Excavation & Site Work Services

Eight core service lines covering everything from raw land clearing to finished pad grading. If it involves moving, shaping, or removing earth in Central Ohio, we do it.

Site Clearing & Grubbing

Full vegetation, brush, and tree removal to prepare raw land for development

Site clearing is where most projects begin. We take raw land — timber, scrub brush, overgrown fields, or wooded parcels — and strip it down to mineral soil. That means felling trees, grinding stumps, grubbing out root systems, and removing all organic material to a depth suitable for structural fill.

We separate materials on site where possible. Clean logs can be salvaged at your request. Brush is typically chipped or hauled. Stumps and roots are ground in place or removed and hauled to a licensed organic composting facility. We follow all Ohio EPA guidelines for open burning restrictions.

  • Tree felling and limbing up to 48-inch diameter
  • Stump grinding to 18 inches below grade
  • Root raking and organic removal
  • Brush chipping and on-site mulching
  • Debris hauling to licensed facilities
  • Clearing limits staking and tree protection

Typical Project Size

0.25 acres to 100+ acres. Residential lot clearing to large tract development.

Primary Equipment

CAT D6T Dozer, Komatsu PC290 Excavator, CAT 308 Mini, Brush chipper

Typical Timeline

Single lot: 1–2 days. 10–20 acres: 3–5 days. Large tracts quoted by scope.

Permitting Note

Tree removal permits may apply in some municipalities. We advise on requirements at estimate.

Grading & Earthwork

Precision cut-and-fill operations to bring your site to design elevation

Proper grading is the foundation of every construction project. Poor grades cause drainage problems, foundation failures, and costly remediation down the road. We take grading seriously because we know what happens when you don't.

Our CAT D6T is GPS grade-control equipped, which means we can achieve design grades faster and more accurately than conventional grading with grade stakes alone. For building pads, we verify compaction with a nuclear densometer and can provide compaction test documentation for your geotechnical engineer.

  • Rough grading and mass earthwork
  • GPS-controlled finish grading to 0.1 ft tolerance
  • Cut and fill calculation and balance
  • Subgrade preparation for concrete and asphalt
  • Drainage swale and berm construction
  • Compaction testing coordination
  • Erosion and sediment control installation

Typical Project Size

Single building pad to 80-acre subdivision development.

Primary Equipment

CAT D6T (GPS), CAT 623K Scraper, CAT 140 Motor Grader, Compactors

Typical Timeline

Building pad: 2–5 days. Large development: phased over weeks. Depends on volume.

Trenching & Utility Installation

Precision trenching for water, sewer, gas, electric, and communications lines

Underground utilities are the nervous system of any development. Sloppy trenching means bedding failures, pipe settlement, and leaks. We cut clean, set proper bedding material, and backfill in compacted lifts per OSHA excavation standards.

We call OSHA utility locates (Ohio 811) before every dig and verify private utilities through client records. All trenches deeper than 5 feet are shored, sloped, or trench-boxed per OSHA 1926 Subpart P. No exceptions.

  • Water main and service trenching
  • Sanitary sewer and force main
  • Storm drainage and culvert installation
  • Gas line trenching coordination
  • Electrical conduit and duct bank
  • Trench box shoring on all deep cuts
  • Granular bedding and select backfill

Typical Project Size

Single service connection to multi-phase subdivision infrastructure.

Primary Equipment

Komatsu PC290 & PC138, CAT 308 Mini, Trench box, Compactors

Typical Timeline

Single connection: 1 day. Site infrastructure: 1–4 weeks depending on scope.

Pond & Lake Excavation

Custom water feature construction for agricultural, residential, and recreational use

A well-built pond holds water, resists bank erosion, and lasts for generations. A poorly built one is a mudhole that won't fill and leaks through the dam. We've built ponds that have held water for 15 years and counting.

Pond construction starts with soil testing to evaluate clay content and permeability. We design the basin shape, depth profile, and overflow structure to match your intended use — whether that's irrigation storage, livestock watering, recreational fishing, or stormwater management.

  • Site evaluation and soil permeability assessment
  • Basin excavation and depth profiling
  • Dam and embankment construction
  • Overflow and spillway design
  • Clay core and compacted fill dams
  • Aeration pipe installation coordination
  • Shoreline shaping and grading

Typical Project Size

Quarter-acre garden ponds to 10-acre recreational lakes.

Primary Equipment

Komatsu PC290, CAT D6T Dozer, CAT 623K Scraper

Typical Timeline

Small pond: 3–5 days. Large lake: 2–4 weeks. Fill time varies by site.

Permitting Note

Ohio EPA Section 404 permit may be required for ponds near waterways. We advise at estimate.

Demolition & Hauling

Selective and full structural demolition with complete debris removal

We handle demolition work for residential and light commercial structures. Whether you need a barn torn down, a concrete slab broken out, or an old building cleared to make way for new construction, we do the work and haul every bit of it away.

Prior to any demolition, we coordinate utility disconnections and verify all lines are capped. Structures containing asbestos or lead paint require abatement before demo begins — we work with licensed abatement contractors and sequence around their work. After demo, we grade the disturbed area back to a clean, stable surface.

  • Residential structure demolition
  • Concrete flatwork and foundation removal
  • Asphalt removal and disposal
  • Barn and outbuilding removal
  • Full debris hauling to licensed facilities
  • Concrete recycling coordination
  • Post-demo site grading

Typical Project Size

Single slab removal to complete building demolition and site clearing.

Primary Equipment

Komatsu PC290 with demo bucket, Rock breaker, Dump trucks

Typical Timeline

Slab removal: 1 day. Full structure demo: 2–5 days depending on size.

Rock Breaking

Hydraulic breaking and removal of rock ledge, boulders, and hardpan

Hitting rock mid-project is one of the most expensive surprises in excavation. We have the equipment to deal with it without stopping your job. Our NPK GH-18 hydraulic breaker, mounted on the PC290, delivers 9,600 foot-pounds of impact force — enough to handle most ledge rock and hardpan encountered in Central Ohio.

For projects where rock is anticipated, we include rock-contingency pricing in our bids so there are no surprises. We also work with clients and geotechnical engineers to evaluate subsurface conditions before bidding large earthwork scopes.

  • Hydraulic breaking of ledge and hardpan
  • Boulder splitting and removal
  • Rock stockpiling for reuse as rip-rap
  • Broken rock hauling to quarry or disposal
  • Foundation rock excavation
  • Pre-bid rock assessment coordination

Typical Project Size

Spot rock removal to full-site ledge excavation across multiple acres.

Primary Equipment

NPK GH-18 Breaker on Komatsu PC290, PC290 with rock bucket

Typical Timeline

Highly variable. Depends on rock volume, hardness, and depth. Quoted on site visit.

Land Development

Full-service site development from raw acreage to infrastructure-ready parcels

Land development is where we bring all of our capabilities together on a single project. We serve as the site work subcontractor or the general excavation contractor for residential subdivisions, commercial parks, industrial sites, and mixed-use developments across Central Ohio.

We work closely with civil engineers, surveyors, and municipalities to execute development plans accurately. We can coordinate directly with utility companies, paving contractors, and concrete crews to keep the schedule moving. Todd handles all project management personally on development work.

  • Subdivision site preparation
  • Road base and subgrade construction
  • Storm drainage system installation
  • Water and sewer infrastructure
  • Building pad grading and compaction
  • Retention and detention pond construction
  • Erosion control and SWPPP compliance

Typical Project Size

5-lot residential subdivisions to 100+ acre commercial developments.

Primary Equipment

Full fleet deployed. Scope-dependent mobilization plan.

Typical Timeline

Phased over months. We coordinate with your construction schedule.

Septic System Excavation

Precise excavation for septic tank installation and leach field trenching

Septic system excavation requires precision. Leach field trenches must be at exact depth and grade to ensure proper effluent dispersal. We work directly from the septic system design prepared by your licensed Ohio Septic System Designer and execute the excavation to those specifications.

We use our PC138 mid-size excavator or the CAT 308 mini for most septic work to minimize ground disturbance in the leach field area. We avoid compacting native soils in the treatment area and stage all excavated material carefully for backfill. We do not backfill until the system has been inspected by the county health department.

  • Septic tank excavation and backfill
  • Leach field trench excavation
  • Mound system platform preparation
  • Pump chamber excavation
  • Gravel delivery and bedding installation
  • Final grading over system
  • County health department inspection coordination

Typical Project Size

Single-family residential to multi-unit commercial septic systems.

Primary Equipment

Komatsu PC138, CAT 308 Mini, Compact Compactor

Typical Timeline

Standard residential system: 1–2 days excavation. Mound system: 2–3 days.

Permitting Note

Ohio county health permit required. We advise but your system designer typically coordinates permits.

Not Sure What Your Project Needs?

Bring us your plans or describe the scope. We'll assess the site, tell you exactly what it will take, and give you a written number you can use to build your budget.