62/100CR Score
Ranked #1 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 20 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Best Excavating Contractors in Knoxville, TN (2026)
149 excavating contractors ranked by CR ScoreUpdated 0 paid placements in this rankingHow we rank →
The short answer
- 1
Best overall in Knoxville: Leadbetter Excavation & Earthworks, CR Score 62/100; 5.0★ from 20 Google reviews; open 24/7.
- 2
Best for emergencies (open 24/7): Quality Demolition and Land clearing - East, TN, posts 24/7 hours; ranked #2 of 149.
- 5
Most-reviewed: Ambient Services Plus Inc. HVAC, Septic Pumping, Electrical, Plumbing, 226 Google reviews at 4.9★, the most of 149 ranked; ranked #5.
Rankings can't be bought. Contractors can't pay to change their rank or score. How we rank
149 Knoxville excavating contractors are ranked here by CR Score, from ten published factors. 22 are open 24/7, 87 open Saturdays and 37 open Sundays, based on posted hours. The median Google rating is 4.9★ across 149 rated businesses.
Top 10 excavating contractors in Knoxville at a glance
| Rank | Business | CR Score | Google rating | Based in | Hours | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leadbetter Excavation & Earthworks | 62 | 5.0★ (20) | Knoxville | 24/7 | Overall |
| 2 | Quality Demolition and Land clearing - East, TN | 60 | 4.9★ (47) | Knoxville | 24/7 | Emergencies |
| 3 | Scates Excavating | 60 | 5.0★ (9) | Clinton, 1 mi away | 24/7 | — |
| 4 | Southern Dirt and Turf, LLC | 59 | 5.0★ (23) | Fairview, 5 mi away | 24/7 | — |
| 5 | Ambient Services Plus Inc. HVAC, Septic Pumping, Electrical, Plumbing | 59 | 4.9★ (226) | Seymour, 10 mi away | 24/7 | Most reviews |
| 6 | Kam Transport | 59 | 5.0★ (16) | Sevierville, 10 mi away | 24/7 | — |
| 7 | Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Drain Services | 58 | 4.4★ (157) | Knoxville | 24/7 | — |
| 8 | Sawing Logs Excavation & Millworks | 58 | 5.0★ (9) | Knoxville | Sat · Sun | — |
| 9 | Country Boy Excavating | 58 | 4.7★ (20) | Knoxville | Sat · Evenings | — |
| 10 | Rocky Top Septic & Excavating Services LLC | 58 | 4.9★ (82) | Knoxville | Sat | — |
The 149 best excavating contractors in Knoxville, ranked
Ordered by CR Score, a 0–100 score from ten published factors. Paid placement never changes the order.
Scores below: based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected. Hatched segments mark factors we don't have yet.
Based in Knoxville
60/100CR ScoreRanked #2 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.9★ from 47 Google reviews.
Based in Clinton, 1 mi away
60/100CR ScoreRanked #3 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 9 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based in Fairview, 5 mi away
59/100CR ScoreRanked #4 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 23 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based in Seymour, 10 mi away
59/100CR ScoreRanked #5 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.9★ from 226 Google reviews, the most in Knoxville.
Based in Sevierville, 10 mi away
59/100CR ScoreRanked #6 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 16 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based in Knoxville
58/100CR ScoreRanked #7 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.4★ from 157 Google reviews.
Based in Knoxville
58/100CR ScoreRanked #8 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 9 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based in Knoxville
58/100CR ScoreRanked #9 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.7★ from 20 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based in Knoxville
58/100CR ScoreRanked #10 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.9★ from 82 Google reviews.
Based in Alcoa, 15 mi away
58/100CR ScoreRanked #11 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 33 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based in Sevierville, 21 mi away
58/100CR ScoreRanked #12 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 103 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based in Farragut, 1 mi away
58/100CR ScoreRanked #13 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.8★ from 15 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based in Knoxville
57/100CR ScoreRanked #14 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 3 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
#15 KTN Excavation
Based in Clinton, 15 mi away
57/100CR ScoreRanked #15 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.8★ from 33 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based in Maryville, 15 mi away
57/100CR ScoreRanked #16 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 14 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based in Knoxville
57/100CR ScoreRanked #17 because of its Google rating and review volume: 5.0★ from 111 Google reviews.
#18 Tims Bush Hog
Based in Seymour, 12 mi away
57/100CR ScoreRanked #18 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 9 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based in Seymour, 6 mi away
57/100CR ScoreRanked #19 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 35 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based in Knoxville
56/100CR ScoreRanked #20 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.6★ from 19 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based in Knoxville
56/100CR ScoreRanked #21 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.9★ from 27 Google reviews.
Based in Maryville, 12 mi away
56/100CR ScoreRanked #22 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 7 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based in Knoxville
56/100CR ScoreRanked #23 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 15 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
#24 F&CO Excavation
Based in Clinton, 2 mi away
56/100CR ScoreRanked #24 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 8 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based in Clinton, 7 mi away
56/100CR ScoreRanked #25 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.3★ from 128 Google reviews.
Excavating contractors ranked #26 to #50
#1 to #25 are shown in full above. Here are #26 to #50, in CR Score order; each links to its profile. We publish the top 50 of 149 ranked excavating contractors here; the rest are on their profiles.
Also serving Knoxville
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 Knoxville excavating contractors
We scored 149 Knoxville 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 3, 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 Knoxville 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 Knoxville: frequently asked questions
Who is the best excavating contractor in Knoxville?
By CR Score, the highest-ranked excavating contractor in Knoxville, TN is Leadbetter Excavation & Earthworks with a CR Score of 62/100. It has 5.0★ from 20 Google reviews. It is open 24/7. Quality Demolition and Land clearing - East, TN (#2) and Scates Excavating (#3) follow. We ranked 149 excavating contractors on ten factors, last updated November 3, 2026.
How many excavating contractors are there in Knoxville?
ContractorsRanked ranks 149 excavating contractors serving Knoxville, TN. 20 of them are based in Knoxville; 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 Knoxville are open 24/7?
22 ranked excavating contractors in Knoxville post 24/7 hours. The highest-ranked are Leadbetter Excavation & Earthworks (#1), Quality Demolition and Land clearing - East, TN (#2) and Scates Excavating (#3). Hours come from each business's Google listing as of November 2026, so call to confirm.
Which excavating contractors in Knoxville work on weekends?
87 of 149 ranked excavating contractors post Saturday hours and 37 post Sunday hours. The highest-ranked open Saturdays are Leadbetter Excavation & Earthworks (#1), Quality Demolition and Land clearing - East, TN (#2) and Scates Excavating (#3). Posted hours are office hours; crews may book weekend jobs separately.
What Google rating do Knoxville excavating contractors have?
The median Google rating among 149 rated excavating contractors in Knoxville is 4.9★, with a median of 10 reviews. Ambient Services Plus Inc. HVAC, Septic Pumping, Electrical, Plumbing has the most, 226 reviews, and ranks #5. 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 Knoxville count in this ranking?
Yes, if they are within 25 mi of the Knoxville 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 Knoxville
- November 2026: CR Scores recalculated for 149 excavating contractors serving Knoxville.
- November 2026: 5 duplicate listings merged.
More excavating contractors and Knoxville pages
Excavating contractors near Knoxville
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