks.

What records do I receive?

Cut-and-fill balance, photo documentation, compaction records under paved areas, disposal records with weighbridge tickets and the acceptance record under ÖNORM B 2110.

How quickly is the price for the excavation fixed?

Within two working days after the site visit. For the cut-and-fill balance we need the ground levels; if there is no plan, we survey on site.

How much does a cubic metre of excavated soil cost to remove?

Uncontaminated excavated soil €22 to €45 per tonne, i.e. around €40 to €90 per cubic metre of bank volume. With foreign matter €45 to €85/t, contaminated €95 to €260/t.

Why do you calculate in tonnes instead of cubic metres?

Because the landfill bills by weighbridge ticket. One cubic metre of natural ground weighs around 1.6 to 2.0 tonnes. We show both in the quote so that the final invoice remains verifiable.

What does bulking mean?

Loosened soil takes up more space than in its natural state, 15 to 35 percent depending on soil type. That is why there are always more cubic metres on the lorry than in the plan.

Do I need a geotechnical report?

For basement excavations and foundations yes, €1,800 to €5,500. For landscaping in the garden, a trial pit for €450 to €1,200 is usually enough.

What happens if groundwater is encountered?

Then the method changes: dewatering, a tighter pit, uplift protection and condition surveys of neighbouring houses because of the drawdown. This is the largest single item and needs to be clarified before negotiating the price.

Does the excavated soil have to be sampled?

Not always mandatory, but almost always economical. €280 to €850 per sample decides the classification – with 320 tonnes, the difference between uncontaminated and contaminated amounts to around €17,000.

Can the excavated soil stay on the plot?

If it is compactable and uncontaminated, yes: cut-and-fill balancing costs €8 to €18 per cubic metre instead of removal and landfill. Cohesive soil is usually not suitable for this.

Which excavator will fit into my garden?

With a passage from about 1 m a mini excavator, from 2.5 m a midi excavator. What matters is daily output: mini excavator 20 to 45 m³, crawler excavator 150 to 400 m³.

Is it worth opening a fence panel?

Almost always. The difference between five days of mini excavator and one and a half days of crawler excavator clearly exceeds the cost of opening and restoring it.

How steep may the slope be?

That depends on the soil type and is set before excavation. If there is no space for a slope, shoring is needed – which is then not the more expensive option but the only one.

How much does a compaction test cost?

€250 to €550 per plate load test. For load-bearing areas it is the prerequisite for acceptance by the next trade.

Why is my paving next to the house sinking?

Usually the working space between the basement wall and the ground was tipped in one go instead of compacted in layers. The material settles over years, and new paving sinks again as long as the cause remains.

What fall does the ground next to the house need?

About 2 percent away from the house, i.e. two centimetres per metre. The plinth stays visible and is not buried, otherwise there will be moisture on the basement wall.

Can work be done in winter?

Excavating yes, placing only to a limited extent. Frozen material and snow are never placed, because voids remain when they thaw – the settlement then comes months later.

What if we come across an old oil tank or a cesspit?

Stop work at that spot, empty and clean professionally, sample the soil, clear out the void and backfill it with compaction. Old plans available in advance help to budget for this instead of discovering it.

May the shoring extend with anchors beneath the neighbouring plot?

Only with the neighbour's written consent. Anchors drilled beneath someone else's land interfere with their property, even if they are decommissioned after construction. Without consent the pit must be strutted from the inside, which costs space in the pit and slows down excavation. That is why we approach the neighbour early, ideally together with the condition survey of their house.

When must the excavation support design be finished?

Before the excavation contract is awarded. The design determines which equipment comes, which material is ordered and how long the pit stays open. Allow several weeks lead time for ground investigation, structural design and ordering. Anyone who plans only after construction starts pays for idle time for excavators and lorries and risks the pit remaining open and unsecured in the rain.

How much does a sheet pile wall for an excavation cost?

As a guide price net, €180 to €420 per square metre of wall area, including driving and extraction. The area is the perimeter times the embedment depth, not just the visible height – the piles reach well below the formation. For a small basement pit this quickly adds up to several hundred square metres. Vibration monitoring and condition surveys are added if neighbouring houses are close by.

Is a basement worthwhile on plots with high groundwater?

Sometimes, but rarely without compromise. A basement in groundwater needs a watertight concrete structure, dewatering during construction and often uplift protection. This can considerably increase basement costs. Often a shallower basement, a raised ground floor or a plant room above ground works out better. We compare these options based on the measured water level before planning.

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Note: Skyline Bau is the brand name of the construction and renovation division of Bling Bling GmbH and is not a separate legal entity. The sole contractual partner is Bling Bling GmbH. Bling Bling GmbH is a restricted construction trade business under § 99 GewO (Austrian Trade Regulation Act) and not a licensed master builder (Baumeister). Under § 99 (5) GewO, the title “Baumeister” is reserved for businesses licensed under § 94 no. 5 GewO. Regulated trades — master-builder services, structural engineering, gas and sanitary engineering, electrical engineering — are carried out exclusively by authorised, licensed partner companies.