Excavation Contractor in Boise, Idaho

Boise is the biggest city in the valley, and no two parts of it dig the same. A 1930s house in the North End, a new build in Southeast Boise and a hillside lot in the foothills each come with their own ground, their own access and their own rules. We work across all of it, and we plan each job around the lot instead of a one-size routine.

Digging in Older Boise Neighborhoods

The North End and the Boise Bench have some of the oldest homes in the city. Lots are smaller, trees are big, and there's often an alley, a power line or a neighbor's fence a few feet from where the machine has to go. We use smaller equipment where it's needed and take more passes when a tight yard calls for it.

Older properties also hide things. Sprinkler lines, abandoned pipes and old utility runs aren't always on a map. Digline (811) marks the public lines, but private lines on your side of the meter aren't marked, so we ask what you know and probe before we dig close. Common work in these neighborhoods includes foundation excavation for additions, basement excavation, sewer line trenching, demolition of tired garages and sheds, and driveway removal before a new pour.

Big old trees also mean storm damage and roots. When spring wind brings a limb down or a stump is in the way of a new build, our debris removal and lot clearing crews can haul it off.

Foothills and Hillside Lots

North and east of downtown, the ground tilts. Building on a slope means cutting a pad into the hill, holding the uphill side back and sending water around the house instead of through it. That usually involves a retaining wall, careful site grading and a drainage plan from the start.

Bare soil on a foothills slope can wash out in a single spring storm, so we plan erosion control into the work and don't leave disturbed ground open longer than it has to be. If you want a steep backyard turned into usable space, landscape contouring can step it into terraces.

Rock and Wet Ground

Parts of Southeast Boise have basalt close to the surface. It's the hardest rock we dig, and it may need a hydraulic breaker instead of a bucket. Our rock excavation page covers what that looks like and how it changes a bid.

Near the Boise River, including Garden City, the ground changes. Round river cobble slows the dig, and trench walls can cave in because the rock doesn't hold together. Groundwater can seep into a hole during irrigation season. We plan for both, with shoring or sloped walls, pumps on hand, and the form or pipe crew scheduled close behind.

City Utilities, Permits and Water

Most in-town Boise lots are on city sewer, with water coming from Veolia in most of the city. That makes sewer line excavation and water line excavation common jobs: a new service line, a repair, or a tie-in for an addition. Work in the street or right-of-way, like a tie-in at the main, usually needs a permit from the city or the Ada County Highway District, so we sort that out before a trench is open.

Septic is less common inside city limits, but it still comes up on outlying properties. Ada County septic permits go through Central District Health. See our septic system installation page for how that works.

Pools, Patios and Yard Projects

Backyard pools are one of the most common digs around the Treasure Valley. We handle swimming pool excavation to your builder's plan, haul or spread the dirt, and grade around the pool afterward. Other yard work we do in Boise includes patio extensions, French drain installation and excavation for driveways.

Why Boise Customers Call a Caldwell Crew

We're based in Caldwell, roughly a half hour from most of Boise. Tanner Owens runs the company, and our reviews say the same things again and again: he communicates well, shows up on time and gets the job done right. We're rated 5.0 out of 5 on Google, and estimates are free.

If you're also looking at work in nearby cities, see Meridian, Eagle and Kuna. To get started in Boise, request a free estimate or contact us.