Excavation Services in Durango, CO: Precision Work for the Four Corners Region
Animas Excavating is a licensed and insured excavation contractor serving Durango and the Four Corners region. Owner Mike Zarlingo founded the company in 2018, and we handle every phase of site work, from site preparation and grading to underground utilities, septic systems, drainage, demolition, and plumbing excavation.
Here's how we work and what sets us apart.
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
The problem with most excavation contractors in Durango
You call three contractors. One never calls back. One shows up two weeks later. The third hands you a bid that says nothing about permits, utility locates, or what happens if the crew hits rock.
That's the frustration we hear over and over from homeowners, builders, and general contractors across La Plata County. Unclear timelines. Surprise costs after the bid is signed. Nobody explaining how the permit process actually works.
When you're trying to break ground on a foundation, repair a sewer line, or develop raw land, that kind of uncertainty costs real money. We built Animas Excavating to take it off the table.
How we work: responsive, precise, and locally accountable
We hold ourselves to three commitments on every job.
When you reach out, you hear back promptly. We get to your site quickly for an assessment and follow up with a written bid that reflects the real scope.
When you reach out, you're talking to Mike Zarlingo. He owns the company, takes the first call himself, and stays involved as your project moves forward. Day-to-day crew operations are led by our foreman, Ben Keil, who brings the steady hand and accountability our repeat clients count on.
Our core values aren't filler. Honesty means the bid reflects the real scope. Responsiveness means you always know where your project stands. Precision means the finished grade matches the engineered plan. Consideration means we treat your site the way we'd treat our own.
You can meet the team on our about page, where Mike's background and the company's story are laid out in full.
Complete excavating services for every phase of site development
We handle excavation from raw land all the way to finished grade. Whether you’re starting a new home, upgrading a commercial site, or dealing with a drainage problem that gets worse every spring, we’ve got the equipment and the experience to do it right.
Our services include: Site preparation and land clearing, Foundation excavation, Underground utility installation, Drainage and stormwater management, Plumbing excavation for sewer and water lines, Septic system installation and repair, Grading and finish grading, Road and driveway construction, Demolition and Earthmoving and cut-and-fill.
This is the full scope most Four Corners projects need. We work across Durango, Bayfield, Hesperus, Mancos, Cortez, Pagosa Springs, and throughout La Plata County.
What to expect when you hire us
01
Contact us
Reach Mike Zarlingo at (970) 403-2787. He takes the first call himself and stays responsive throughout the process.
02
On-site assessment
We get to your site promptly to walk the scope, ask the right questions, and gather what we need to build an accurate bid.
03
Bid delivery
You get a written estimate that reflects the real scope, including any permit or utility locate requirements, without a long wait.
04
Permitting and locates
We coordinate the required permits with the relevant jurisdiction and handle utility locates through Colorado 811 before any equipment moves.
05
Excavation
Our crew, led by foreman Ben Keil, runs the work to plan, grade, and schedule, with 3D GPS technology on every grading scope.
06
Backfill and restoration
We close the site the right way. Compaction is done in layers, and surface restoration is part of the job, not an afterthought.
Plumbing excavation services: sewer lines, water lines, and emergency digs
We handle the excavation side of plumbing work. We're not a plumbing company and we don't make plumbing repairs. What we do is open the ground safely, accurately, and efficiently so a licensed plumber can do their part, then close it back up when the work is done.
Plumbing excavation covers a specific set of situations: trenching for sewer line repair and replacement, reaching a water main break, running new lateral connections, tying in septic systems, and emergency digs when a line has collapsed and every hour counts.
Here's how a typical job runs. We call Colorado 811 to locate underground utilities before any equipment moves. We confirm the permits required by La Plata County or the relevant jurisdiction. Then we trench to the correct depth, support the plumber's work, backfill and compact in layers, and restore the surface. Nothing gets skipped to save time.
A collapsed sewer line isn't a scheduled repair. We respond quickly and treat emergency digs as the priority they are, because waiting on an excavator isn't an option when your system is down.
For sewer work specifically, we've put together a detailed resource.
200
+
Projects Completed
Grading and excavation services powered by 3D smart grade GPS technology
Most grading in this region still runs on physical grade stakes, string lines, and repeated manual check passes. That method works, but it's slower, less accurate, and more likely to need a return trip when the grade comes up short.
We use 3D smart grade GPS satellite technology instead. Software and satellites replace the staking process. The machine knows exactly where it is and where the finished surface needs to be, in real time, with no one standing at a stake holding a rod. The result is tighter tolerances, less wasted material, and a finished grade that matches the engineered plan on the first pass.
This isn't something we mention in passing. It's how every grading scope we run gets done. It matters to general contractors who need us to hold a tight pad elevation, and it matters to homeowners who don't want to pay for a re-grade because the first pass was off.
What 3D GPS grading means for your timeline and budget
The practical impact is fewer site visits and faster mobilization. On a grading scope, we're not stopping to check stakes, reset string lines, or wait for a survey crew to verify progress. The data is live, the machine is calibrated, and the work keeps moving.
On commercial jobs, that adds up. The technology lets us act as our own surveyors, cutting surveying costs significantly on larger scopes. For sites coordinating multiple trades, it also means real schedule reliability.
Excavation and septic services in Southwest Colorado
We're a certified OWTS installer, listed on the La Plata County Public Health roster. OWTS stands for onsite wastewater treatment system, the technical name for a septic system. That certification matters when you're dealing with engineered systems on a property where a standard gravity setup won't work.
Southwest Colorado terrain often calls for more than a conventional design. Hard rock is common here, and difficult ground or a high water table can push a design toward an engineered system that demands precise installation. We review the engineered plans before we dig, handle the excavation for both conventional and engineered systems, support tie-ins on new construction, and dig for repairs when an existing system fails.
If you're planning a new build in La Plata County or a surrounding county and you're not on municipal sewer, this is a conversation worth having early.
Planning a septic system? Request a Free Estimate.
Drainage and excavation services for Durango's terrain
Water management is one of the most underestimated parts of site work in Southwest Colorado. The ground is uneven, the geology varies, and a drainage issue that looks minor in July can damage a foundation or wash out a driveway by spring runoff.
We provide drainage channel excavation, grading for surface water diversion, earthwork for stormwater systems, and erosion control grading on both residential and commercial sites. We build a drainage approach around what the land actually does here, not what a generic site plan assumes. Hard rock, variable soil depth, and elevation changes all factor in.
Good drainage protects your foundation, your driveway, and your landscaping for the long haul. We'd rather solve the problem during site prep than come back later to repair the damage it caused.
Verified project experience
The Archuleta County Transit Facility in Pagosa Springs is our clearest proof of commercial-scale capability. We handled the excavation scope on a large public infrastructure project involving multiple trades. Work at that scale means coordinating with general contractors, engineers, and inspectors, holding strict grade tolerances, and leaving no room for re-work delays.
We've also taken on retaining wall work along the Durango riverfront, a structural job on a tight site that demands precision in both excavation and compaction.
Mike spent two decades at Oracle before starting Animas Excavating. That background gives us a real comfort with the paperwork side of the business, the certified payroll, Davis-Bacon compliance, and documentation that government and commercial projects require. It's the part most contractors would rather avoid, and it's one reason we take on government work that others pass on.
We're licensed and insured, OWTS certified, and listed on the La Plata County Public Health roster.
See what we can do for your project. Request a Free Estimate.
Frequently asked questions about excavation services in Durango
What does an excavation contractor in Durango actually do?
We move earth. That covers clearing raw land, digging foundations, trenching for utilities, grading a finished pad, installing septic systems, and managing drainage. Excavation is the ground-level work every other trade builds on, and we handle it on residential and commercial sites throughout La Plata County and the surrounding region.
How quickly can you get to my site?
We respond promptly and get on site quickly for an assessment. Your written bid follows without a long wait. If you’ve got an emergency like a collapsed sewer line, call us right away at (970) 403-2787 and we’ll prioritize it.
Do you handle both residential and commercial excavation?
Yes. We work with homeowners on foundation prep, driveways, drainage correction, and septic installation, and with builders and developers on commercial sites. The Archuleta County Transit Facility in Pagosa Springs is one example of the commercial scope we can support.
What is plumbing excavation, and do you do it?
Plumbing excavation is the digging required to reach underground sewer, water, or drain lines for repair or replacement. We handle the excavation side: trenching, line access, backfill, and compaction. We don’t make the plumbing repairs ourselves.
For the full picture, see our sewer line repair and excavation services page.
Are you licensed and insured for excavation work in Colorado?
Yes. We’re a licensed and insured excavation contractor, a certified OWTS installer, and listed on the La Plata County Public Health roster. We carry the credentials required for both standard excavation and onsite wastewater treatment system installation across Southwest Colorado.
Ready to get started?
Who we work with
Homeowners. If you're building a new home, adding a driveway, fixing a drainage issue, or installing a septic system on rural property, we're the crew you call. We explain the process clearly, get you a written bid promptly, and don't leave you guessing about what comes next.
Builders and general contractors. When you're coordinating multiple trades, schedule reliability and grade accuracy are what matter most. Our 3D GPS technology keeps the grading scope on track, and our response commitments mean we show up when we say we'll. We've worked alongside builders on everything from single-family homes to commercial infrastructure in Pagosa Springs.
Commercial developers and infrastructure clients. The transit facility shows what we can handle at scale. If your project needs excavating and earthmoving with documented precision and a contractor who coordinates directly with your team, that's work we're built for.
Request a Free Estimate
Tell us about your project and we'll get back to you within two hours.
Let’s Work
Get your free excavation estimate in Durango
Animas Excavating is Durango's locally owned, GPS-equipped excavation contractor, serving the Four Corners region. We respond quickly, get to your site without delay, and deliver a written bid that reflects the real scope of your project.
We serve Durango, Bayfield, Hesperus, Mancos, Cortez, Pagosa Springs, and throughout La Plata County.
Address:
2942 E 4th Ave, Durango, CO 81301
Phone Number:
(970) 403-2787
Email Address:
mike@animasexcavating.com