If you have plans to pave, install, plant, or construct residential or commercial projects, you need to ensure the durability and safety of the project before it can even begin. That’s where professional excavation contractors come in.
In today’s post, we will discuss everything you need to know about this type of contractor, what services they can offer your project, and why you should employ their excavating services.
What Do Professional Excavation Contractors Do?
When you hear the word “excavation,” your first thought most likely refers to removing dirt, soil, rocks, gravel, and other materials.
If you’ve been told that you need the services of a professional excavation company, and yet you are not sure what they do and what they can offer your construction project, this post is for you.
Professional excavation contractors do more than just dig up, remove, and move dirt, soil, sand, and gravel.
They are experienced, trained, and permitted to operate heavy excavation machineries such as backhoes and bulldozers.
On top of that, they also have the expertise to conduct building site preparation, ranch management, lot parking lot preparation, land grading, and deal with structural and foundational issues of commercial or residential properties.
Different Types of Construction Projects
Professional and experienced excavation specialists are eligible to work on different types of projects – whether the development is for commercial, residential, or industrial use. On top of that, professional excavators can handle wetland mitigation and ranch management.
Wetland mitigation is for creating and restoring wetlands. Ranch management is preparing land for ranch and other agricultural purposes.
Here are the common services that a professional excavation company offers to its clients:
- Excavation
- Earthmoving
- Trenching
- Backfilling
- Foundation waterproofing
- Septic tank installation
- Demolition
These are only some of the services that excavation companies can offer. If your construction or engineering project requires something more elaborate or specific when it comes to excavation work, you can always discuss it with your excavator.
One good thing about a professional contractor is they can assess the situation of your construction project. Based on this professional assessment, they can also make their professional recommendations to ensure that your project succeeds.
Your Construction Project Can Benefit from Hiring a Professional Excavation Company
Now that you know what this type of construction contractor does, you must be wondering how your construction project can benefit from their services.
The following is a more in-depth take at what services you can get from these contractors – along with the benefits that come from hiring them.
Building Site Preparation Step
The early stages of construction are highly crucial. During this step, you need to ensure that your project is off to a good start. Excavators are essential to this part of the project.
Their expertise can determine if the soil in your construction site is strong and firm enough to support your construction, particularly when you lay out your building’s foundation.
They have the expertise required to do proper testing and assessment of the soil. This testing will determine if the site can support the pressure and weight of the overall construction project.
Land Clearing Step
A professional excavation company can provide what’s called the cut and fill work needed for the construction project to properly pick up.
Professional excavators have the tools and equipment needed to clear the rock, sand, and topsoil. If these materials are present, you can’t proceed with building the foundation for your project.
After that step, the contractors can also remove any unwanted vegetation from the site. Aside from making the site look more visually appealing, doing this step can also help with the site’s stability.
Operating Heavy Excavation Machinery
One of the most significant benefits of hiring a professional excavation company is their knowledge of operating heavy excavation machinery, tools, and equipment.
Professionals carry the proper licenses and permits to operate bulldozers, rollers, cranes, and other similar equipment. You simply can’t undertake any building site preparation or excavation projects without the proper excavation equipment.
Since these are heavy machinery types, it’s highly essential to exercise the utmost safety and security measures when operating them.
Does Your Construction Project Meet the Right Standards?
When searching for a professional excavation company, make sure you hire one that is licensed and bonded. This feature means that the contractors are familiar and have a comprehensive understanding of the best practices and essential safety measures when doing the work.
The Occupational and Safety Hazard Association (OSHA) has laid out these crucial measures for construction work environments.
Licensed and bonded excavation contractors also hold liability insurance for the services they offer. Many construction companies love this significant benefit.
By hiring a professional excavation services provider, you can rest easy knowing that your project is coming along, and most importantly, meeting all the right regulations and code requirements.
Choosing the Right Excavation Contractors
To ensure you are hiring the right excavating professional, you need to find a contractor with the necessary and related experience to get your project done safely and efficiently.
Knowing how to vet an excavating contractor, as well as the best time to employ one, is a good starting point. It’s also good to familiarize yourself with the additional services you may need through the duration of the project.
Would you need to include some land grading services? Or perhaps you need to have the displaced soil removed and taken to another site?
These are just some of the services you may not realize you need in your project.
An experienced professional excavation company will ensure that your project is done right from start to finish.
What You Need to Know Before Hiring Excavating Contractors
Similar to employing any other contractor’s services, you need to make sure that you are getting an eligible and licensed excavating specialist for the job at hand.
The contractor must possess a strong track record of reliability and fantastic customer service. They must also be credible and trustworthy enough – not surprising you with any fees or charges for the project to be completed.
Here are some helpful tips to accomplish those factors.
Know what the requirements of your construction projects are before you even begin. For instance, you may need more than just excavating.
Do you also need to haul away the dirt? Or perhaps you need land grading services for your construction site? You may also require adding some clay or lime to the constriction site to keep the soil stable and firm before laying out the foundation.
Know the Scope of Your Project
Once you know the scope of your construction project’s excavating needs, the next part is to hire a specialist. When it comes to excavating services, it’s not limited to merely digging up dirt.
Excavating can also mean clearing vegetation, building an in-ground pool, building a septic tank, and building a parking lot, to name a few. Those are excavation projects, but each one requires a different excavating method.
Different excavating methods also need specialized machinery and equipment. On top of that, the training, permit, and experience required to complete the job also differ.
Whatever the case, it’s always a good idea to check with the contractor if they specialize in the specific excavation work you need for your construction project.
Check the Contractors’ Licenses and Insurances
Make sure you confirm that the contractor you want to hire has a license and acceptable insurance policy.
Check what the limitations of their insurance coverage are. If it’s too low of a scope, you might not be completely reimbursed if the contractor damaged your property during the project.
Excavating projects are risky. Excavators may encounter buried cables or plumbing pipes underneath the soil if they are not careful or are inexperienced.
Thus, insurance coverage is of the utmost importance.
It’s also important to check the contractor’s track record of customer service. Your local small business administration or Better Business Bureau, including online review sites, will have some customer feedback information.
While it’s normal to have negative reviews for any business, an overwhelming amount of criticisms and negative reviews may be a red flag. For instance, when an individual posts a complaint about a contractor, and yet there were never even a customer or client in the first place, then their words don’t necessarily hold any value.
Another example is if someone makes a complaint about a contractor providing a higher estimate or quote. That doesn’t necessarily reflect on the work of the contractor or the quality of their service.
Therefore, it’s always a good idea to be judicious when reading through customer reviews.
Excavation Quotes
When it comes to reviewing quotes from excavation contractors, make sure you know if restoration work or cleanup is included. You should also make a note of the estimated duration of the project, as well as the projected completion date.
Unforeseen complications, problems, and issues are not uncommon when it comes to construction projects. These factors will typically cause delay, which can then cause you time, money, and resources.
Thus, it’s essential to allow some leeway to handle any issues that may arise while also keeping in mind to complete the job within the specified timeframe. An experienced and reliable excavation contractor can help you.