Frequently Asked Questions

HomeBlue's Knoxville figures put a machine with operator at about $180 to $310 an hour, or roughly $1,400 to $2,500 for a full day, with hauling at $400 to $600 or more per truckload. A basement dig for a new home runs about $3,600 to $6,300 and a no-basement foundation about $2,200 to $3,800. Rock, access and hauling distance move those numbers, so we quote after seeing the site.

It depends on how much and how hard. Small ledges and pinnacles can often be broken with a hydraulic hammer or worked around. Large amounts of solid limestone change the plan and the price. HomeGuide puts rock removal at roughly $50 to $200 per cubic yard when it stays on site. Our estimate spells out how rock is billed so there are no surprises.

Much of the Knoxville area sits on limestone and dolomite, and the USDA notes sinks, depressions and karst topography on several of the region's common soils. A low, bowl-shaped spot that collects water or opens after heavy rain deserves attention. We point it out if we see one and keep drainage water away from it.

Yes. Tennessee requires anyone excavating to notify Tennessee 811 so buried utilities can be marked first, and that includes homeowners. When we do the work, we place the request and wait for the marks.

Late spring through fall is usually best, because the red clay is drier and compacts properly. Winters are mild, with about 4.6 inches of snow a season, so cold rarely stops work, but long rainy spells can. Urgent water and sewer work happens any time.

Yes. Many jobs are a single day: a French drain along one side of a house, a trench for a water line, a gravel pad for a shed or a regrade of a soggy corner. Most operators, including us, price a minimum, so we will tell you what that is up front.

Often. Compact excavators and track loaders fit through many gates, and fence panels can sometimes be removed and replaced. We check gate width, septic fields, slopes and overhead lines during the visit.

Usually as flat as the plan needs, within limits set by the slope, rock and room on the lot. Where the grade change is large, a retaining wall or a stepped layout may make more sense, and we explain the trade-offs.

Often. Red clay can be good fill when placed at the right moisture and compacted. Topsoil, stumps and debris cannot go in a pad. We tell you what can stay and what must be hauled.

On many older homes the original grade settled over decades. Regrading to restore a fall away from the foundation is one of the cheapest fixes for a damp crawlspace.

Yes. Silt fence, stone entrances and seed and straw are part of our grading quotes when bare soil could wash off the site.

Footings must go below the local frost depth and onto firm soil, and the exact depth comes from your plans and the local building department. Because winters are mild here, frost depth is shallow compared with northern states.

We stop and show you. Small amounts can be hammered out. Large amounts may mean stepping the footing or changing the design with your builder. Our estimate lists the rock rate in advance.

Digging under an existing home is a structural project that needs an engineer and usually a foundation contractor. We can do the excavation part as directed by that plan.

Yes. Backfill, drainage stone and final grading are usually part of the same job.

We dig, bed and backfill. A licensed plumber or electrician makes the connections and handles inspections where the work requires their license, and we coordinate with them.

Deep enough to stay below frost and meet the local code and utility rules for your address. We confirm before digging.

Not if it is backfilled correctly. We compact in layers rather than pushing all the dirt back in at once.

Sometimes we cut and patch, and sometimes the line can be bored under. It depends on the length and the utility.

Standing water a day after rain, a squishy strip of lawn, or water entering the crawlspace from the uphill side are the usual signs. Sometimes regrading or extending downspouts is enough, and we will say so.

No. Sending concentrated water into a sink can enlarge it or trigger a collapse. We route drains to a curb, ditch or other safe outlet.

A properly built drain with clean stone and fabric can work for decades. Roots and silt are the usual enemies, which is why we add cleanouts.

Only along the trench line. We stockpile topsoil, backfill and reseed the strip.

Crusher run, a mix of crushed stone and fines, makes a good base because it packs tight. A cleaner crushed stone on top drains well. HomeGuide lists crusher run at $25 to $50 per ton delivered.

Usually water runs down the drive instead of off it. Restoring the crown, cutting ditches and adding water bars fixes most washouts.

Often, if the culvert is in a public road ditch. The owner of the road, whether the city, county or state, sets the rules. We check before installing.

Yes. A well-built stone base is the right first step for future paving.

Yes. We flag trees to keep before starting and work around them, keeping machines off their root zones as much as possible.

On building pads and drives, yes. In areas that will just be mowed, grinding below grade is usually enough.

Only where local rules allow and with any required permit. Hauling or mulching are the usual alternatives.

A wooded quarter-acre house site often takes one to two days, depending on tree size and slope.