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Foundation Excavation & Basement Digging in Routt County
Footer and foundation excavation, basement digs, backfill and compaction for builders and owner-builders across Routt County, Colorado.
Free on-site estimates. Call 970-740-7923
The Hole, Dug to the Plan
Foundation excavation is precision work that happens to involve a large machine. The hole has to match the plan, the bottom has to be at the right elevation on undisturbed ground, and the over-dig has to be enough for the crew to work and form without being so much that you pay to put it all back.
We dig for footers, stem walls, full basements, crawl spaces, garages, shops and barns. If you are working with an engineer or a designer, we work to their drawings and their elevations.
What This Page Covers
- ✓Footer and foundation trenching to the engineered dimensions
- ✓Full basement excavation, including bench cuts on sloped ground
- ✓Over-dig sized for the forming crew and no more than that
- ✓Spoil managed on site, stockpiled for backfill or hauled off
- ✓Backfill against the walls once they are cured and the waterproofing is on
- ✓Compaction in lifts rather than one dump and a pass
- ✓Rough grade away from the structure so water leaves the building
If what you actually need is the pad, the access and the sequencing for a whole new build rather than just the hole, that is building site preparation.
Backfill Is Where the Money Is Saved or Lost
Backfill gets treated as cleanup and it should not be. Material dumped against a wall and left to settle on its own gives you a low spot around the building within a year or two, which puts water where you least want it. Compacting in lifts costs a little more on the day and prevents a drainage problem you will otherwise be solving forever.
Building on a Slope
A lot of the good building ground here is not flat. Sloped sites bring bench cuts, cut and fill balance, retaining considerations and access for the concrete trucks, and all of that is cheaper to think about before the excavator arrives than after. Bring us in while the site is still being placed.
Free on-site estimate
Tell us what you are trying to do with the land and we will come look at it. No obligation.
Monday to Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Common Questions
Do you work directly with owner-builders, or only with general contractors?
Both. A good share of the work here is directly with owners, and we are comfortable explaining the parts of the process that a builder would normally handle for you.
Who calls 811 before you dig?
We do, as the contractor doing the digging, and we will not put a machine in the ground without it. If you have private lines on the property that are not part of the public locate, such as a line to a well, a shop or a barn, tell us where they are because nobody else can.
How long does a foundation excavation take?
A straightforward footer dig on good ground is often a day or two. A full basement on a slope, in rocky ground or with material to haul off takes longer. The site conditions drive it far more than the size of the house does.
What if you hit rock?
It happens here and it changes the job. We will tell you as soon as we know, explain what the options are and what each one costs, and let you decide. What we will not do is keep digging and hand you a surprise at the end.
Serving Routt County and the Yampa Valley
Oak Creek · Yampa & Phippsburg · Stagecoach · Hayden · Kremmling · Toponas · Steamboat Springs · Clark