Excavation FAQ

We handle excavation and land grading, land clearing, foundation digs, pads, driveways, ponds, pool digs, drainage, French drains, basement waterproofing, foundation repair, sewer and water lines, septic systems, demolition, concrete, stamped concrete and masonry, for homes, farms and businesses.

Yes. Call 615-357-7797 or send us a message and we will set up a free estimate. We walk the site, look at the soil, slope, access and water, and give you a clear estimate with options.

Call 811, the free utility locating service, a few days before you dig so underground lines are marked. We have utilities located before every dig we do.

Many projects do, especially larger grading, demolition, septic systems, ponds and anything near a stream or on a steep slope. We help you check the requirements for your address and build to them.

Common causes are clay soil, low spots, a slope toward the house, downspouts that dump near the foundation, and springs. The free Grading and Drainage Designer and Drainage Problem Finder help you narrow it down before we visit.

Use the free Dig Volume and Haul Calculator to turn length, width and depth into cubic yards and truck loads. We confirm the numbers on the site, because soil swells when it is dug.

Rock is common in Middle Tennessee. We talk about it early, and if we find it we explain the options, which can include breaking it with a hydraulic hammer.

Yes. We do commercial site work, parking lots, pads and storm drainage, and farm work such as ponds, roads, clearing and building pads.

Music City Excavation serves 16 Middle Tennessee cities, including Nashville, Franklin, Brentwood, Murfreesboro, Hendersonville and Gallatin. Browse the service areas page or call us to confirm your address.

Call 615-357-7797 or use the form on this page to book a free estimate. You can also try the free tools before we meet.

Excavation removes soil, such as digging a foundation, a trench or a pond. Grading shapes the surface of the land so it slopes and drains the way you want. Most projects use both.

A common guideline is a drop of about six inches over the first ten feet from the foundation, and local code and soil can change that. Our Slope and Grade Calculator checks your numbers.

A French drain is a trench with perforated pipe in clean stone that collects water and carries it away. It helps where the ground stays saturated. If the water just needs a slope, regrading may be enough.

Many yard drainage jobs take a few days. Foundation digs and pads often take a day or two, and large clearing or site work takes longer. Weather matters, and your estimate includes a realistic timeline.

Yes. We use right-sized machines, hand-dig near roots and utilities, protect fences and lawns where we can, and restore what we disturb.

We plan that before we start. Often it is reused on your lot for grading or backfill, and when it is not, we haul it away. Your estimate says which.

Ask us about payment options for your project. The Budget and Payment Planner shows a simple planning example, which is not a quote or a credit offer.

If sewer service is not available at your property, a septic system is usually required, and a soil evaluation and permit decide the type. Our Septic System Planner is a good first look.