Excavation on the slopes above Tucson
The Catalina Foothills runs from River Road north to the Coronado National Forest boundary, between Oracle Road and the Sabino Canyon area. It is unincorporated Pima County, made up of custom homes on large, sloped lots with desert landscaping, rock outcrops and long driveways. Site work here is about slope, rock, access and protecting what is already there.
Foothills projects
- Excavation for custom homes, additions and casitas on hillside lots, cut to the grading plan within the disturbance limits Pima County allows.
- Pool excavation on lots where the backyard is a slope, the access is a narrow side yard or a switchback driveway, and the ground is rock. Tight-access pool work is a regular request here.
- Grading and driveway work including cutting and regrading long, steep driveways and creating level pads.
- Drainage and earthwork to route mountain runoff around structures, stabilize slopes and repair erosion after monsoon storms.
- Utility trenching in rocky ground for service upgrades, pool equipment and outbuildings.
Rock, slope and disturbance limits
Foothills lots typically have shallow soil over rock and decomposed granite, which means excavation takes longer and may require hammering. Pima County’s hillside development standards limit how much of a lot can be disturbed and how slopes are cut, and native plant preservation applies. We plan equipment, spoils handling and access around those constraints and quote from a site visit rather than a guess.
Protecting the site
Established landscaping, boulders, mature saguaros and neighboring properties are all part of the picture on a Foothills lot. We plan staging and haul routes to minimize disturbance and leave the site as we found it outside the work area.
Permitting
The Catalina Foothills is unincorporated, so grading, building and septic permits go through Pima County, including its hillside and native plant requirements.
Recent work in the Catalina Foothills
[PROJECT REFERENCES FOR THE CATALINA FOOTHILLS — brief notes on recent work in the area, added once confirmed.]
Excavation services in Catalina Foothills
- Excavation
Foundation excavation, site cuts, building pads, dirt removal and haul-off for residential and commercial builds. - Pool Excavation
Precise pool digs, access planning, spoils haul-off and rough grading around the excavation, including tight-access lots. - Grading
Rough and finish grading, pad preparation, lot grading and drainage grading to spec. - Drainage & Earthwork
Drainage excavation and grading, swales and earthwork that move water away from what you have built. - Site Preparation
Clearing, grubbing, access preparation and utility prep so construction can start on a clean, ready site. - Complete Septic Systems
Tank excavation and placement, leach field preparation, trenching and replacement systems, coordinated with required permits and inspections. - Utility Trenching
Trenching for water, sewer, electrical and conduit runs on private property and new construction. - Land Clearing
Lot and brush clearing that gets raw desert land ready to build on.
