58/100CR Score
Ranked #1 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.4★ from 49 Google reviews, the most in Waterloo.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Best Excavating Contractors in Waterloo, IA (2026)
17 excavating contractors ranked by CR ScoreUpdated 0 paid placements in this rankingHow we rank →
The short answer
- 1
Best overall in Waterloo: Benton's Sand & Gravel, Inc., CR Score 58/100; 4.4★ from 49 Google reviews.
- 6
Best for emergencies (open 24/7): Cedar Valley Excavating, posts 24/7 hours; ranked #6 of 17.
- 14
Most-reviewed: Crystal, 32 Google reviews at 4.2★, the most of 17 ranked after Benton's Sand & Gravel, Inc.; ranked #14.
Rankings can't be bought. Contractors can't pay to change their rank or score. How we rank
17 Waterloo excavating contractors are ranked here by CR Score, from ten published factors. 1 is open 24/7, 2 open Saturdays and 3 open Sundays, based on posted hours. The median Google rating is 4.4★ across 17 rated businesses.
Top 10 excavating contractors in Waterloo at a glance
| Rank | Business | CR Score | Google rating | Based in | Hours | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Benton's Sand & Gravel, Inc. | 58 | 4.4★ (49) | Cedar Falls, 7 mi away | — | Overall |
| 2 | Lehman Trucking & Excavating | 56 | 4.0★ (8) | Waterloo | — | — |
| 3 | Hoffman & Hoffman Trenching | 56 | 5.0★ (6) | Waterloo | — | — |
| 4 | Frickson Backhoe & Trucking | 55 | 3.9★ (7) | Waterloo | — | — |
| 5 | Don Schmitz & Sons Inc | 55 | 5.0★ (5) | Waterloo | — | — |
| 6 | Cedar Valley Excavating | 55 | 5.0★ (3) | Cedar Falls, 6 mi away | 24/7 | Emergencies |
| 7 | Vieth Construction Corporation | 54 | 3.9★ (7) | Cedar Falls, 5 mi away | — | — |
| 8 | Schares landscaping LLC | 53 | 5.0★ (26) | Waterloo | — | — |
| 9 | Ohio Dredge | 52 | 5.0★ (6) | Beavercreek, 14 mi away | — | — |
| 10 | Denver Construction Inc | 50 | 5.0★ (3) | Waverly, 12 mi away | Sun · Evenings | — |
The 17 best excavating contractors in Waterloo, ranked
Ordered by CR Score, a 0–100 score from ten published factors. Paid placement never changes the order.
Based in Waterloo
56/100CR ScoreRanked #2 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 4.0★ from 8 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 7 of 10 factors; credentials, recency and availability not yet collected.
Based in Waterloo
56/100CR ScoreRanked #3 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 6 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 7 of 10 factors; credentials, recency and availability not yet collected.
Based in Waterloo
55/100CR ScoreRanked #4 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 3.9★ from 7 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 7 of 10 factors; credentials, recency and availability not yet collected.
Based in Waterloo
55/100CR ScoreRanked #5 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 5 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 7 of 10 factors; credentials, recency and availability not yet collected.
Based in Cedar Falls, 6 mi away
55/100CR ScoreRanked #6 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 Cedar Falls, 5 mi away
54/100CR ScoreRanked #7 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 3.9★ from 7 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Excavating contractor”.
Based on 7 of 10 factors; credentials, recency and availability not yet collected.
Based in Waterloo
53/100CR ScoreRanked #8 because of its Google rating and review volume: 5.0★ from 26 Google reviews.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
#9 Ohio Dredge
Based in Beavercreek, 14 mi away
52/100CR ScoreRanked #9 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 Waverly, 12 mi away
50/100CR ScoreRanked #10 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 Waterloo
50/100CR ScoreRanked #11 because of its Google rating and trade focus: 5.0★ from 4 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Demolition contractor”.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Waterloo
49/100CR ScoreRanked #12 because of its Google rating and review volume: 3.8★ from 20 Google reviews.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Waterloo
47/100CR ScoreRanked #13 because of its Google rating and review volume: 2.7★ from 18 Google reviews.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
#14 Crystal
Based in Waverly, 18 mi away
47/100CR ScoreRanked #14 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.2★ from 32 Google reviews.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Cedar Falls, 18 mi away
47/100CR ScoreRanked #15 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.8★ from 20 Google reviews.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Waverly, 20 mi away
47/100CR ScoreRanked #16 because of its Google rating and review volume: 4.4★ from 28 Google reviews.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Based in Waverly, 16 mi away
44/100CR ScoreRanked #17 because of its Google rating and review volume: 3.7★ from 11 Google reviews.
Based on 8 of 10 factors; credentials and recency not yet collected.
Also serving Waterloo
14 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.
| Business | Google rating | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Adji Construction | In Waterloo | |
| Black Hawk Plumbing | 1.0★ (2) | In Waterloo |
| Can You See It Construction | 5.0★ (4) | In Waterloo |
| Chad Heim Excavating & Trucking | 5.0★ (1) | 19 mi |
| JM Construction Services | 5.0★ (2) | In Waterloo |
| Koelker Excavating | In Waterloo | |
| KWS Inc | 5.0★ (1) | 6 mi |
| R & R Construction & Excavation | In Waterloo | |
| R & R Septic Solutions LLC | In Waterloo | |
| Stickfort Construction | 5.0★ (1) | In Waterloo |
| Streicher Excavating Inc | 17 mi | |
| Tatroe Trenching Services | 17 mi | |
| Thome Excavating & Grading | In Waterloo | |
| Whole Excavation LLC | 5.0★ (2) | In Waterloo |
How we ranked Waterloo excavating contractors
We scored 17 Waterloo 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 Waterloo 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 Waterloo: frequently asked questions
Who is the best excavating contractor in Waterloo?
By CR Score, the highest-ranked excavating contractor in Waterloo, IA is Benton's Sand & Gravel, Inc. with a CR Score of 58/100. It has 4.4★ from 49 Google reviews. Lehman Trucking & Excavating (#2) and Hoffman & Hoffman Trenching (#3) follow. We ranked 17 excavating contractors on ten factors, last updated November 3, 2026.
How many excavating contractors are there in Waterloo?
ContractorsRanked ranks 17 excavating contractors serving Waterloo, IA. 8 of them are based in Waterloo; the rest serve it from nearby towns. Another 14 within 25 mi are listed but not ranked yet. Counts are as of November 2026.
Which excavating contractors in Waterloo are open 24/7?
1 ranked excavating contractor in Waterloo posts 24/7 hours. The highest-ranked is Cedar Valley Excavating (#6). Hours come from each business's Google listing as of November 2026, so call to confirm.
Which excavating contractors in Waterloo work on weekends?
2 of 17 ranked excavating contractors post Saturday hours and 3 post Sunday hours. The highest-ranked open Saturdays are Cedar Valley Excavating (#6) and 4 Season Services LLC (#11). Posted hours are office hours; crews may book weekend jobs separately.
What Google rating do Waterloo excavating contractors have?
The median Google rating among 17 rated excavating contractors in Waterloo is 4.4★, with a median of 8 reviews. Benton's Sand & Gravel, Inc. has the most, 49 reviews, and ranks #1. 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 Waterloo count in this ranking?
Yes, if they are within 25 mi of the Waterloo 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 Waterloo
- November 2026: CR Scores recalculated for 17 excavating contractors serving Waterloo.
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