Excavation work is something that should always be done with a professional contractor. Proper work as it relates is more than just digging. Soil makeup and condition, proper planning and equipment, weather conditions and experience in getting the job done right are some of the key reasons to hire a professional on every excavation job.

Here we break down some of these important components and why a professional excavator is the way to go:

Professionals produce professional work

The foundation and infrastructure of any building project is critical. If it is not done right it can lead to many other structural and functional issues that can be costly and time consuming down the road. Proper excavation will allow for a great foundation — which may include preparation for water lines, sewer lines and other piping — and broad success with your project overall.

Professional will also know how to conduct business with great ethics and protect your property and assets. They will be licensed and insured and be able to advise you throughout the excavation. This will save time and money and produce great work results.

About that insurance

It would be disingenuous even for a professional excavator to guarantee nothing will ever go wrong with a project. Even worse would be something going wrong, damage being done and not having the proper insurance coverage.

Most homeowner’s policies won’t cover you if damage is caused to your home or property when doing improvement projects to the home or yard, particularly when heavy excavating equipment is involved. The effects could be compounding, too. If you damage underground public utility or sewer lines you may be responsible for the cost to repair that damage as well.

You should know also that when you rent heavy equipment, like a bobcat, the insurance you pay along with the rental only covers the equipment itself, not your property.

Proper insurance coverage that comes along with hiring a professional excavation business is a must in protecting your home, business or other property.

Soil will spoil

Soil won’t literally spoil, of course. But it will spoil the fun of taking on an excavation project without a professional’s guidance.

Particularly in the Appalachian areas of Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia, soil can be unpredictable for nonprofessional excavators. You can never simply assume that the soil you will be digging depths to is the same as the soil you are walking on.

In some areas, you need to dig very deep before you hit more rocky soil, mud pockets or even sand. A professional excavator will know how to test soil before all the heavy work is started.

Knowing what you are digging into is also important in matching the proper equipment to excavate with. This will make for the best and most efficient dig and prevent troublesome events like collapsing and slides.

Proper equipment to get the job done right

Professional contractors will have the proper equipment needed on each excavation job. This will help produce professional results and on an efficient timeline.

Little’s has well-maintained tracked excavators to dig, grade and shape land, while specialized directional boring equipment allows installation of pipes and lines in customized and intricate designs.

Whatever the need, Little’s has been building its excavation equipment cache over the course of seven separate decades since 1963.

Excavation is dangerous, and can even be deadly

Excavation work can be extremely dangerous. This is even more true for inexperience nonprofessionals.

  • Pit collapses: A pit edge can easily collapse under the weight of a bobcat or other digging equipment. Even in the scenario where the equipment doesn’t fall completely into a pit, it can still lodge hard and cause severe back, neck or other related injuries.
  • Hitting buried power lines: Hitting a power line can cause shocks or electrocution. A professional will properly blueprint an excavation to make sure these dangers are eliminated.
  • Hitting gas lines: This can cause dangerous and flammable gas leaks that could lead to explosions. Again, a professional excavator will account for this possibility and protect against it during its project planning phase.
  • General accidents: The best way to avoid excavating accidents is to take every precaution against them. Slips, falls and getting hit by equipment are all accidents that can be prevented with the experience that comes along with a professional excavating contractor.

The reasons to hire a professional excavating contractor are extensive and we have pointed out some of the important ones here. Give Little’s a call today and let us answer questions about your excavation project.

Little’s services the broad Tri-State area of Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia. Call us at 888-548-8570 or send us a message here.