Excavation Contractor in Hesperus, CO
Animas Excavating handles the ground work that has to happen before anything gets built, and the repairs that can't wait once something fails. We clear and grade raw land, install septic systems and underground utilities, build roads and retaining walls, handle demolition, and repair sewer lines from the city main to the house.
One crew, across La Plata County and the Four Corners region, with a 5.0 Google rating.
5.0 Star on Google
7+ Years Serving the Four Corners
Certified OWTS Installer
Site Preparation
Excavation
Underground Utilities
Septic Systems
Sewer Line Repair
Demolition
Retaining Walls
Road Construction
Land Clearing
Grading
Our Construction Services
Excavation and site preparation services in Hesperus
We run every phase with our own crews, so one contractor coordinates the whole scope instead of you managing four.
Sewer line repair in Hesperus
We cut the asphalt, locate and tap the main, run the new line, backfill with special flow fills and special backfills, then patch the asphalt, sidewalk, and curb and gutter. One contract, main to house.
Our sewer line repair page has the full scope, and we've written up what a full sewer line repair involves phase by phase.
Our sewer line repair page has the full scope, and we've written up what a full sewer line repair involves phase by phase.
Hesperus site preparation and building pad prep
On raw land, site prep is clearing, rough grade, pad preparation, and drainage, in that order. On larger residential jobs and most commercial work we grade with 3D smart grade GPS satellite technology instead of stakes and string line.
Our site preparation page covers the full process.
Our site preparation page covers the full process.
Demolition and stormwater
Building sites west of Durango are frequently cut into a slope. We build in pre-cast engineered concrete block and in natural stone, and we plan the wall and the site drainage together, because water is what fails a wall.
Underground utilities
We trench and install water lines, electrical conduit, gas, and sewer connections. On a rural parcel that means running service from the road to the house, not tying into existing lines at a curb. We coordinate 811 locates before any dig.
Driveways, access roads, and culverts
We clear the route, cut grade, set culverts where water crosses, lay road base, and compact it to survive spring runoff. On rural parcels this is often the first work that happens, since equipment needs a way in.
Retaining wall installation in Hesperus
Building sites west of Durango are frequently cut into a slope. We build in pre-cast engineered concrete block and in natural stone, and we plan the wall and the site drainage together, because water is what fails a wall.
Septic system installation in Hesperus
Hesperus properties are almost entirely off municipal sewer, so a permitted OWTS has to be in the ground before you can build or occupy.
Mike is a licensed OWTS installer on the La Plata County Public Health roster, which is the same county that permits and inspects your system. Permitting runs under Colorado's Regulation 43 plus the county's local OWTS regulations.
We install standard and engineered systems, including mounded systems and advanced treatment units for difficult terrain or a high water table. We do soil analysis to determine what the ground will support rather than guessing.
See our septic system and OWTS installation page.
Mike is a licensed OWTS installer on the La Plata County Public Health roster, which is the same county that permits and inspects your system. Permitting runs under Colorado's Regulation 43 plus the county's local OWTS regulations.
We install standard and engineered systems, including mounded systems and advanced treatment units for difficult terrain or a high water table. We do soil analysis to determine what the ground will support rather than guessing.
See our septic system and OWTS installation page.
Land clearing and grading in Hesperus
Clearing removes brush, trees, stumps, and debris. Rough grading makes the site workable, and finish grading shapes the pad and sets the fall so water leaves the building envelope.
Hard rock is common across this part of Southwest Colorado and changes both cost and schedule. We break it mechanically with hydraulic hammers and breakers mounted on the excavator, and we'd rather find it during the estimate than mid-dig.
Hard rock is common across this part of Southwest Colorado and changes both cost and schedule. We break it mechanically with hydraulic hammers and breakers mounted on the excavator, and we'd rather find it during the estimate than mid-dig.
Residential excavation in Hesperus
If you've closed on a parcel out here, an excavator is your first contractor. Nothing else starts until the site is cleared, shaped, and has water, power, and a wastewater system.
Full infrastructure on raw land generally runs: land clearing, rough grading and pad prep, driveway and culverts, utility trenching, septic installation, retaining walls where the slope requires them, then finish grading and drainage.
Site development costs more than most buyers expect. We'd rather hand you real numbers early, while there's still room to plan around them.
Our residential construction page covers what a full build-out looks like.
Commercial excavation in Hesperus and La Plata County
For developers and general contractors we handle site clearing and stripping, cut and fill earthwork, pad preparation, utility trenching, drainage and erosion control, and road base. Our wheelhouse is dirt work up to about $1.5 million.
Our machines are guided to grade by GPS satellite using the same equipment surveyors run. On commercial jobs, Mike estimates that cuts roughly $90,000 in surveying costs out of a project.
We also take government and municipal work. Certified payroll and Davis-Bacon documentation don't slow us down. Completed work is on our projects page, and our commercial construction page covers capability in depth.
Permits for Hesperus property
Hesperus is unincorporated, so permitting runs through La Plata County rather than a town office. Septic installation requires a county permit, and grading, utility, and access work can trigger county review depending on scope.
We coordinate that and tell you which approvals your project actually needs before work starts.
How we bid and what it costs
Estimates are free with no obligation. We start with a short exploration call, then come look at the parcel, pull your plans, talk to the permitting offices, and put a written bid in your inbox.
When scope is clear we bid a fixed cost. When conditions are genuinely uncertain we use a time and materials contract and tell you exactly where the uncertainty sits.
Most residential work needs no deposit. Material-heavy jobs like a septic install typically run 50 percent down. We invoice weekly for work completed, so there's no surprise bill at the end.
Frequently asked questions about excavation in Hesperus, CO
Do I need a septic system on a parcel near Hesperus?
If the property isn’t on municipal sewer, and almost nothing out here is, then yes. La Plata County Public Health reviews the application and issues the permit. We’re a licensed installer on that county’s roster and we do soil analysis on site before anyone designs a system.
What does site preparation cost for raw land near Hesperus?
It depends on what the land needs. Clearing, grading, a driveway, utility trenching, and septic each carry their own cost, and hard rock or a difficult slope moves the number quickly. We walk the site before quoting, and the estimate is free.
Do I need a permit for excavation work in Hesperus?
Permitting runs through La Plata County, not a town office, because Hesperus is unincorporated. Septic requires a county permit, and other work may require county review depending on scope. We handle that coordination.
Do you install retaining walls in the Hesperus area?
Yes, in pre-cast engineered concrete block and natural stone. On sloped sites we plan the wall and the drainage behind it together.
Do you do both residential and commercial excavation in Hesperus?
Yes. Residential ranges from clearing a single lot to full infrastructure on raw land. Commercial covers site work, pad prep, utilities, and drainage on projects with dirt work up to about $1.5 million.
Do you charge for estimates?
No. Free estimates are part of how we bid.
Why Hesperus property owners choose Animas Excavating
Seven-plus years in the Four Corners with over 200 completed projects. A 5.0 rating on Google and an A+ rating with the BBB with zero complaints. Fully insured and bonded, and a registered FMCSA carrier, so our own trucks haul our own material.
Mike Zarlingo founded the company in 2018 and his family has been in the Four Corners since 1939. He handles first contact on every project.
More on the crew is on our about us page, and the full range of work is on our excavation services page.
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Get a Free Estimate for Your Hesperus Project
Tell us about the property and what you're trying to build. We'll talk through what it needs and get you a written bid.
Serving Hesperus, Durango, Bayfield, Mancos, Cortez, Pagosa Springs, and the Four Corners region.
Address:
2942 E 4th Ave, Durango, CO 81301
2942 E 4th Ave, Durango, CO 81301
Phone Number:
(970) 403-2787
(970) 403-2787
Email Address:
mike@animasexcavating.com
mike@animasexcavating.com