Two kinds of foundation work
A foundation dig is the hole a new house, garage or addition sits in. It has to be cut to the right depth, square to the plans and with a solid bottom, so the footings and walls go in right. General contractors call Dig Daddy for this before the concrete crew shows up.
A basement dig-out is excavation for a basement addition or a walkout on an existing home. One of Ryan's jobs was a walkout in Ogden for a family who needed room without moving. It is careful work, because the house is right there.
Both jobs need the same things done right: the right depth, clean walls on the cut, a solid bottom, and a plan for where the water goes once the house is finished.
Start to finish
It starts with the plans, if you have them, and photos of the site. Ryan will call to set up a live estimate within 24 hours, look at the access, the soil and what sits close to the dig, and give you a price that is broken out.
Before digging, buried utilities have to be marked through Blue Stakes of Utah by calling 811. Talk to Ryan about permits for your job, since foundation work and basement additions usually go through the city or county.
Ryan digs to the depth and lines on the plans. Let him know who is pouring the footings so the dig is ready when they are. Once the walls are in, the area gets backfilled and compacted, and the ground is graded back so water runs away from the new foundation.
If a job before yours wraps early, he will call and offer to move you up.
What affects the cost
The size and depth of the dig set the base. Soil changes the work a lot: loose dirt digs fast, while rock and heavy clay take longer. Groundwater can also come into play in some low areas.
The other big factors are access and the dirt itself. A dig-out next to an existing house means tight working room. The dirt that comes out has to go somewhere, either kept on site for backfill or taken away. Photos up front show these things, so the number you get is the number you pay.
Tell Ryan early if there is a deadline, like a concrete pour already on the calendar.
For builders and homeowners
General contractors get an operator who shows up, digs to plan and stays until the work is done. Homeowners adding a basement or a walkout get one person to deal with, from the quote to the final grade.
Dig Daddy is licensed and insured and works from Salt Lake City to Tremonton, across Salt Lake, Davis, Weber and Box Elder counties.
Ryan posts jobs as they happen on Instagram, so builders and homeowners can see the kind of dig work he does before they call.
