Commercial jobs run on schedules, plans and inspections. We handle site prep, building pads, utility trenching, grading and parking lot prep for general contractors, developers and business owners across the valley.
Commercial Excavation in Boise and the Treasure Valley
The Treasure Valley has added a lot of new businesses in the last decade, from shops and offices in Meridian and Nampa to warehouses and storage along the I-84 corridor in Caldwell. Every one of those buildings started with site work. Commercial excavation is the digging and earthwork that gets a commercial lot from raw ground to ready for concrete and paving.
We work with general contractors, developers and business owners in Boise, Nampa, Meridian, Caldwell, Eagle, Kuna and nearby towns. Projects range from a single shop pad to a full small retail or office site.
Commercial Excavation Services
Site clearing and demolition
Clearing brush and trees, removing old structures, slabs and asphalt. On a redevelopment lot, we check the plans for what has to stay, like trees, fencing, curbs or existing utilities, and keep equipment away from it. See commercial site clearing and demolition.
Mass excavation and building pads
Stripping, cut and fill, and building pads to the elevations on the civil plans, compacted in lifts. The geotechnical report usually sets how far to over-excavate under the building, what fill can be used and how thick each lift can be.
Footings and foundations
Digging for footings, grade beams and foundations. Footings are dug to the depth and width on the structural plans and below frost, with the bottom left clean and firm for the inspector. See foundation excavation.
Utility trenching
Trenches for water, sewer, storm drain, power, gas and communications, dug to the utility's specs. Commercial sites often add fire lines, larger storm pipe and conduit runs to parking lot lights, each with its own depth, bedding and inspection. See utility excavation and trenching services.
Parking lots and paving prep
Subgrade prep, base and grading for asphalt and concrete. Most pavement failures start below the asphalt. Soft spots in the subgrade, often found with a proof roll, get dug out and replaced before base goes down, and the base is graded so water reaches the inlets. See parking lot excavation and paving job site preparation.
Grading and drainage
Rough and finish grading, swales and stormwater features. Many commercial sites have retention or detention areas, swales and catch basins that only work if they're built to the elevations on the plan. See site preparation and grading and drainage excavation.
Working to Plans and Schedules
Commercial work is built off civil plans, staking and inspections. We work from the approved drawings and the surveyor's stakes, keep in touch with the general contractor and other trades, and plan around inspection dates and concrete pours. Our reviews often mention Tanner's communication, and on a commercial job that's what keeps the schedule on track.
What We Need to Bid a Commercial Job
A tight bid starts with complete information. Send the civil, grading and utility plans, the geotechnical report, and the schedule if there is one. It also helps to know where the scope lines fall. Who provides base rock? Who owns the erosion control and the stormwater inspections? Who hires the surveyor and the testing firm? Clear answers up front keep change orders down.
Safety on Commercial Sites
- Locates. We call Digline (811) at least two business days before digging, as Idaho law requires. On commercial sites, private utilities are common and need a private locator.
- Trench protection. Any trench 5 feet or deeper that workers enter is sloped, benched or shored under OSHA rules.
- Site traffic. Equipment and trucks are kept clear of other trades and public areas.
Permits, Stormwater and Erosion Control
Commercial projects usually carry a building permit, site or grading approval from the city or county, and utility connection permits. Projects that disturb an acre or more generally need construction stormwater permit coverage and a stormwater plan, with erosion controls like silt fence, inlet protection and a gravel construction entrance to keep mud off the street. We follow the erosion control plan for the job.
Soil and Site Conditions in the Valley
Most commercial projects of any size come with a geotechnical report, and it's worth reading closely. Caliche is common across Meridian, Nampa and Kuna and can slow mass excavation. Basalt in parts of Southeast Boise and Kuna may need a breaker. Sites near the Boise River often have high groundwater during irrigation season, which affects utility depths and dewatering. Many sites also need imported structural fill or base where native soil isn't suitable under a building or pavement.
What Commercial Excavation Costs
Commercial excavation is priced from the plans. The biggest factors are earthwork volume, import and export of material, soil conditions, utility footage and depth, compaction and testing requirements, and the schedule. We give free estimates and can bid from plans or a site walk.
Why Work With Ultimate Excavation LLC
We're an Idaho registered contractor (RCE-65836) based in Caldwell with a 5.0 rating on Google. Our reviews describe us as "professional, efficient and highly skilled" and say we "arrive on time." Send us your plans or call (208) 697-2429, and we'll tell you straight whether your project is a good fit. You can also request a free estimate.
