62/100CR Score
Ranked #1 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.8★ from 37 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Best Excavating Contractors in Des Moines, IA (2026)
37 excavating contractors ranked by CR ScoreUpdated 0 paid placements in this rankingHow we rank →
The short answer
- 1
Best overall in Des Moines: DeFreece Land Services, CR Score 62/100; 4.8★ from 37 Google reviews; open 24/7.
- 2
Best for emergencies (open 24/7): Total Comfort Group, posts 24/7 hours; ranked #2 of 37.
- 2
Most-reviewed: Total Comfort Group, 507 Google reviews at 4.7★, the most of 37 ranked; ranked #2.
Rankings can't be bought. Contractors can't pay to change their rank or score. How we rank
37 Des Moines excavating contractors are ranked here by CR Score, from ten published factors. 3 are open 24/7, 12 open Saturdays and 5 open Sundays, based on posted hours. The median Google rating is 4.8★ across 37 rated businesses.
Top 10 excavating contractors in Des Moines at a glance
| Rank | Business | CR Score | Google rating | Based in | Hours | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | DeFreece Land Services | 62 | 4.8★ (37) | Des Moines | 24/7 | Overall |
| 2 | Total Comfort Group | 57 | 4.7★ (507) | Clive, 16 mi away | 24/7 | Emergencies, Most reviews |
| 3 | L&D Hydroseed | 57 | 5.0★ (6) | Des Moines | Sat · Sun | — |
| 4 | Torgerson Excavating INC | 56 | 4.5★ (48) | Des Moines | — | — |
| 5 | Priority Excavating LLC | 56 | 4.3★ (11) | Des Moines | — | — |
| 6 | Zippy Drain | 56 | 4.8★ (260) | Clive, 16 mi away | 24/7 | — |
| 7 | McAninch Corporation | 55 | 4.4★ (28) | Des Moines | — | — |
| 8 | Nicholson Excavating LLC | 54 | 4.4★ (11) | Pleasant Hill, 5 mi away | Sat | — |
| 9 | Jesse's Lawn & Snow | 54 | 4.8★ (4) | Des Moines | Sat | — |
| 10 | Elder Corporation | 54 | 4.1★ (46) | Pleasant Hill, 5 mi away | — | — |
The 37 best excavating contractors in Des Moines, ranked
Ordered by CR Score, a 0–100 score from ten published factors. Paid placement never changes the order.
Based in Clive, 16 mi away
57/100CR ScoreRanked #2 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.7★ from 507 Google reviews, the most in Des Moines.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Des Moines
57/100CR ScoreRanked #3 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 6 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Des Moines
56/100CR ScoreRanked #4 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.5★ from 48 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Des Moines
56/100CR ScoreRanked #5 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.3★ from 11 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 7 of 10 factors; credentials, recency and availability not yet collected.
#6 Zippy Drain
Based in Clive, 16 mi away
56/100CR ScoreRanked #6 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.8★ from 260 Google reviews.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Des Moines
55/100CR ScoreRanked #7 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.4★ from 28 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Pleasant Hill, 5 mi away
54/100CR ScoreRanked #8 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.4★ from 11 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Des Moines
54/100CR ScoreRanked #9 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.8★ from 4 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Pleasant Hill, 5 mi away
54/100CR ScoreRanked #10 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.1★ from 46 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Des Moines
54/100CR ScoreRanked #11 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 10 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Des Moines
54/100CR ScoreRanked #12 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 3 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 7 of 10 factors; credentials, recency and availability not yet collected.
Based in Des Moines
54/100CR ScoreRanked #13 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 3 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 7 of 10 factors; credentials, recency and availability not yet collected.
Based in Norwalk, 8 mi away
54/100CR ScoreRanked #14 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 9 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Johnston, 5 mi away
54/100CR ScoreRanked #15 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 6 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 7 of 10 factors; credentials, recency and availability not yet collected.
Based in Des Moines
54/100CR ScoreRanked #16 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 3 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Des Moines
53/100CR ScoreRanked #17 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.7★ from 7 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Des Moines
52/100CR ScoreRanked #18 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 2.8★ from 13 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Des Moines
52/100CR ScoreRanked #19 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 2.5★ from 10 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
#20 Latitude 41
Based in Ankeny, 7 mi away
52/100CR ScoreRanked #20 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.9★ from 119 Google reviews.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Indianola, 16 mi away
51/100CR ScoreRanked #21 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.3★ from 24 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Grimes, 9 mi away
51/100CR ScoreRanked #22 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.8★ from 5 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
#23 Kelly Cortum Inc
Based in Norwalk, 10 mi away
51/100CR ScoreRanked #23 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.1★ from 9 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Norwalk, 8 mi away
50/100CR ScoreRanked #24 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.8★ from 29 Google reviews.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Des Moines
50/100CR ScoreRanked #25 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.9★ from 25 Google reviews.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
All 37 excavating contractors
#1 to #25 are shown in full above. Here are #26 to #37, in CR Score order; each links to its profile.
| Rank | Business | CR Score | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 | Cliff Contracting | 50 | 5.0★ (4) | 10 mi |
| 27 | Juarez Excavating & Fiberglass pools | 50 | 4.8★ (25) | 8 mi |
| 28 | Trunnel Excavating | 49 | 5.0★ (5) | In Des Moines |
| 29 | Cook Landscapes & Dirtworks, LLC | 49 | 4.9★ (13) | In Des Moines |
| 30 | Premier Plumbing Inc. | 48 | 4.3★ (80) | 8 mi |
| 31 | Woodchuck Stumps | 48 | 5.0★ (10) | 13 mi |
| 32 | DSM Hauling and Services | 48 | 5.0★ (5) | 2 mi |
| 33 | J Pettiecord Inc | 47 | 4.6★ (24) | 9 mi |
| 34 | Heritage Property Service | 47 | 5.0★ (21) | 18 mi |
| 35 | Ram Development, LLC. | 45 | 4.5★ (4) | 2 mi |
| 36 | Haan Services LLC | 45 | 4.9★ (43) | 25 mi |
| 37 | AAA Trenching & Specialized Boring | 44 | 5.0★ (6) | 11 mi |
Also serving Des Moines
20 more excavating contractors within 25 mi that we can't rank yet: too few reviews, or a trade we couldn't confirm. Listed A to Z.
How we ranked Des Moines excavating contractors
We scored 37 Des Moines excavating contractors on ten factors, weighted as shown. A business is ranked when its trade is confirmed and it has 3 or more Google reviews or a claimed profile. A business with no Google reviews scores zero on rating, review volume and recency. Other unknown factors are left out, not counted as zero. Scores last refreshed November 2, 2026.
Paid placement never changes a rank or score. Featured businesses are paid, labelled, limited to 3 and shown above the ranking, outside it.
| Factor | Weight | Computed from | In Des Moines data |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reputation | 25% | Google star rating, adjusted for how many reviews back it | Measured |
| Credentials | 15% | Active state license, bond and workers’ comp on file | Not yet collected |
| Review volume | 10% | Number of Google reviews, compared with the most-reviewed business on the list | Measured |
| Recency | 5% | Share of reviews from the last 12 months | Not yet collected |
| Availability | 5% | Weekly open hours, Saturday, Sunday, 24/7 or same-day | Measured |
| Trade focus | 10% | How clearly the business does this trade (its Google category and name) | Measured |
| Proximity | 5% | Based in the city scores highest, less the farther away it is | Measured |
| Claimed profile | 10% | The business has claimed its ContractorsRanked profile (free or paid earn the same) | Measured |
| Partnered | 5% | The business links to ContractorsRanked from its own website with our badge, checked periodically | Measured |
| ContractorsRanked reviews | 10% | Verified customer reviews collected by ContractorsRanked: their rating and how many there are | Measured |
Excavating contractors in Des Moines: frequently asked questions
Who is the best excavating contractor in Des Moines?
By CR Score, the highest-ranked excavating contractor in Des Moines, IA is DeFreece Land Services with a CR Score of 62/100. It has 4.8★ from 37 Google reviews. It is open 24/7. Total Comfort Group (#2) and L&D Hydroseed (#3) follow. We ranked 37 excavating contractors on ten factors, last updated November 2, 2026.
How many excavating contractors are there in Des Moines?
ContractorsRanked ranks 37 excavating contractors serving Des Moines, IA. 16 of them are based in Des Moines; the rest serve it from nearby towns. Another 20 within 25 mi are listed but not ranked yet. Counts are as of November 2026.
Which excavating contractors in Des Moines are open 24/7?
3 ranked excavating contractors in Des Moines post 24/7 hours. The highest-ranked are DeFreece Land Services (#1), Total Comfort Group (#2) and Zippy Drain (#6). Hours come from each business's Google listing as of November 2026, so call to confirm.
Which excavating contractors in Des Moines work on weekends?
12 of 37 ranked excavating contractors post Saturday hours and 5 post Sunday hours. The highest-ranked open Saturdays are DeFreece Land Services (#1), Total Comfort Group (#2) and L&D Hydroseed (#3). Posted hours are office hours; crews may book weekend jobs separately.
What Google rating do Des Moines excavating contractors have?
The median Google rating among 37 rated excavating contractors in Des Moines is 4.8★, with a median of 11 reviews. Total Comfort Group has the most, 507 reviews, and ranks #2. We adjust ratings for review count, so a few five-star reviews cannot top the list.
How does ContractorsRanked rank excavating contractors?
Each excavating contractor gets a 0–100 CR Score from ten published factors, led by reputation (25%), credentials (15%), review volume (10%) and trade focus (10%). A business with no Google reviews scores zero on rating, review volume and recency; other factors we cannot measure are left out. Only businesses with a confirmed trade and 3 or more reviews, or a claimed profile, are ranked.
Do excavating contractors outside Des Moines count in this ranking?
Yes, if they are within 25 mi of the Des Moines city center, our service radius for excavating contractors. Each listing shows where the business is based and how far away it is. Proximity is 5% of the CR Score, so a nearby business gets a small edge.
Can excavating contractors pay to rank higher on ContractorsRanked?
No. The CR Score never reads payment status, and this ranking has 0 paid placements. Up to 3 Featured businesses may appear above the list, labelled Featured and showing their honest rank.
Update log for Des Moines
- November 2026: CR Scores recalculated for 37 excavating contractors serving Des Moines.
More excavating contractors and Des Moines pages
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