An excavating contractor digs, moves and shapes the ground so the rest of a project can happen. We work for homeowners, builders and business owners in Ada and Canyon County, and every service we offer in this category is listed below.
What an Excavating Contractor Does in Boise and the Treasure Valley
Before a plumber can set a sewer line or a concrete crew can pour a footing, somebody has to open the ground. That's our part of the job. We dig to the depth the plans call for, keep the hole or trench safe while it's open, and put the ground back so it doesn't settle later.
A lot of what we do never shows once the project is done. A well-compacted trench just looks like lawn. A good building pad just looks like a garage floor. We work in Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Eagle, Kuna, Star, Parma and Homedale, with our home base in Caldwell.
The Main Kinds of Jobs We Take On
Digging for something that gets built
Footings, crawlspaces, basements, slabs and shop pads. The plans set the size and depth, and in Boise footings have to sit below the 24-inch frost depth. We dig to the builder's marks, and keep the bottom of the hole firm and undisturbed. See foundation excavation.
Putting lines in the ground
Water, sewer, power, gas and irrigation all need a trench. Each one has its own depth, and sewer also needs steady fall from the house to the main. The trench has to be backfilled in layers so it doesn't turn into a sunken stripe across the yard. See trenching services. Homes outside city sewer need a tank and drainfield, covered on our septic system installation page.
Getting water to go somewhere else
Wet crawlspaces and soggy yards usually come down to grade or buried drainage. Before anything gets dug, we look at where the water comes from (roof, sprinklers, a neighbor's lot or groundwater) and where it's allowed to go. The fix might be a regrade, a French drain or a dry well. See drainage solutions.
Taking things out
Old sheds, garages, slabs and driveways. The work usually means breaking concrete, loading out the debris and leaving the ground ready for whatever comes next. If power, gas or water ever ran to the old structure, it needs to be shut off and capped by the right trade before we start. See demolition.
Moving a lot of dirt
Cut and fill, raised pads and berms. When soil from the high side of a lot can fill the low side, less has to be trucked in or out, and that helps the price. When it can't, hauling gets planned into the bid from the start. See earthmoving.
How to Pick an Excavating Contractor
Most people hire an excavator once or twice in their life, so it's hard to know what to look for. These are the checks we'd tell a friend to make, even if they end up hiring someone else.
Look up the Idaho registration
Idaho requires contractors to register with the state, and the registration number should be easy to find on the bid or the website. Ours is RCE-65836. If a contractor can't give you a number, keep looking.
Read reviews for the boring parts
Star ratings don't tell you much. Look for comments about whether the bid was clear, whether the crew showed up when they said, and how they handled a surprise. One of our customers said Tanner gave them three quote options and explained everything in detail. That kind of comment tells you more than "great job."
Get the estimate in writing
A written estimate should say what's included. Does the price cover hauling off the spoil? Backfill and compaction? Putting the lawn or gravel back? What happens if the crew hits rock or caliche? Two bids can look far apart until you line up what each one actually covers.
Ask who calls 811
Idaho law puts the Digline call on whoever is digging, at least two business days before work starts. Your contractor should make that call without being asked. They should also ask you about private lines, like a sprinkler main or power to a shop, since Digline doesn't mark those.
Ask how deep trenches are protected
OSHA requires sloping, benching or shoring once a trench reaches 5 feet deep. Sewer laterals, basements and some water services get there. A contractor should be able to tell you how they'll handle it on your job.
Who Does What on a Dig
Excavation is one piece of a bigger job, and the handoffs are where schedules slip. We open the ground, keep it safe and close it back up. The plumber lays the pipe, the electrician pulls the wire, and the concrete crew sets forms. Inspectors often need to see the work before it's covered. Before the job starts, it helps to agree on who books each trade, who calls for the inspection, and how long the trench or hole can stay open.
Working on Both Sides of the County Line
Boise and Meridian sit in Ada County. Caldwell, Nampa, Middleton and Parma are in Canyon County, and Homedale is in Owyhee County. The digging is the same, but the paperwork isn't. Septic permits go through Central District Health in Ada County and Southwest District Health in Canyon and Owyhee. Water comes from Veolia in most of Boise, while Nampa, Caldwell, Meridian and others run their own systems. HOAs are common in Meridian, Eagle and Star and often want to approve grade changes. We sort out which office or board applies before the job starts.
What Helps Us Price Your Job
You'll get a better number faster if you can send a few things with your request. If you don't have all of them, that's fine. We'll fill in the gaps when we look at the site.
- Photos of the area, including the gate or path a machine would use
- Plans or a sketch with rough measurements
- Anything you know is buried there, like old septic tanks or sprinkler lines
- Your deadline, like a concrete pour or an inspection date
Why Hire Ultimate Excavation LLC
We're a registered Idaho contractor with a 5.0 rating on Google from 25 reviews. Our reviews call us hard workers who do good work for a fair price, and they mention Tanner by name because he's the one who bids the job and keeps you posted while it's underway. Call (208) 697-2429 or request a free estimate.
