Compact excavator cutting a level pad into a sloped Los Angeles backyard

We dig it out, grade it flat and haul it away.

Excavation for ADU pads, foundations, pools, sewer lines and hillside lots across Los Angeles. One crew brings the machines, the trucks and the paperwork.

Site visit and written scope before any work
DigAlert and permit checks handled
Soil hauled off, streets kept clean

Across Los Angeles, the Valley, the Westside and the foothills. Call (213) 319-3620

Got it, thank you.

We'll call to set up a site visit. To talk sooner, call (213) 319-3620

That didn't go through.

Something went wrong sending your request. Please call (213) 319-3620 and we'll take the details over the phone. Your answers are still filled in below if you'd rather try again.

What a hillside pad actually involves

Part of the hill gets cut away and hauled off, a little gets filled and compacted behind a wall, and what’s left is a flat pad the inspector can sign off.

Slope before Cut Fill Grade stakes Illustration, not a real job.

What we dig, and what it takes

Every job starts with the same three questions: can a machine get in, what’s under the ground, and does the city need a permit first.

Job	Usual machine	Check this first
ADU and Addition PadsBackyard and garage-conversion pads, cut level and compacted	Mini excavator and skid steer through a side yard	Side-yard width, sewer lateral location, and whether the pad needs a soils report
Foundation and Footing DigsNew homes, additions, footings for walls and decks	Mini or mid-size excavator	Footing depth and width on the engineer's plans
Hillside GradingCuts, benches and pads on sloped lots	Excavator, dozer on bigger lots, dump trucks	Grading permit, soils report, and a haul route for large exports
Pool ExcavationNew pools, dug to the pool builder's layout	Excavator and a truck line for export	Pool plans, access for trucks, where the dirt goes
Utility and Sewer TrenchingSewer laterals, water, gas and electrical runs	Mini excavator or trencher	DigAlert ticket before any digging
Demolition and Haul-OffSlabs, driveways, sheds, old foundations	Excavator with breaker, dump trucks	Demo permit and dust control
Retaining Wall ExcavationCutting back slopes for new walls	Mini excavator	Wall design and a temporary cut that stays safe
Site Clearing and Rough GradingBrush, roots, debris, and rough grade for drainage	Skid steer and dump trucks	Brush clearance rules in fire zones

Digging in LA comes with rules. We plan around them.

Most delays on a dig are paperwork, not dirt. These are the ones we check before a machine shows up.

DigAlert first

California law requires a DigAlert (811) ticket at least two working days before any digging, so gas, water and power lines get marked.

Grading permits

In the City of Los Angeles, most grading needs an LADBS permit. Neighboring cities like Pasadena and Santa Monica run their own.

Hillside haul routes

In LA's hillside areas, moving more than 1,000 cubic yards of soil in or out needs a haul route approved after a public hearing.

Dust control

South Coast AQMD Rule 403 keeps dust from leaving the site and dirt off the street. Water and clean exits are part of the job.

On a typical job

Small machines for tight LA lots, trucks lined up for the soil, and water on the dust.

Compact excavator in a narrow side yard between a house and a fence — Compact machines fit side yards most trucks can't.

Excavator loading soil into a dump truck on a hillside street — Export loaded straight into trucks, dust wet down.

Level compacted building pad with grade stakes on a hillside lot — A finished pad, staked and ready for inspection.

Get a written scope for your dig

Send the basics and we’ll book a site visit. You’ll know what fits through the side yard, what the city will ask for, and where the soil goes, before anything starts.

From first call to a pad you can build on

The same four steps whether it’s a trench or a hillside.

Site visit
We walk the lot, measure access, and look at your plans.
Utilities and permits
DigAlert ticket, permit check, and where the soil will go.
Dig and haul
Machines in, soil out, dust and streets kept clean.
Grade and compact
Pad or trench finished to plan, ready for the inspector.

Where we work

Across the city and the valleys. Areas marked Hillside usually need more permits and planning.

Hollywood HillsHillside
Silver Lake & Echo ParkEastside
Eagle RockEastside
Highland Park & Mount WashingtonEastside
Sherman Oaks & EncinoValley
Studio CityValley
North HollywoodValley
PasadenaFoothills
GlendaleFoothills
Culver CityWestside
Santa MonicaWestside
Mar Vista & VeniceWestside

Questions people ask before the dig

Still unsure what your job needs? A site visit answers most of it.

Can a machine fit through my side yard?

Often, yes. Compact excavators and skid steers are built for tight access. We measure the narrowest point at the site visit and tell you what fits before we book the job.

Do I need a permit to dig?

In the City of Los Angeles, most grading needs an LADBS permit, and the exemptions are narrow. Pasadena, Glendale, Santa Monica and Culver City run their own permit process. We check your plans and tell you what the city will ask for.

Where does all the dirt go?

We load it into dump trucks and haul it to a disposal or recycling site, or move it on site if the plans call for fill. In LA's hillside areas, exporting more than 1,000 cubic yards needs an approved haul route.

When can you dig?

LA City bans grading from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. and on Sundays. From October 1 to April 15, larger grading jobs also need an approved erosion-control plan before they start.

Do you work with my contractor or architect?

Yes. Much of this work is for builders and ADU contractors. Send the plans and we'll work to them.