Types of Excavation Services

When you need excavation for a Minnesota property, you want to leave this work to the pros! Even small-scale digs can result in costly property damage, and improper use of heavy-duty equipment risks accidents and injuries. Excavating is also much harder than it looks, even if you do use a bobcat or crane.

Unfortunately, many homeowners don’t know when to hire a professional for excavation in Minnesota, often assuming they can manage digs for their property on their own. Contractors also might not realize that certain excavation services are needed for various projects and soil types. To avoid property damage and ensure a safe, quick dig, note a few types of excavation in Minnesota for which you’ll want to call a pro!

Trench Excavation for Minnesota Properties

Trenches are typically needed to bury power lines or plumbing pipes, or to dig up old lines and pipes needing replacing. Trenches are also used for irrigation systems or French drain installations. A trench might also be needed for certain foundation types.

Because trenches are used to bury power lines and plumbing pipes, it’s vital that property owners rely on a professional for new trench excavation in Minnesota, so that you don’t dig up or disturb existing utilities. Trenches also need specialty equipment designed to dig long, narrow rows rather than displacing large amounts of dirt at once.

Minnesota Drainage Excavation, to Encourage Water Runoff

Drainage excavation is used to direct moisture in soil or water runoff from one area of a property to another. Drainage excavation requires precision and skill, as an excavator needs to ensure enough moisture remains in areas of soil so that it compacts properly. Drainage excavation also typically requires precise grading of soil, to encourage water runoff as needed.

Alleviate Flooding With Channel Excavation

Similar to drainage excavation, channel excavation changes the flow of water or allows for more water flow in one area. If a property is prone to flooding, channel excavation can open up areas of the soil to redirect water or allow for more water flow under topsoil. Channel excavation also helps alleviate water stagnation in areas of standing water.

Roadway and Driveway Excavation for Minnesota Properties

Excavation for roads and driveways is not as easy as you might assume. Soil under pavement must remain compact, to provide proper support for asphalt or concrete. The roadway or driveway might also need particular grading, to ensure water runs away from pavement, reducing the risk of water damage.

Soil surrounding driveways and roads also needs to remain compact and level, so that it doesn’t crumble and affect the soil under the pavement. It’s also vital that an excavator not remove too much soil in preparation for a driveway or roadway, as a pavement contractor might then need to use more paving materials to keep the area level and even! Even if you’re only having a small driveway installed on your property, leave this needed excavation to a professional.

Excavation by Soil Material or Makeup

Some excavation is Minnesota is done according to the soil makeup or material; specialty equipment and techniques are used for various soil types, to ensure safe, efficient excavation. Consider various excavation needs for different soil materials and why it’s vital these be left to professionals.

Dredging or muck excavation, for overly moist soil

Excavating overly moist soil is challenging, as mud and silt tend to just fall right through digging buckets, and muddy pits and trenches collapse easily. Not only does this make it a challenge to excavate wet and muddy soil, but this type of excavation is also downright dangerous!

Dredging or muck excavation uses specialty equipment meant to remove excess moisture from the soil while also compacting surrounding soil and walls of a pit so that they don’t collapse. If you need muddy areas excavated, even for small pits and trenches, leave this work to the pros.

Rocky excavation on Minnesota properties

Rocky soil is difficult to cut through and excavate. Larger rocks also leave behind potholes or loose soil that can collapse or that need refilling. Larger rocks are also heavier than standard soil and can overwhelm small bobcats and other lightweight excavating equipment!

If your property’s soil is very rocky or you hit rocky soil while excavating, it’s best to call a professional excavation company in Minnesota. Specialty tools cut through rocky soil while an experienced excavator will ensure surrounding soil stays compacted and safe during the excavation process.

Topsoil excavation for Minnesota construction or soil replacement

Topsoil excavation involves removing just the top layers of soil rather than digging a deep pit or trench. A property owner might need topsoil excavation to remove vegetation and clear a plot of land for upcoming construction. Land clearing or topsoil excavation also allows a property owner to replace that soil with another topsoil type or variety such as soil richer in nutrients, to lay down sod, or to remove unwanted vegetation and weeds and replace them with something more suitable.

As topsoil excavation involves removing only a thin layer of soil but also requires pulling up roots of vegetation, it’s vital that you leave this work to an excavation contractor. Using the right equipment and techniques ensures quick removal of the soil without disturbing buried wires and plumbing pipes.

A Word from Our Excavation Team

Bell Excavating in Minnesota is proud to bring this information to our readers and especially proud of the work offered by our Minnesota excavation contractors. If you need excavation services in Minnesota call us today for a FREE consultation.