Cheyenne's hard digging comes from caliche, frost and swelling clay more than from bedrock. HomeGuide's national figures show what hard ground does: from $2.50 to $15.00 per cubic yard for soil to $50 to $200 or more for rock that must be broken.
The costs quoted on this page are national ranges published by HomeGuide, and none of them is our price. Frost depth, caliche, swelling clay, access and the long hauls of rural Wyoming all change a Cheyenne job. We read the HomeGuide pages in October 2026.
What happens to my price if the excavator hits rock or caliche?
When the excavator hits rock or caliche, the work slows and may need a ripper or a breaker, so the price rises. HomeGuide puts jackhammered rock at $50 to $200 or more per cubic yard and says rock on a foundation, basement or pool can add $15,000 to $20,000 or more. A written rate for hard digging sets the rule in advance.
How deep is bedrock in Cheyenne?
In much of Cheyenne, sand, gravel and caliche run deep before true bedrock. Around Laramie, the Laramie Range and the bluffs at Pine Bluffs and Chugwater, rock comes much closer to the surface. A soil boring or a test hole on your lot tells you what to expect.
What if the ground is frozen, too wet or swelling clay?
Frozen ground can be dug with the right equipment, but no fill goes in frozen or onto frost, because it settles at the thaw. Wet clay after a thaw ruts and will not compact, so we wait. Swelling clay, common in Wellington and Fort Collins, needs the engineer's moisture and compaction specs. No HomeGuide figure exists for winter digging surcharges.
Should I get a soil test before building near Cheyenne?
Yes, a soil test before building is worth it for a new home or large addition: a geotechnical report shows the soil strength, groundwater and whether the clay swells. A geotechnical report costs $1,000 to $5,000, and a basic soil test $10 to $100 or more, by HomeGuide's land clearing page.
How do you get a machine through a narrow gate into my back yard?
Through a narrow gate we use a mini excavator or a compact loader, and sometimes remove a fence panel and replace it afterward. Many older Cheyenne neighborhoods have alleys that make a better entry. Where there is no access at all, hand digging costs more.
Will heavy equipment damage a High Plains lawn, and who fixes it?
Heavy equipment leaves tracks on a lawn, mostly along the path in and out, and spring mud makes it worse. We use ground mats and one route. The contract should say who repairs ruts and whether seed or sod is included; on the High Plains, grass takes a while to come back.
What if you find an old buried foundation, cellar or contaminated soil?
Old buried foundations, cellars and trash pits are common on former farmsteads around Cheyenne, and they are broken out and hauled like other debris. Soil that smells of fuel or looks stained, often near old fuel tanks, is different: work stops there and the soil is tested. Lab tests for contaminants cost $25 to $200 per soil sample, per HomeGuide.
Want a price for your own place? Call or text (307) 317-7006, and after a site visit we put the scope and the cost on paper.