With an auger, yes — for pier and post footings. For continuous strip footings, generally no.
The distinction matters, because "footing" covers two very different excavations.
Two Kinds of Footings
Pier and post footings — individual round holes for deck posts, pergola columns, pole barn columns, and similar point loads. An auger does this well, and it's one of the better applications for a mini skid steer.
Continuous strip footings — the trench that runs under a foundation wall, typically wider than it is deep and running the perimeter of a structure. This is excavator or backhoe work. A loader has no reach and can't dig below its own footing efficiently.
If you're building a deck, a pergola, a fence, or a post-frame building, the auger answer applies. If you're pouring a foundation, you need different equipment.
Digging Pier Footings
The controlling specs are bit diameter and hydraulic flow.
Footing diameter comes from your structural design — the load being carried determines it, and your building department has the requirement. Depth comes from frost depth, which varies enormously by region.
Larger diameters need substantially more torque, and torque comes from hydraulic flow and pressure rather than engine horsepower. A machine that spins an 8-inch bit easily in clay may stall on an 18-inch bit in the same ground.
Hydraulic HP = (GPM × PSI) ÷ 1,714
Check the auger drive's flow requirement against the machine's published auxiliary flow before buying either.
Post-frame builders take note: structural columns frequently need 18-inch and larger holes, which is well beyond typical fence-post drilling. That usually means specing up on hydraulic capacity.
The Steps That Matter
Call 811 before drilling. Footing holes are exactly deep enough to find utilities.
Confirm your code requirements in writing from the building department — diameter, depth, and whether an inspection of the open hole is required before concrete.
Find the depth you need and confirm the auger reaches it, with extensions if necessary.
Clean the bottom of the hole. Augers leave loose spoil, and loose material at the bottom compresses under load. Clean it out with a clamshell digger.
Don't pour ahead of the inspector if an inspection is required.
What About a Backhoe Attachment?
A backhoe attachment adds real digging depth to a loader, and it will excavate small footings and short trench sections.
Being honest about it: no slew, limited stability, awkward operator position, and slower cycles than a purpose-built machine. It's a capability add-on for a machine you already own, not a substitute for a mini excavator. If you dig footings regularly, rent or buy the excavator.
When You Need Different Equipment
Continuous strip footings — mini excavator or backhoe
Deep footings below auger reach — excavator
Rock and ledge — breaker, or drilling
Large-diameter caissons — purpose-built drilling equipment
Foundation excavation — excavator
We'd rather tell you that than sell you a machine for a job it can't do well.
FAQ
How deep can an auger drill?
Bit length plus extensions. Confirm the configuration reaches your local frost depth requirement.
What diameter can it handle?
Depends on hydraulic capacity. Larger bits need more flow — this is the spec that determines whether a given machine handles your footing size.
Will it work in rocky soil?
Clay and small stone, yes. Larger rock and ledge stop any auger in this class. Carbide rock bits help but don't eliminate the problem.
Do I need a permit and inspection?
Almost certainly for structural work. Many jurisdictions inspect the open hole before concrete.
Can it dig a foundation?
No — that's excavator work.
How do I clean out the bottom of the hole?
Clamshell digger or spade. It matters — loose spoil compresses and the footing settles.
Can I use a bucket instead of an auger?
For shallow, wide excavations sometimes. For a proper pier footing at depth, an auger is the tool.