Excavation in Shepherd, MT

TLC Patriot runs a full fleet of excavators, skid steers, loaders, and dump trucks, which means we size the machine to the job -- a compact excavator for tight residential lots in Billings Heights, full-size iron for commercial pads and deep basements. Owning our own dump trucks also means material import and export (gravel in, spoils out) happens on our schedule, not a subcontractor's, keeping your project moving.

Because TLC Patriot is both an excavation contractor and a septic company, we're the natural choice for dirt work that touches wastewater and utilities: septic tank and drain field excavation, sewer and water line trenching, cistern placement, and repairs that require careful digging around existing services. Our operators dig around live utilities every week and treat locating and protecting them as step one on every job.

That crossover expertise pays off on general site work too -- we grade building sites with drainage, septic setbacks, and future utility runs in mind, so decisions made at the dirt stage don't create expensive problems at the plumbing stage.

If your project includes a septic system, bundling the excavation and the installation with one contractor eliminates the classic finger-pointing between the dirt crew and the septic crew -- and usually saves money on mobilization.

Excavation pricing depends on the volume of material moved, soil type (rock and heavy clay cost more than loam), site access, haul distances for import/export material, groundwater conditions, and season -- frozen ground work requires thawing equipment we happen to also provide. We visit your site, review your plans, and give you a transparent, itemized estimate before any iron rolls. No surprises, no vague allowances.

Good site prep is the cheapest insurance a building project can buy: proper compaction, correct grades, and drainage that moves water away from foundations prevent the settlement and moisture problems that cost far more to fix after the structure is up. Ask us to walk your site before you finalize plans -- a short visit often surfaces savings in the earthwork budget.