More detail on permits, septic evaluations, slope limits, well setbacks and utility
locates is on the answers page.
How much does excavation cost in the Goldendale area?
There is no flat price list, because five things move the number more than anything else: how far equipment has to travel to your site, how it gets into the work area, what your soil does when it is wet, how much material has to be hauled off or brought in, and whether we have to work around other crews. Send those details and you get one price, not a low number that grows later. As one customer put it after collecting several quotes: "his quote is much more reasonable than others."
Do you charge to come look at the job?
No. Estimates are free. Grade Worx will come out, walk the access and the work area, and give you a number at no cost and with no obligation to hire.
Are you licensed, bonded and insured?
Yes — licensed, bonded and insured, registered with Washington State Department of Labor & Industries as GRADEW*841D3. You can look that number up on the L&I "Verify a Contractor" tool and confirm it yourself before you hire anyone.
Is hauling the extra dirt away and cleaning up included?
Yes. Haul-off and cleanup are part of the quote, not a separate bill afterward. And if we hit rock or anything else nobody expected, you get a conversation about what it changes before any change order is written.
How fast will I hear back after I send a request?
Every request is read personally and answered within one business day, Mon–Fri 8am–5pm. If your job is time-sensitive, call or text 1 (509) 772-2668 directly and say it is urgent.
Do you handle both commercial and residential excavation?
Yes. Commercial and industrial sites and road building on one side; house pads, foundations, driveways, and drainage on the other. Tell us what you need and you will get a straight answer on whether it is a fit — including when it is not.
What areas do you serve from Goldendale?
Grade Worx works a roughly 50-mile radius from its Goldendale yard: Klickitat County and the Columbia Gorge on the Washington side — Centerville, Wishram, Klickitat, Lyle, Dallesport, Bickleton, Glenwood, White Salmon, Bingen, Trout Lake — and across the river in Oregon to The Dalles, Hood River, Mosier, Wasco, Moro, Dufur, and Arlington. Larger Pacific Northwest project sites are considered when the scope fits the equipment and schedule.
Who will I actually be dealing with?
A small operation, not a call center. Perry Lancaster handles project management and is your direct line at (509) 250-6087 or PerryL@Gradeworxllc.com. Behind the bid is 38 years of heavy civil construction experience across mass earthmoving, road construction, mining, environmental remediation, and site development.
What should I know before excavation in Klickitat County?
Most dwellings and buildings need Klickitat County permits and inspections, and buildability, access, setbacks, water, septic, easements, and drainage all want checking before dirt moves. You do not need to have this figured out before you call — send what you know and Grade Worx will tell you what is still missing.
When does stormwater permitting become part of the job?
Washington construction stormwater coverage can apply once clearing, grading, excavating, or stockpiling disturbs one acre or more, or when smaller work is part of a larger common plan of development. If your job is near that line, it gets flagged in the bid rather than discovered halfway through.