Raw ground to finished frame.
Excavation, foundations, framing, drainage and renovation across Princeton and Mercer County. One crew, from the first dig to the final walkthrough.
Dig. Pour. Frame. Drain. Finish.
Big Green Builders is a small crew in Princeton. We dig the hole, pour the footings, frame the walls, move the water, and finish the rooms. One company for the whole job means nobody waits on somebody else’s schedule, and nothing gets handed off without someone who cares about it.
Five kinds of work
One crew from the first cut to the final coat. If it touches the ground or the envelope, we do it in-house.
Ground
Excavation, demolition, land clearing, grading, stump and boulder work.
Foundation
Footings, precast footings and foundations, retaining walls, slab and pad prep.
Frame
Structural framing, sheathing, additions, garages, sheds.
Water
French drains, swales, dry wells, regrading, driveway drainage.
Finish
Kitchens, baths, stairs, trim, and the tree planting that settles a new house in.
Ground, foundation, frame and finish. Photographed on our own jobs.
- Excavation
- Demolition
- Land clearing
- Grading
- Stump & boulder work
- Structural framing
- Foundations
- Precast footings
- Precast foundations
- Retaining walls
- French drains
- Swales & dry wells
- Driveway drainage
- Kitchens & baths
- Stairs & trim
- Large tree planting
Clearing, not stripping
Overgrowth here is usually multiflora rose, honeysuckle, barberry and tree-of-heaven. Stumps come out whole rather than ground down, and brush is chipped or hauled because burning is not allowed in New Jersey. The trees worth keeping stay standing.
Recent work
Eight jobs, Princeton and the towns around it
Half of what we do is never seen again once the ground closes over it.
What happens next
The walk
We come out by appointment, look at the access, and talk through what you have in mind. No pressure, no estimate form to fill in.
The price
One firm written number, after we know what we are digging into. It does not move because the digging was harder than it looked.
The callout
We mark the utilities through NJ One Call before anything breaks ground. Three business days, every time, on every job.
The work
The machine sized to your gate, ground protection over the lawn, the work zone kept tidy and the spoils contained.
The handover
Graded, swept, and ready for the next trade or your inspector. We would rather be remembered for the site than the speed.
Before you dig
Pick your project. This is what usually applies in Princeton before anyone puts a bucket in the ground.
Foundation or addition
- What applies
- Frost depth in Mercer and Middlesex is 36 inches, so footings bottom out below that line. Plans and a footing inspection apply.
- Typical duration
- 4 to 8 days
This is guidance, not a permit. Your town has the final word, and we will tell you what we know before you spend anything.
The work is the argument
A finished house is the most public thing a builder makes, and most of what makes it good is never seen again. The trench, the base, the compaction, the way the site was left. We build as though all of it will be inspected later, because eventually some of it will be.
Anyone can make a wall look right for a photograph. The wall has to still be right in fifteen years, when the ground has moved and the person who paid for it has forgotten our name.
Do it once, properly
A rework costs you more than it costs us, and it is the one thing we will not do.
Leave it better
The lawn, the trees and the driveway next door are part of the job.
Put it in writing
The price, the scope, the sequence. If it is not written down, it is not agreed.
One crew
No chain of subcontractors. The people who start the job are the people who finish it.
Who you are hiring
“They always go the extra mile by explaining their services clearly and keeping clients updated on their progress. Their prices are fair, and they are very friendly to work with.”
“Service was done with high quality, efficiency, and precision, and they were exceedingly professional and a pleasure to do business with.”
“Great work. Very professional. Would recommend to anyone.”
- Owner-operated
- Big Green Builders Co.
- Booked
- By appointment
- Also known as
- Princeton Excavation
We work by appointment across the area, including
- Princeton
- Hopewell Township
- Montgomery & Skillman
- West Windsor
- Lawrence Township
- Pennington
- Robbinsville
- Hamilton Township
- Plainsboro
- Cranbury
- South Brunswick
- Hillsborough
- Ewing
Before you call
Do I need a permit to dig on my property?
Sometimes. Jobs that disturb more than 5,000 square feet need a soil erosion plan certified by your county's Soil Conservation District. Princeton wants a stormwater facility when a home project adds more than 400 square feet of new impervious surface. Trees, wetlands and flood areas have their own rules. Your town has the final word, and we will tell you what we know before you spend anything.
How deep do footings have to go around here?
In Mercer and Middlesex Counties, and every county north of them, New Jersey's building code puts frost depth at 36 inches. Footings have to bottom out below that line. Your plans and your inspector set the exact depth, and we cut to it.
Can you reach a fenced or tight backyard?
Usually. Our most compact machine is a tracked skid steer that fits through a standard backyard gate, so we work fenced rear yards and narrow side yards that full-size equipment cannot reach. For bigger jobs we bring an excavator, telehandler or dump truck. We confirm the access when we walk the property.
What does a French drain cost?
Typical New Jersey ranges run about $10 to $50 per linear foot. That is a market range, not our quote. After a site walk you get one firm written price, and that is what you pay.
Do you haul away dirt and brush?
Yes. Spoil from a dig and cleared brush leave on our dump truck, and brush can be chipped. Burning is not allowed in New Jersey. The written price covers it, so there is no separate surprise at the end.
Do you take small jobs?
Full projects we scope and quote have a $3,000 minimum, because getting a machine to your property and back takes the same effort whether the work lasts an hour or a full day. For smaller work you can book the crew and machine by the day, and you can combine a few stump removals with some grading into one project.
Tell us about the property.
We work by appointment across Princeton, Hopewell, Montgomery, West Windsor, Lawrence and the towns between. Send a note and we will find a time to walk it.
