The Best Excavation Contractor in Santa Cruz

With over 15 years of experience, we are the excavating experts.

We provide excavation services for commercial and residential properties. If you need to lay pipes or install a septic system or do a big dig for any reason give us a call. We are excavating pros and we will be able to help with anything you need.


Do you have a tight job? We can handle that as well. Here we are backfilling between two walls for a new walking path.

Here we are backfilling with a motorized wheelbarrow in a tight space between two walls.

Santa Cruz County's Earthwork Professionals

If you are building a home or commercial building, there is a big possibility that you’ll be needing some form of earthwork in order to prepare your site. Earthwork is also needed in other construction projects such as creating swimming pools, roads, landscaping, and driveways. Earthwork is basically work that deals with the earth’s surface. These can be small-scale work, such as a backyard, to larger-scale commercial projects like train stations and roads. Before building these sites, it is important that your site is properly leveled and can be built upon. There are different earthwork processes and each process includes different machinery.

  • Grading

    Grading is a kind of earthwork that involves preparing the soil for a new construction project such as a commercial building, road, parking lot, etc. There are a lot of different aspects that go into grading, such as soil stabilization, excavation, surface drainage, and dust control.  A properly graded foundation ensures proper water drainage and a solid foundation that can be built upon. Grading also ensures a level base or slope for construction work. The earthwork created after the grading process is called sub-grades or finished contouring. 


    Proper grading and site preparation is important for any type of construction project and is also extremely important for the nearby areas where the structure is being built. Improper grading can lead to water runoff which can cause structural damage as water builds up around or under the foundation. Poor grading can also lead to pollutants being directed towards the surrounding properties. Erosion can also occur and cause property damage. 


    There are different types of grading:

    • Regrading - The regrading process involved the raising or lowering of the levels of the land area.
    • Landscape Grading - Landscape grading involves the removal of topsoil and the installation of irrigation systems. This also includes the modifying of slopes to improve water drainage and to change the appearance of the land. This type of grading ensures proper drainage and also modifies the physical aspect of the land.
    • Architectural Grading - Architectural grading changes the contours of the land for housing and commercial properties. This also allows proper drainage and removes unwanted elevated areas.
    • Finished Grading - Finish grading includes adding the final touches to the grading project. This is done by creating a smooth surface by removing large rocks, chunks of soil, and debris.
    • Rough Grading - Rough grading is the creation of a landscape or base for construction. This also includes the relocation of topsoil. This step reshapes the ground to the desired shape and level, fixes drainage flow, and creates the best soil composition.
    • Final Grade - Final grading is creating a landscape or base that promotes growth. This process includes covering the area with topsoil or something similar.

  • Mass Excavation

    Mass excavation is a large earthwork project that has a lot of challenges and demands the use of large equipment. Mass excavation is the starting point for most building, construction, and paving projects and is also the final phase of a demolition project. Mass excavation is usually used for large areas that don’t necessarily require accuracy. Excavation is a big part of the environmental remediation process since it removes contaminated soil so that it can then be reused and treated.


    Mass excavation involves large quantities of soil that are excavated from the ground at very deep depths, such as that of a garage or a basement. The most important factors in a mass excavation project are knowing which kinds of equipment to use and the time frame needed to finish the project. This will then lead to excavators figuring out whether or not the soil excavated is enough to keep on schedule. In order to have a successful mass excavation, there should be enough ground data. For this kind of project, an excavating team will consist of project managers, site surveyors, and site superintendents that will coordinate with each other to ensure that the project is finished on time.

  • Dirt Moving

    At the beginning of a construction project, it is very rare to have the correct ratio of dirt that a building will be built on. Most of the time, there will either be too little or too much dirt which will require contractors to export or import dirt to the site. All projects require some sort of site work which is why there are usually large piles of dirt when you spot a construction project. Before dirt-moving, the contractors need to know and impose proper erosion control measures. Most of the time a permit is also needed prior to this process.


    Some construction sites will end up with a large amount of accumulated dirt. This usually happens when your building has to be built below grade. There are also instances where there is excess dirt. In this situation, if the excess dirt is clean and not contaminated, it can be used in the different areas of the project or in the remaining processes. It can also be compressed and used as part of the foundation. Excess dirt may also be given to other local organizations that may need it, such as schools and parks, which also have their own construction project. In the event that there is still excess dirt, the dirt will be brought and disposed of in landfills.


    When it comes to importing dirt on your site, excavators move dirt from another project using large dump trucks. If your project requires sophisticated mixtures of dirt, you may need to transport and secure dirt from somewhere. Transporting dirt usually has an additional cost, both for the material and the delivery equipment. It generally costs less if you are able to secure dirt from a nearby project that has excess dirt, which is a win-win situation for both parties.

  • Fine Grading

    As mentioned earlier, grading is a phase in a construction project that helps prepare the ground for best results. Fine grading is the precise grading of the ground after the rough levels have been reached. This phase prepares the ground for planting, paving, or seeding. During fine grading, the topsoil is spread out to create a smooth finish. This process is done using a grader and roller to create the correct elevation. This process prepares the ground to the required elevation tolerances that are needed for the specific construction project.