Excavation Services in Abbotsford & Central Wisconsin
Excavation is the foundation every other part of a project sits on — literally. Get it wrong and everything built afterward inherits the problem: a basement that floods, a driveway that heaves, a building pad that settles unevenly. ERE Excavation runs excavation work for homeowners, businesses, and municipalities across Marathon, Clark, and Wood counties, scaling the crew, equipment, and approach to match the scope of the job — not forcing a one-size-fits-all method onto every site.
ERE Excavation | 233119 Co Rd F, Abbotsford, WI 54405 | (715) 613-0011
Excavation for Every Type of Project
No two excavation jobs look the same. A homeowner digging a basement, a business developing a commercial site, and a township managing a public works project each need different equipment, sequencing, and coordination. That's why we treat excavation as three distinct services rather than one generic offering.
Basement and foundation digging, site prep for new construction, additions, outbuildings, and utility trench prep for homeowners and residential builders.
Site development, building pad excavation, parking lot and drainage grading for commercial construction — coordinated with your contractor's timeline and site plan.
Excavation work for townships, municipalities, and public projects, including road-adjacent earthwork, culvert support, and public infrastructure.
What Excavation Work Actually Involves
Excavation isn't just "digging a hole" — it's a sequenced process, and skipping steps is where most problems start.
Site assessment
Utility locates
Staking and layout
Excavation and spoil management
Grading and compaction
Site cleanup and handoff
Equipment We Use
We match equipment to the job rather than running everything off one machine. Depending on scope, that means mini excavators for tight residential lots, larger excavators and dozers for commercial and municipal earthwork, skid steers for site cleanup and material handling, and dump trucks for hauling spoil or bringing in fill material.
For jobs that go beyond standard excavation scope, ERE also runs a dedicated heavy equipment division — capability we've put to use removing roughly 800 yards of accumulated muck and an entire island from a Marshfield pond, and pulling oversized stumps with an 18,000-lb backhoe near Medford. See our Marshfield and Medford service area pages for those projects.
What Affects Excavation Cost and Timeline
A few factors drive both cost and how long a project takes, regardless of whether it's residential, commercial, or municipal:
- Soil type — clay excavates and compacts differently than sand or loam, and Central Wisconsin's clay-heavy ground is common but not universal even within the same township.
- Depth and volume — a shallow utility trench and a full basement dig aren't in the same category of work.
- Site access — a wooded lot with a narrow driveway takes longer to get equipment into position than an open field.
- Water table and drainage — high groundwater can require dewatering before excavation can proceed safely.
- Spoil handling — whether excess material stays on-site or needs to be hauled and disposed of affects both cost and schedule.
We give firm estimates after a site walk, not off a phone call, because these variables change too much from property to property to quote blind.
Central Wisconsin Soil & Climate Considerations
Heavy clay soil is the norm across Marathon, Clark, and Wood counties, and it behaves differently than sandier ground — it holds water longer, compacts more densely, and shifts more with freeze-thaw cycles through a Wisconsin winter. Frost depth in this part of the state typically runs 42-48 inches, which is why foundation footings and buried utility lines need to sit below that line — excavation that doesn't account for frost depth is one of the most common causes of foundation heaving and broken lines down the road. Spring thaw also means a lot of excavation work gets scheduled around ground conditions rather than a fixed calendar — we factor that into every timeline we give.
Common Questions About Excavation
How do I know if my project needs residential, commercial, or municipal excavation?
It generally comes down to who the client is and the scale of the project — homeowners and residential builders fall under residential, private businesses and developers under commercial, and townships or public agencies under municipal. If you're not sure, call and we'll point you to the right service.
Do you handle the permitting for excavation projects?
Permit requirements vary by municipality and project type. We can tell you what we know based on similar past projects, but you'll want to confirm specific requirements with your local zoning or building office.
How deep can you excavate?
It depends on the equipment and soil conditions on site — we'll assess this during the site walk and let you know what's feasible for your specific project.
Do you call 811 before every job, even small ones?
Yes, without exception. Wisconsin law requires a locate request at least three business days before digging, regardless of project size, and we don't skip this step.
What happens to the dirt you dig out?
Where possible, we reuse excavated material on-site for backfill and grading — it's more cost-effective than hauling it away and bringing in new fill. When soil isn't suitable to reuse or there's excess volume, we haul it off as part of the job.
Can excavation work happen in winter?
It depends on frost depth and ground conditions — some projects can proceed with the right equipment and approach, while others need to wait until the ground thaws. We'll be straight with you about which applies to your project.
Do you offer free estimates?
Yes — we walk the property and give you a real estimate based on what we see, not a guess over the phone.
Have a Project in Mind?
Have an excavation project — residential, commercial, or municipal? Call (715) 613-0011 to talk through the scope.