Excavation and earthworks in Nerja
We carry out excavation and earthworks in Nerja, Maro and the coastal urbanisations: excavation for foundations, pools and trenches, levelling, platforms, terraces and tracks. Our own machinery and a fixed written price after seeing the ground.
- 5,0 ★ on Google
- Our own machinery
- Free visit no obligation
- Fixed price in writing
What the ground is like in Nerja and what earthworks we do
In Nerja the plots climb very quickly from the sea towards the Sierra Almijara, with limestone and marble close to the surface. Gaining flat ground is the most common job: platforms for a garden, pool or parking in urbanisations such as El Capistrano, Punta Lara or Castillo Alto.
Towards Maro and the Chillar river there are farms with old terraces being rebuilt and tracks being repaired. When rock appears, the cut is made with a breaker and the stone can be reused in walls.
Excavation and earthworks we do in Nerja
These are the most common jobs in Nerja.
Earthworks
Land levelling
Flat ground to build on or landscape.
Platforms and terraces
Gaining usable space on a hillside.
Clearing and scrub removal
Plots ready to start building.
Compacted backfill
In layers, so they don't settle.
Excavation
Foundations
Trenches and pits for houses and extensions.
Pools
Digging out the pool to exact measurements.
Basements and garages
Excavation next to party walls and roads.
Trenches and services
Water, electricity, drainage and land drains.
Excavation and earthworks in Nerja: common problems and how we solve them
These are the problems we come across most when people call us from Nerja, from Maro to Burriana. We explain what's going on and what we do.
The problem in Nerja
Limestone and a protected setting
Much of Nerja lies between the sea and the Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara y Alhama Natural Park, with limestone and marble very close to the surface.
How we solve it
Earthworks with the right permit, keeping the topsoil and blending the banks into the landscape.
The problem
Backfill that sinks
The slab or garden has cracked because the fill was tipped in one go.
How we solve it
Removing whatever is necessary and backfilling again in compacted layers, one by one.
The problem
Ground that moves
Banks slipping on clay ground after the rain.
How we solve it
Getting rid of the water with drainage, flattening the bank and, if needed, holding it with escollera rock.
The problem
A plot full of scrub
Undergrowth, pruning waste and old rubble; a fire risk in summer.
How we solve it
Scrub clearance by machine and clean-up to leave the plot ready to survey, sell or build on.
The problem
Rock appears when digging
Slate or limestone comes up at shallow depth and the machine can't make progress.
How we solve it
A hydraulic breaker and an assessment beforehand on the visit, so the rock isn't a surprise in the price.
The problem
The plot has no access for a large machine
Narrow streets, steps or winding tracks.
How we solve it
Mini digger and small lorry, with the soil removal carefully organised.
The problem
Buried pipes or cables
Nobody knows where the water, electricity or septic tank run.
How we solve it
We locate the services before starting and dig by hand near them.
Excavation and earthworks prices in Nerja
Earthworks depend on the cubic metres, the change in level, the type of ground and the access. That's why we give a fixed written price after seeing photos or the ground.
Excavation and earthworks in Nerja
Fixed and in writing
Includes machinery, working hours, compaction and, if needed, bringing in or removing soil, with no open-ended items.
- Photos of the land, from a distance, to show the slope.
- Approximate area and what you want to achieve.
- Location and photos of the access (street or track).
What changes the price in Nerja
The volume. The more cubic metres moved, the more machine and lorry hours.
The cut and fill balance. If what's cut can be used as fill on the plot itself, the price drops considerably.
The ground. Soil is not the same as rock: if rock appears a breaker has to be used and output drops.
Access. Plots with little space in the developments, and farm tracks towards Maro and the Chillar river.
More detail on our earthworks in Málaga and excavation in Málaga.
What good earthworks need
Moving earth is easy; leaving it firm so it doesn't move with the rain is what counts. This is how we do it in Nerja.
Levels and falls
We work to marked levels so the plot ends up at the planned height and with a fall for the water.
Compaction in layers
Backfill is placed in layers and each one is compacted. Fill tipped in one go settles and cracks whatever is built on top.
Stable banks
Cuts are left at the angle the ground can hold or are held with an escollera rock wall.
How we carry out your excavation or earthworks in Nerja
You send us photos
By WhatsApp or with the form: the land, the slope, the area and the location.
Technical visit
We look at the ground, machine access and how to balance cut and fill.
Fixed quote
In writing, with machinery, cubic metres, compaction and timescale.
Work done by our own crew
Clearing, cut, compacted fill, trimming and drainage.
Excavation and earthworks cases we see in Nerja
Typical situations that come up in the area and how they're solved.
Plot for building
The situation. A sloping site full of scrub.
The solution. Clearing, levelling and a compacted platform ready for setting out.
A garden that was sinking
The situation. Old, poorly compacted fill under the lawn.
The solution. Removal and new backfill in compacted layers.
Terraces for a plantation
The situation. A raw hillside for planting avocados or olives.
The solution. Terraces with a fall, ditches and topsoil put back on top.
Pool on a plot with rock
The situation. Slate appeared at shallow depth when we started digging the pool.
The solution. Hydraulic breaker in the rock area and soil removed by lorry.
Basement next to a party wall
The situation. A small plot between houses for a garage basement.
The solution. Excavation in sections with shoring as specified by the technician.
Trench to bring in electricity
The situation. A country house hundreds of metres from the supply connection.
The solution. A long trench with a sand bed and backfill afterwards.
These are typical examples of common situations, not quotes. Every job is assessed on the visit.
Where we work in Nerja
We carry out earthworks across the whole municipality of Nerja and the surrounding area.
Do you need a licence for excavation or earthworks in Nerja?
In Andalusia, earthworks normally need a licence or a responsible declaration, especially if they change the ground level, are on rustic land or next to watercourses and roads. In Nerja it's processed at the Town Hall. If the plot is inside or next to the Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara y Alhama Natural Park, an environmental report may be needed.
It's regulated by Andalusia's LISTA Law . On the visit we'll tell you what paperwork you need.
Shall we handle the licence for you?
If you'd rather not deal with the paperwork, TRÁMITA, our building licence office,, can process it for you with Nerja town hall.
What our clients say
Rating of MURES on Google
Teresa García Mesa
Very happy with the work. They built me an escollera rock wall and did some earthworks, and I was very satisfied. Very professional.
Nacho
They proposed a wall over three metres high that fitted in with the existing features. […] They showed great professionalism, honesty and commitment, listening to the client and adapting to every requirement.
Send us photos of your land and we'll give you a guide price
Fill in the form with the area, the approximate change in level, a few photos and the location. The surveyor reviews it and we call you with a rough price and to arrange the visit. No obligation.
For an accurate price
- One photo from a distance, showing the whole slope.
- Another of the access: where the machine would get in.
- Approximate length and height: a rough guess is fine.
What happens next
- Our technician reviews the photos and calls you.
- We give you a guide price.
- Free visit and a fixed written quote.
Prefer WhatsApp?
Send us the photos and location on WhatsApp and we'll reply straight away.
Send on WhatsAppAreas of Nerja where we work
- Maro
- Burriana
- El Capistrano
- Punta Lara
- Chillar river
- Castillo Alto
Excavation and earthworks FAQs in Nerja
Is there an earthworks company near me in Nerja?
Yes. MURES carries out earthworks in Nerja and across the Axarquía with our own machinery. We work in Maro, Burriana, El Capistrano, Punta Lara and the surrounding area. Call or WhatsApp us on 686 746 094 (English spoken) with photos and the location and we'll give you an initial idea.
How much do earthworks cost in Nerja?
It depends on the volume of soil, the change in level, whether there's rock, the access and whether there's surplus or a shortage of soil on the plot. With photos we give you a rough idea and, after the visit, a fixed written price. If what's cut can be used as fill, it works out considerably cheaper.
What happens if rock appears when levelling my plot in Nerja?
It's broken with a hydraulic breaker, which is slower, and the stone can be reused for an escollera rock wall on the plot itself. We assess it on the visit so there are no surprises in the price.
Do you repair old terraces on farms in Maro?
Yes. We rebuild terraces that have collapsed, put the soil back, give them a fall and, if needed, rebuild the stone wall.
Do you work in Castillo Alto?
Yes. In Castillo Alto the plots are very steep; we gain flat ground with cut, compacted fill and a wall.
Do you build tracks towards the Chillar river?
Yes. We repair farm tracks with culverts and ditches, because water is what damages them most.
Can you work in Burriana or El Capistrano if access is difficult?
Yes. Plots with little space in the developments, and farm tracks towards Maro and the Chillar river. Before quoting, we check where the machine and lorry can get in, and if necessary we work with small machinery or in phases. Access is reflected in the quote, so there are no surprises on the day.
How long does it take you to see a plot for levelling in Nerja?
We have a technician covering the whole area, so we can usually arrange the visit within a few days. If you send us photos and the location on WhatsApp first, the technician arrives knowing what's there and the visit is quicker. We work in Maro, Burriana, El Capistrano, Punta Lara, the Chillar river and Castillo Alto.
Do you build terraces on farms?
Yes: terraces for olives, almonds, avocados or fruit trees, with a bank or a stone wall, and a fall so the water doesn't wash the soil away. The topsoil is kept and put back on top.
Do you need a wall after levelling?
If the change in level is large, yes: the remaining bank is held with an escollera rock wall. We plan it all together so the earthworks and the wall fit together.
Do I need a licence to move earth?
Often yes, especially if the ground level changes or the plot is rustic land. We'll tell you on the visit and, if you like, TRÁMITA can handle the permit for you.
How much does an excavation cost in Nerja?
It depends on the cubic metres, whether the ground is soil or rock, machine access and whether the soil stays on the plot or has to go to the tip. With photos and measurements we give you a rough idea and, after the visit, a fixed written price.
Why does excavation cost more in Nerja?
Because in many areas limestone or marble appears at shallow depth and has to be broken with a breaker, which is slower than digging soil. On top of that, sloping plots with little space make removing the soil harder. We assess everything on the visit.
Can you dig a pool on a plot with views in Nerja?
Yes. These are usually sloping plots where the pool sits partly on a wall. We plan the excavation, the wall and machine access together so the work is safe and efficient.
Do you build basements in Nerja town centre?
Yes, with a compact machine and in sections, because the plots are small and attached to other homes. The project technician specifies battered sides or shoring.
Keep reading
Demolition in Nerja
Houses, outbuildings and slabs.
See →Escollera rock walls in Nerja
Stone walls in the area.
See →Stamped concrete in Nerja
Patios, terraces and driveways.
See →Swimming pool construction in the Axarquía
Concrete pools, also on sloping plots.
See →Skip hire
Containers for building work and renovations.
See →Excavation in the Axarquía
Foundations, pools, basements and trenches.
See →Excavation and earthworks in the Axarquía
Levelling, terracing and digging.
See →Earthworks & Land Levelling in nearby towns
Click the town closest to you to see how we work in that area.