Equipment operators quote before work starts on excavation, grading, land clearing, demolition, and site prep jobs, usually after a site visit. Clients compare hourly rates, estimated hours, mobilization, and whether the price is fixed or time-and-materials. Ground conditions are the biggest unknown, so a clear quote protects you if the work turns out harder than it looked.
When to use estimates: Use estimates to provide project quotes and get client approval before starting work. Once approved, convert your estimate to an invoice with one click to collect payment.
Create an invoice for payment collection
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Invoice_1001_Client_2026-10-14.pdf
Define what is being dug, graded, cleared, or hauled, with dimensions or depth, so extra work is easy to identify.
Time-and-materials and fixed bids carry different risks. State which applies and what happens if hours run over.
Prevents disputes if a larger machine, hammer, or auger is needed later.
Clients often assume the machine is already on site. Show the haul cost and any extra moves.
Rock, roots, high water table, buried debris, and old foundations can change the job. State how those will be handled and billed.
Clarify who calls 811, pulls permits, and provides access. Hitting an unmarked line is costly and should not fall on you by default.
Say whether soil is stacked on site, hauled off, or spread, and who pays dump fees and for fill or gravel.
| Service | Priced | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| Skid steer with operator | per hour | $75-125 |
| Mini excavator with operator | per hour | $90-150 |
| Full-size excavator or backhoe with operator | per hour | $125-225 |
| Bulldozer or grader with operator | per hour | $130-250 |
| Attachment (hammer, auger, grapple, mulcher) | per hour or per day | $15-60 per hour or $150-500 per day |
| Equipment transport (lowboy or trailer) | flat fee per trip | $150-600 |
| Operator only on customer-owned machine | per hour | $40-85 |
| Minimum call-out charge | flat fee | $300-800 |
Typical US ranges. Rates vary by region, experience, and job size.
Use your typical output, such as cubic yards per hour or feet of trench per hour, then add time for moving, loading, and waiting. Adjust down for tight spaces, rock, or wet ground.
Use time-and-materials or an estimated range with a cap for unknown soil or old structures. Use fixed price for simple, visible work such as a flat pad on open ground.
Add a line or a clause for hammer work or hitting rock, billed at an agreed hourly rate, instead of building a large cushion into the base price.
Fuel, trucking, and your own schedule change. A 14 to 30 day expiration keeps you from honoring an old price after costs rise.
Many operators give free quotes for nearby jobs and charge a fee for distant or complex ones, sometimes credited toward the work if hired. Say upfront if there is a fee.
Fixed price works for clear, simple jobs. When soil conditions or scope are uncertain, hourly with an estimated number of hours protects you and is common in the industry.
On an hourly quote, bill the actual hours and tell the client early if the estimate is changing. On a fixed price quote, you absorb overruns unless the extra work comes from conditions or changes excluded in your written scope.
It is strongly recommended. A signed quote or short work agreement confirms the scope, rates, and payment terms, and it helps if you need to pursue payment or file a lien later.
Use the Equipment Operator invoice template to bill the client, or convert this estimate once it's approved.
Equipment Operator invoice template