# Earthwork Excavation in Construction

> Earthwork excavation removes soil and rock to foundation depth and is billed by volume. See a basement example and how SuperWise measures and bills it.

Canonical: https://superwise.site/glossary/earthwork-excavation/
Last updated: 2026-11-01

Digging, removing and grading soil or rock to the required depth so that footings, rafts or basements can be built.

## What is Earthwork Excavation?

Earthwork excavation is one of the first activities on an Indian construction site. Machines such as [JCBs](https://superwise.site/glossary/jcb-backhoe-loader/) or Poclains, or manual labour, remove topsoil, rock and earth down to the required structural depth, so that footings, raft foundations or basements can be built.

## Practical example

A residential project needs a two-level basement car park. The earthwork contractor deploys excavators and a fleet of dump trucks to dig down to 6 m below ground level. The contractor bills the developer for the total cu.m of earth excavated and carried away from the site.

## In SuperWise

In SuperWise, earthwork is a [BOQ](https://superwise.site/glossary/bill-of-quantities/) item measured in cu.m, such as excavation in ordinary soil. A measurement sheet records the number, length, breadth and height of each trench or pit, approval updates progress on the BOQ item, and the approved quantity feeds the [RA bill](https://superwise.site/glossary/running-account-bill/). Hours of owned machines are logged in equipment logs, and rented machines are recorded as equipment rental challans against a PO line.

[Digital measurement book](https://superwise.site/features/digital-measurement-book/)

## Related terms

- [JCB (Backhoe Loader)](https://superwise.site/glossary/jcb-backhoe-loader/)
- [Measurement Book (MB)](https://superwise.site/glossary/measurement-book/)

## Related
- [JCB (Backhoe Loader)](https://superwise.site/glossary/jcb-backhoe-loader/)
- [Measurement Book (MB)](https://superwise.site/glossary/measurement-book/)
- [Digital measurement book](https://superwise.site/features/digital-measurement-book/)