Excavating Contractor in Cleveland, OH
Residential and commercial excavation in Cleveland and across Cuyahoga County: footers, utility trenches, building pads and site cuts, dug by an owner-operated outfit that comes west from Trumbull County.
Residential and commercial excavation in Cleveland
Most excavation in Cleveland starts in tight quarters. An addition goes in behind a house with a driveway on one side and a neighbor on the other. A detached garage needs footers on a lot that has not been touched since the house went up. A commercial site needs cut, fill and a stone pad before the builder can start, often with water lines and drains running through it. Each of those is a different dig, and each one goes wrong the same way: too much guessing about the ground and where the dirt and water will go.
Logan Earthworks is owner-operated and based in Farmdale, in Trumbull County, and Cleveland and Cuyahoga County are inside our service area. Jeff answers the phone, looks at the site and gives the estimate himself. We bring tracked excavators, a dozer and a compact track loader, and we work to your builder's or engineer's layout.
Our side of the job is the dirt. Concrete crews pour in the footers we dig, plumbers and electricians lay lines in our trenches, and we backfill and rough grade when they are done. If the lot is grown over, the clearing comes first, and our Cleveland land clearing and grading page covers that side.
Excavation we take on around Cleveland
- Footers and foundation digs for homes, additions and garages
- Utility trenching for water, sewer, electric and drain lines
- Building pads and rough grading
- Commercial site cuts, fill and stone pads
- Clearing before the dig on overgrown lots
- Backfill and grading after the other trades
Lake clay, shale and Cuyahoga County rules
Lake plain and upland till
The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History describes a band of ancient lake beds and beach ridges along the northern edge of the region, with most of Cuyahoga County covered by clays, sands and gravels left as glacial till. On the uplands to the east and southeast, it calls the soils poorly drained, heavy clay loam. For a dig that means two things. A trench in tight clay fills with water and stays wet, and sandy ground on an old beach ridge can cave. We plan the spoil pile, the pump and the backfill around what the first bucket shows.
Shale under the city
Below the soil, Cleveland sits on shale. The same source names the Cleveland shale under the city, the Chagrin shale to the east, and the Bedford shale and Berea sandstone in the layers around them. When a footer or a sewer trench reaches rock, the work slows and the plan can change. Jeff will tell you up front if a site looks like it will hit it, and we talk through the options before the machine is on the trailer.
Plan reviews and OHIO811
Ohio EPA requires stormwater permit coverage for construction that disturbs one acre or more, with the Notice of Intent filed at least 21 days before work. Some Cuyahoga County cities, Berea among them, have the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District review erosion and sediment control plans before construction starts, so ask your city building department what it wants. Ohio law also requires notice to OHIO811 at least two working days before any dig. Read our 811 guide for the details.
Excavating Contractor, Up Close
Real photos from Logan Earthworks jobs. See more recent work or read about our full excavation service.
Cleveland Excavating Contractor Questions
Not seeing yours? Call (330) 625-5754 and ask Jeff.
Do you do residential excavation in Cleveland for additions and garages?
Yes. We dig footers and foundations for additions, garages and new homes, trench for water, sewer and electric lines, and backfill and grade when the other trades are done. Tight city lots get a compact approach and a plan for where the dirt goes. Call Jeff at (330) 625-5754 with the address and the plans.
Will you take a commercial excavation job in Cuyahoga County?
Yes. We clear, strip, cut and fill to grade, dig for footers and utilities, and build stone pads and access drives for commercial and industrial sites. We work from the engineer's plan and alongside your general contractor. Send the plans and the schedule, and Jeff will tell you how it fits.
Who reviews erosion control plans for a building site in Cuyahoga County?
It depends on the city. Some Cuyahoga County cities, Berea among them, have agreements with the Cuyahoga Soil and Water Conservation District to review erosion and sediment control plans before construction starts, and the city enforces them. Sites over one acre also need Ohio EPA stormwater permit coverage. Ask your building department first.
What should I have ready before you price an excavation job in Cleveland?
The address, a site plan or sketch, and any engineer's or architect's drawings. Tell us where the dirt can go, how the machines get in, and whether the lot needs clearing first. Photos help. Then Jeff can look at the site and give you a free estimate. More detail is on our excavation services page.
Cleveland & Cuyahoga County
We work in Cleveland and the communities around it, including:
Land Clearing & Grading in Cleveland
Lots cleared, stumps out and ground graded to shed water across Cuyahoga County.
Cleveland overviewForestry Mulching in Cleveland
Brush and small trees ground into mulch in place. No piles, no burning, no hauling.
See the Cleveland pageCommercial Land Clearing
Site, corridor and industrial property clearing for developers, contractors and municipalities.
The full serviceExcavation Services
Foundation digs, building sites, utility trenches, ponds and general earthmoving.
The full serviceExcavating Contractor in other towns
Need Digging Done in Cleveland?
Call Jeff or send a few details. Estimates are free.