Each day, you likely wake up in a home and head to work in an office or storefront—but did you ever consider how these structures came to be? Before the walls were erected and the nails were hammered in, the property beneath each building had to be serviced by an excavation contractor. Here’s a brief introduction to the skills these professionals use, and the applications they use them for. 

What Do Excavation Contractors Do?

The excavation process is centered around the ground, the soil, the rocks, and even the plants growing out of it. Just like you need to declutter the interior of your home before you can redecorate, excavation contractors are skilled in tidying up, leveling out, or manipulating land to prepare it for development. To do this, they use heavy-duty machinery like bulldozers and dump trucks. This equipment is capable of clearing land, digging holes, and moving dirt with speed and efficiency, but it takes years of training to master.

What Applications Do These Skills Have?

Almost every construction project must begin with land preparation, as natural terrain and plant growth are not conducive to modern development. Therefore, before the building process begins, excavation contractors are hired to clear the land of trees, rocks, and other obstacles. They may also need to level the land out to create a slope that allows for proper drainage.

Next, the contractors must dig a hole for the building’s foundation or basement, which will ensure the structure is rooted firmly in the ground. Once the foundation is laid, they’ll use their heavy-duty machinery to move soil back to the area, packing it around the structure’s perimeter for added stability.

While land and foundation preparation are some of the most common jobs for excavation contractors, the ability to move large quantities of dirt has many other applications. From digging ponds and swimming pools to ditches for utility lines and sewers, there are numerous situations that call for soil displacement. Excavation contractors may also be called to build dams, construct terraced drainage systems for farms, and clear large swaths of land for road paving projects.

If you need an excavation contractor for your project, get in touch with Marshall Eye Jr. Water Well Drilling & Repair Service of Potosi, MO. These excavation contractors have the equipment and targeted skills to dig utility lines and drill wells for your property. In fact, this family-run business has been doing so since 1959. To learn more about their offerings, including water well inspections, visit their website. Or, call (314) 541-6239 to speak with a friendly team member.