French Drains
Water standing in the yard or against the house needs a way out. We regrade the ground and put in French drains and pipe that carry it off.
Learn More
Foundation excavation is the digging for a building's footers, crawl space or basement before any concrete goes in. We dig to the line and depth on the plans for new houses, additions, shops and commercial buildings. That dig follows site prep and grading, once the pad is built. When the walls are ready, we backfill around them.
Builders and general contractors bring much of this work, from house builds to commercial buildings. Homeowners call too when they build a house or add on. We are based in Woodlawn, just west of Clarksville, and travel to the towns we cover. Estimates are free, so call or text (931) 572-8673.
Tell us about the job and the ground. We will get right back to you.
On a wooded lot, land clearing gets the trees and stumps out first. Tennessee 811 gets notice at least 3 and not more than 10 working days before the dig. Then the foundation dig works from the plans and the stakes. The excavator digs to the line and grade they give.
Montgomery County's plan review asks for the width and depth of the footings, which people here often call footers. Soil sets the width, and the code assumes clay can carry 1,500 pounds per square foot. Sedimentary rock such as limestone is assumed to carry 4,000. Where the building official expects weaker soil, a soils investigation sets the number.
The top of a footer has to be level. On a sloping lot, the footer steps down the hill in level runs. The dirt that comes out is stockpiled on the site for backfill and final grading. OSHA wants that spoil pile kept at least 2 feet back from the edge.
Basement excavation is the biggest foundation dig, and it is part of our work. The ground here is red clay over limestone. Under the Highland Rim, the bedrock is chiefly limestone, chert, shale and sandstone.
Sinkholes form readily on the Clarksville side of the Highland Rim. Montgomery County's stormwater concept plans have to show them. The county's grading permits also call for as-built plans that mark sinkholes, caves and other karst features.
OSHA's trenching and excavation rules cover deep footer cuts and basement holes. Once a cut reaches 5 feet, a protective system is required unless the cut is entirely in stable rock. The options are sloping or benching the walls, shoring them, or shielding with a trench box. At 20 feet, the system has to come from a registered professional engineer.
The code keeps backfill off a foundation wall until the wall is strong enough. It also has to be anchored to the floor above or braced. A wall holding back under 4 feet of dirt can be backfilled without bracing. When the walls are ready, the stockpiled dirt goes back in around them.
Basement walls that hold back earth around living or usable space need drains under the code. Those foundation drains sit at or below the top of the footing, so they go in before the backfill. Montgomery County's plan review asks for the drain locations on the plans.
After backfill, the code wants at least 6 inches of fall in the first 10 feet from the walls. The county's plan review also asks the plans to show that drainage away from the building. Trenches for the water, power and sewer lines are underground utility work, and they can fit the same schedule.
Free, no-obligation estimates across Clarksville, Middle Tennessee and the Nashville area.
(931) 572-8673From the first call or text to the finished property, here is how it goes.
Call or text (931) 572-8673 with what you need done and where the property sits. Photos and rough acreage help us size the job before we drive out.
We come out and look at the ground, the access, and where the water runs. Then we put a price on the work and go over it with you. The visit and the estimate are free.
Once you approve the estimate, we get you on the schedule. Weather and ground conditions set which week works, and we tell you where you stand.
Equipment comes in and the job runs in order, from clearing to digging to final grade. We keep the site drained and passable while we work.
We go over the finished job with you before the equipment leaves. Anything that needs another pass gets handled while we are still on site.
Common questions about foundation excavation across Clarksville, Middle Tennessee and the Nashville area. If yours is not here, call or text and ask.
Water standing in the yard or against the house needs a way out. We regrade the ground and put in French drains and pipe that carry it off.
Learn More
We trench and backfill for water lines, electrical conduit, sewer lines, and septic lines. Your plumber or electrician makes the connections, and we handle the digging and the ground work.
Learn More
We clear lots and acreage of trees, brush, and stumps across Montgomery County and Middle Tennessee. The ground gets cleaned up so it is ready to build on or put back into pasture.
Learn MoreWe clear the lot, dig and grade the pad, cut the driveway, and trench the utilities. One company handles the dirt work from the first tree to the final grade, so the job does not wait between contractors.
Much of our work comes from builders and general contractors, on house builds and commercial buildings. The same names call us back for the next site.
The company started out cutting roads for a timber company's trucks and equipment. Farm roads, construction entrances, haul roads, and timber roads are still a big part of what we build.
Estimates are free, and we come out to the site to give you one. We cover Clarksville and Montgomery County out to Dover, Springfield, Dickson, Nashville, and Franklin.
Tell us what the job is and where the property sits, and we will get you an estimate. You can also call or text (931) 572-8673 if that is faster.
Tell us about the job and the ground. We will get right back to you.
