Straight Answers

Pricing depends on volume of dirt, depth, soil, access, and what's being dug. We give free on-site estimates with a straight number — no inflated quotes. Call (217) 809-0779 and we'll come look.

Rock driveway pricing depends on length, width, soil conditions, and whether grading or fabric is needed underneath. We provide free on-site estimates with a straight number — no inflated quotes or pressure.

Depends on size, materials, hazardous content like asbestos, debris disposal, and access. We give free on-site estimates with a straight number.

Depends on acreage, density of brush and trees, stump removal, debris disposal, and access. Free on-site estimate with a straight number.

Depends on material, distance, number of loads, and access. Free quote — call (217) 809-0779 with what you need.

Depends on size, depth, muck volume, what happens to the spoils, and access. Free on-site estimate with a straight number.

Depends on diameter, length, material, depth of cover, and access. Free estimate — call (217) 809-0779.

No. Mobilization is built into the estimate. One straight number. We schedule jobs in the same area together when we can to keep costs tight.

Komatsu PC150LC-6 excavator for the heavy work, JCB 8040ZTS mini for tight spots and yard jobs, Takeuchi TL150 and Cat 259D3 compact track loaders, Volvo and Ford tandem dump trucks, International Harvester 1086 and Massey Ferguson 1100 tractors, and a Cat D6N bulldozer. Full breakdown on our equipment page.

Yes. The JCB mini and skid steer fit through gates and tight backyards where the big excavator can't go. Small drainage trenches, foundation repairs, single-tree removal, short driveway fixes — we do them.

Yes. The Komatsu PC150LC is a 15-ton excavator built for foundations, ponds, and commercial site prep. The Cat D6N bulldozer pushes serious dirt for grading and clearing. We can run multiple machines on the same job.

Yes. We haul off excess dirt or spread it on-site, and we can bring in fill dirt or stone if needed. One contractor handles the whole job.

Roughly 12 to 14 tons per load depending on the material. Most residential jobs are a single load; bigger jobs run multiple.

Yes. Dump and go, or bring the skid steer / excavator and spread, grade, and compact on-site.

Call us. We come out, look at the site, talk through what you need, and check for utilities, slope, soil, and access. You get a straight number — no pressure, no obligation.

A small trench, a driveway culvert, or a fence row clear can be a half-day to a day. A full basement, a pond, or a barn demo usually runs several days. We give a realistic timeline at the estimate.

Depends on the season and the queue. Spring and fall are heavy. We don't promise dates we can't hit — when we say a week, we mean it.

Yes. Every dig that calls for it. Safety first, always.

Demolition inside city limits usually requires one; rural and farm structures often don't. Culverts that tie into a county or township road right-of-way usually need a permit. We tell you what's required and help you handle it.

Yes. Cleanup is part of the job. Debris hauled, spoils handled, ground graded. We walk the job with you when we're done. If something isn't right, we fix it.

Foundation and basement excavation, drainage and trench work, septic excavation, utility trenching, pond digging, footings, retaining walls, and full site prep. More on excavation →

We typically build with CA-6 crushed limestone for the base — it locks together tight, drains well, and packs into a hard surface. We finish with a clean top dressing for the look you want.

That's almost always a drainage problem, not a rock problem. We look at slope, crown, and where the water is going. Sometimes the fix is a culvert. Sometimes it's a regrade. We fix the cause once instead of dumping rock on it every year. More on rock driveways →

Yes. We re-grade washed-out drives, fill potholes and ruts, add fresh rock, and re-crown driveways that have flattened out.

Older structures can have asbestos, lead paint, or other hazards. We recommend a pre-demo inspection if there's any doubt and proper abatement before tear-down. We're straight about what we find.

Yes. Foundation-only removal is common when the structure is gone but the slab or basement remains. We break it out, haul it, and backfill or grade.

Sometimes — old barn wood and metal roofing can have value. Tell us at the estimate and we'll plan the demo to preserve what we can. More on demolition →

Yes. We drop trees, push brush, remove stumps, and grade the ground flat in one mobilization. Or just the parts you need.

Burn on-site where allowed, haul to a disposal site otherwise. We can save firewood logs if you tell us at the estimate.

Yes. We open up trails, sight lines, and access through timber without tearing the woods up. More on land clearing →

Late summer through fall is usually ideal in central Illinois — lower water, drier muck, firmer ground for equipment. Winter works too if it's dry.

It dries into excellent topsoil. We typically spread it on-site in low spots or fields, or stockpile it. Hauling off is an option for an added cost.

Often yes. Leaks usually come from a compromised clay seal, roots, or burrows. We diagnose and rebuild the failed section. More on pond dredging →

Sizing depends on drainage area, slope, and storm flow. Undersized backs up water; oversized is wasted money. We size it right at the estimate.

HDPE plastic is most common for driveways and fields — light, no rust, decades of life. Metal still has a place. Concrete for heavy or permanent installs. More on culvert repair →

Fill dirt, topsoil, sand, crushed limestone, washed rock, road base, and other aggregates.

All the time. Concrete, builders, septic, landscape — when you need dirt moved, we show up when we say we will. More on dirt hauling →

Yes — new pond construction from a flat field to water on the land. Walk the spot, layout, strip topsoil, dig the basin, build the dam in compacted lifts, set the spillway, dress the slopes, and seed. More on pond construction →

Depends on the use — livestock water, fish, recreation, irrigation, retention. Most owners want at least 8 feet of water at the deepest point so it doesn't winterkill or grow over with weeds. We size it to your land and goal during the walkthrough.

Yes — retention and detention basins for residential, commercial, and ag sites. Earthen levees and pond embankments. Bank stabilization, channel reshaping, and debris cleanout on creeks and waterways. Anything substantial in a regulated waterway needs the right permits and we help identify them before we cut.

Yes. We work to the stake, the cross-section, and the elevations the NRCS technician sets. Standard practice 412 — cut shallow and wide the way a grassed waterway has to be shaped, not deep and narrow like a tile ditch. More on grassed waterways →

Yes. EQIP and CSP cost-share grassed waterways, water-and-sediment control basins (WASCOBs, practice 638), terraces (practice 600), and grade-stabilization (practice 410). We've worked alongside the technicians at Coles, Moultrie, Shelby, Effingham, Cumberland, Douglas, and Edgar SWCD offices.

After harvest into late fall is typical, or in spring before planting once the ground is workable. Dry conditions matter — you want the cut and fill to compact, and enough growing season left for the seed to take before runoff hits.

Yes — French drains, surface swales, downspout tie-ins, and yard drainage tile. We trace where the water's coming from and where it should go, then dig and pipe it. More on drainage →

Yes. New pattern tile, repair on broken tile lines, riser inlets, and outlet repairs. We can locate and tie into existing main lines.

Perimeter footing drains during a new dig is the cheap, right way to do it — saves thousands later. Retrofit on an existing house is more invasive but doable. Read our blog post on foundation drains →

Yes — strip topsoil, cut to grade, compact subgrade, and set the rock base. Square corners, accurate grade, drainage tied in. Pad's ready when the slab crew shows up. More on pole barn pads →

Depends on soil and use. 4 to 6 inches of CA-6 limestone over compacted subgrade is typical for most ag and equipment buildings. Heavier loads (semis, big equipment storage) may need more. We'll spec it on the walkthrough.

Yes — garage pads, house slabs, shed pads, commercial slab prep. Any pad that needs to be cut, filled, compacted, and based for a slab pour. More on site prep →

Yes — full basements, crawl spaces, footings, garage foundations, and pole barn footings. Square corners, accurate depth, drainage tied in. More on foundation excavation →

Depends on the wall height, footing size, and the local frost depth — central Illinois is typically 36 inches below grade for footings. We dig to whatever depth your plan or builder calls for.

Yes. Big stumps that tree services won't touch — we pop them out with the excavator, roots and all. Hole filled, area graded smooth. More on stump removal →

Yes. Fence-row clearing is a regular job. Pull the stumps, haul them off (or burn pile them on-site if you want), grade smooth so you can replant or reuse the strip.

60-mile radius from Mattoon, IL — including Decatur, Champaign, Effingham, Charleston, Urbana, Sullivan, Tuscola, Arcola, Shelbyville, Pana, Neoga, Greenup, Toledo, Casey, Windsor, Marshall, Paris, Newton, and Terre Haute, IN. If you're not sure we cover your area, just call.

Yes — full liability and equipment coverage. Certificate of Insurance available on request.

Both. We work for homeowners, builders, farmers, and businesses. The equipment and skill scale to fit.

Open daily, 7 AM – 7 PM. Based in Mattoon, IL. Phone calls answered as soon as we're off the machine.