What types of excavation projects do you handle?
Our work covers a wide range of residential and commercial excavation projects, including site development, land clearing, grading, underground utilities, septic systems, road construction, driveways, trenching, and foundation excavation. Residential lots and commercial sites both fall inside what we take on.
What areas do you serve?
We serve customers throughout the Wenatchee Valley and the surrounding North Central Washington communities, including Wenatchee, East Wenatchee, Chelan, Cashmere and Leavenworth, along with properties across Chelan County and Douglas County. Ask about addresses just outside those lines.
Do you install septic systems?
Septic installation is a core part of our work, covering system installation, septic excavation, drain field installation and full replacement. We prepare the property and complete the excavation a properly installed system depends on. Everything is installed to the approved design.
Do you build roads and driveways?
Road and driveway construction is a large share of our work, covering residential, commercial, and private properties. Our services include excavation, grading, site preparation, gravel road and driveway installation, drainage, and repairs. Steep foothill approaches and shared easement roads are familiar ground.
How long does an excavation project usually take?
Timelines depend on the size of the site, the ground conditions and the weather. A driveway or trench run may take a few days, while full site development on rough acreage can run several weeks. We give you a realistic window before starting.
What happens before you start digging on my property?
Before the first bucket, we walk the site with you, confirm what the plans call for, mark the work area and have underground utilities located. Access routes and spoil placement get settled so nothing has to be moved twice once we start.
Do I need a permit for excavation work?
Many projects do, especially septic systems, road approaches, utility connections and work near critical areas or steep slopes. Requirements vary by jurisdiction, so we tell you what your project likely needs and coordinate with the county during the process.
Do I need to have my property surveyed before excavation starts?
Not always, but it helps whenever elevations, property lines or setbacks matter. Foundations, septic systems and road corridors usually need surveyed points to work from, while a driveway regrade or a clearing job often does not need one.
When is the best time of year to schedule excavation in the Wenatchee Valley?
Late spring through fall gives the driest ground and the easiest compaction, which is why schedules fill early. Winter work is possible on many sites, though frozen or saturated soil limits what can be shaped and backfilled well.
How do you handle rock when you hit it?
Cobble and rock are common in valley ground, so we plan for them. Smaller material gets broken out or worked around, and larger formations may call for a hammer attachment or a revised layout that avoids unnecessary cost.
What happens to the dirt you dig out?
Usable material stays on site for backfill, berms or fill where the grading plan needs it, which keeps hauling down. Anything unsuitable or left over gets loaded and removed so your property is not left holding spoil piles.
Will heavy equipment damage my lawn or driveway?
Some disturbance along access routes is hard to avoid, but it can be controlled. Gates Brothers Excavation plans machine routing, uses mats over sensitive areas where needed, and restores tracked ground before leaving a property in Wenatchee, WA.
How do you keep from hitting buried utility lines?
Public utilities are located and marked before any digging starts, and private lines like irrigation, well feeds or invisible fencing get discussed with you directly. Near marked lines we hand dig or pothole rather than trusting the bucket alone.
Do you work on steep or hillside properties?
Foothill lots are part of everyday work here. Benching, terracing, and cut and fill balance let us build usable pads, roads, and driveways on slopes, with drainage and erosion control designed in rather than added afterward once problems appear.
What is site preparation, and why does my builder keep asking about it?
Site preparation is everything that has to happen before a foundation can be poured: clearing, grading, pad construction, drainage, and utility corridors. Builders ask because their schedule cannot start until the ground is at the right elevation and holding.
How do I know if my property drains properly?
Watch where water goes after a heavy rain or during spring runoff. Standing puddles that linger, soggy ground near the foundation, eroded channels across the yard and a damp crawl space all point to drainage that needs correcting.
Can you work around an existing home while we live in it?
Yes, and most of our septic replacements and utility repairs happen exactly that way. We stage equipment to keep your driveway usable, protect the areas you walk through daily, and close open excavations before leaving the site each evening.
What causes a septic system to fail?
Age, overloading, compacted soil over the drain field and years without pumping are the usual culprits. Surfacing effluent, slow drains, odors or lush green strips over the field are the signs that a system is close to giving out.
How deep do utility lines need to be buried?
Depth depends on the utility, the code that governs it and local frost conditions, so there is no single number. Water lines sit deepest to stay below freezing, while conduit and communication lines follow the utility provider's requirements.
What should I have ready before requesting an estimate?
Bring whatever you have: a site plan, a septic design, your builder's schedule or just an address and a rough idea. Gates Brothers Excavation will walk the property in Wenatchee, WA and fill in the rest with you.
