Usually, the excavation work  for a small property can be done in 3-5 days, but it can take longer. There are two main factors that can lengthen the amount of time required. One is if the soil is a lot of clay, which is soft and harder on the equipment. The other factor is whether there are large rocks and boulders to contend with. Usually, the type of ground upon which one is building is well known (though rocks are rocks!) and you can plan in your budget for a lengthier excvation period.