Frequently Asked Questions

HomeBlue estimates a machine with operator in Reno at about $200 to $350 an hour, or $1,600 to $2,800 for a full day, with each truckload hauled off at $400 to $600 or more. HomeAdvisor puts the national range for a typical excavation project at $1,659 to $6,713. Hardpan, rock and long haul distances push prices up, so we quote after seeing the site.

Hardpan, or a duripan, is a layer of soil cemented by silica. The USDA Reno soil series has one 20 to 40 inches down. It can stop a small machine cold, so it changes the equipment, time and cost of a dig. We check for it during the site visit.

Yes. USA North 811 needs at least two working days notice and no more than 28 calendar days, and marks are valid for 28 days. When we do the excavation, we place the request.

Usually. Reno averages only a few days a year that stay below freezing all day, so most winter days allow work. Frozen surface crust, snow and saturated soil after storms can delay grading and compaction, and we will not backfill with frozen material.

Yes. We remove brush and small trees with machines and haul or chip the material. Fire agencies set the specific spacing rules for your property, and we follow the plan they or your insurer require.

It depends on the size of the job and who has jurisdiction: City of Reno, City of Sparks, Washoe County, Carson City or another county. Septic work also needs health authority approval. We check what applies to your parcel before we start.

A shed or small shop pad is often a one-day job. A house pad with footings, rock or import fill can take several days. Access and hardpan are the biggest variables.

Soil compacts best at a specific moisture content. Bone-dry desert fill will not reach density, so we add water as we place each lift.

Often, yes, once organics and oversized rock are sorted out. Reusing material saves hauling costs. Clay-rich or organic soil should not go under a slab.

Many new homes and larger structures require one. For sheds and small pads it is often optional. We follow the report when there is one.

Deep enough to stay below frost, with the exact minimum set by the water purveyor and building code for your address. We confirm it before digging.

We keep trenches as narrow as the pipe and safety allow, stockpile topsoil and rock separately, and put the yard back in layers. Trenchless options are a plumbing decision we can discuss with your plumber.

We handle excavation, bedding and backfill. Connections that require a licensed plumber or electrician are done by that trade, and we coordinate the schedule.

We switch to heavier teeth or a breaker for that stretch. We probe the route ahead of time so the estimate reflects what is likely down there.

A qualified designer or engineer, based on soil tests, and the health authority approves it. We dig the test pits and do the excavation to that plan.

Soil and groundwater can change within a few hundred feet. A parcel with deep, well-drained alluvium may allow a conventional system, while hardpan or high groundwater can require a mound or advanced system.

Sometimes, but saturated or frozen soil is a problem for leach fields. Working trenches in wet soil can smear the sidewalls and slow absorption, so we prefer dry conditions.

Yes. After a tank is pumped, we crush and fill it or remove it, following the health authority instructions.

People use both words for cemented desert soil layers. Caliche is usually cemented by calcium carbonate; a duripan is cemented by silica, like the layer in the Reno soil series. Both dig hard.

A test hole is the most reliable way. Soil survey maps give a strong hint, but conditions change across a lot.

Yes. Water moves very slowly through a duripan, so it can pond above it. Planting holes and drainage pits often need to break through it.

Not for typical residential work. Ripping and hydraulic breaking handle almost all hardpan and boulders. Blasting needs specialists and permits.

Fire agencies and insurers set the distances, and they vary with slope and vegetation. We clear to the plan they give you.

It can if everything is grubbed out. On slopes we usually cut brush at the base and leave roots and low cover in place to hold the soil.

Yes. Cleared material is hauled off or chipped, whichever fits the property and budget.

Yes. We clear the building area, driveway and utility routes first, and leave the rest natural if you prefer.

HomeGuide suggests 8 to 12 inches of total gravel depth for trucks and RVs. Soft subgrade may need more or a fabric layer.

Angular crushed rock with fines that compact and lock together. Rounded pea gravel or river rock rolls under tires and does not hold.

Usually a thin base, no compaction, or water sitting on the surface. Rebuilding the base and adding crown and ditches fixes most of them.

Often. We check setbacks, utilities, fence lines and grade, then build the pad and approach.