Excavation Geelong
Hard Spot Excavations handles excavation jobs across Geelong that regular machinery can't get to.
Narrow side paths, small backyards, sloped blocks, tight driveways: if a standard excavator won't fit, that's the job we're built for.
We use compact equipment to dig, trench, clear and grade in spaces most contractors have to turn down.
Why access is the real problem on most Geelong sites
A lot of excavation quotes fall apart the moment the machine shows up and can't fit through the gate. Older Geelong properties in particular were built without wide side access in mind, so anything behind the house often means digging by hand or bringing in gear too small to do the job properly, and too often that means the job just doesn't get done well.
We run compact machinery specifically so this stops being a problem. It gets through gates and gaps a standard excavator can't, and it does it without tearing up the lawn, garden beds or paving on the way in. If your block has awkward access, that's the detail worth mentioning when you call, since it changes what equipment we bring.
What we actually do on site
Most jobs start with site preparation, clearing the area, levelling it, and getting the ground ready for whatever's next, whether that's a retaining wall, new turf, or a full landscaping rebuild.
Trenching is a regular part of this too, usually for drainage, irrigation or utility lines, and it needs to be dug to the right depth and line without disturbing anything already in the ground nearby.
Uneven or sloped ground is its own category of work. Left alone it causes drainage problems and makes a yard hard to use, so grading and levelling often comes before any landscaping or lawn work can start.
Overgrown or neglected sites need clearing first, removing old material and roots so the ground is actually usable again, whether that's for synthetic grass, a driveway, or a new structure.
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Experience that matters on tight sites
We've got more than 35 years of combined experience specifically on narrow and hard-to-reach properties, which is a different skill set to open-block excavation. Getting levels right, working close to existing structures without damaging them, and knowing when a job needs hand-digging instead of machinery all comes from having done it enough times to know where things go wrong.
We work across Greater Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula and the Surf Coast, covering Newtown, Highton, Belmont, Ocean Grove, Torquay, Armstrong Creek, Leopold and the surrounding suburbs. Builders, landscapers, property managers and homeowners all use us for the same reason: the site is difficult and needs someone who can actually get in and do the work.
Common questions
Can you get machinery into a small backyard?
Usually, yes. Our compact equipment is built for exactly this, narrow side paths, tight gates, small courtyards. If access is genuinely too tight for any machine, we'll say so upfront and talk through what can be done by hand instead.
Do you cause damage getting equipment into tight spaces?
Some disruption is unavoidable with any excavation job, but minimising it is the point of using compact machinery in the first place. We plan the access route during the site visit so we're not guessing on the day, and we take care around existing paving, gardens and structures on the way in and out.
How much does excavation cost for a small site?
It depends on access difficulty, how much soil needs to be moved, and whether trenching or grading is involved. A straightforward job with reasonable access costs less than a tight site needing hand-digging or extra time to manoeuvre equipment. We can give you a proper figure after seeing the site.
How long does a typical job take?
A standard site preparation or trenching job usually takes one to a few days, depending on access and how much ground needs clearing. Larger or more complex sites take longer, and we'll give you a realistic timeframe as part of the quote.