Residential Foundation Workflow
- 1Inquiry received via website site-map tool
- 2Automated booking for estimator site visit
- 3Proposal sent with digital signature and deposit link
- 4Mobilization alert sent 24 hours before machine delivery
Systems for Excavation
Operational Infrastructure for Earthmoving Professionals
Excavation companies make money through precision site preparation, trenching, and grading services. Margin erosion often occurs during the gap between the initial site walk and the signed contract, or when changes in site conditions lead to unrecorded billable hours.
Construction & Trades
- Instant Site Request Capture
- Locate Status Reminders
- Digital Change Order Authorization
- Mobilization Notifications
- Retainage Recovery
How the business actually works
How the work flows, start to finish.
- 01
Inquiry
Potential clients reach out for site clearing, foundation digging, or drainage projects.
- 02
Site Assessment
Field estimators visit the property to check soil composition, access points, and utility markings.
- 03
Bidding
Detailed estimates are generated based on cubic yardage, equipment hours, and disposal fees.
- 04
Permitting
Ensuring all dig permits and utility locates are secured before mobilizing heavy equipment.
- 05
Mobilization
Scheduling operators and hauling machines to the job site to begin the earthwork.
- 06
Execution
Managing the rough grade, trenching, or backfilling while documenting progress.
- 07
Closeout
Final site walk and survey to verify elevations and drainage requirements meet specifications.
Where it leaks
Common problems for excavation companies.
01
Estimating Lag
General contractors often need numbers quickly to finalize their own bids. Delays in turning around dirt work quotes result in lost opportunities to be written into the master project schedule.
02
Utility Locate Coordination
Beginning work before marks are verified is a massive liability, yet manually tracking these approvals is tedious. Missing a locate window can stall an entire crew and expensive machinery.
03
Change Order Leakage
Encountering unexpected rock or high water tables requires immediate work order adjustments. If these are not documented and signed by the client instantly, the additional labor and fuel costs are often swallowed by the company.
04
Equipment Downtime
Inefficient scheduling leads to excavators and skid steers sitting idle on one site while needed on another. Poor communication between the field and office causes logjams in equipment logistics.
05
Payment Delays
Large scale earthmoving requires significant upfront fuel and labor costs. Waiting for progress payments or final retainage without an automated follow up system creates severe cash flow pressure.
What LATTICE can build
Systems built around how you work.
Instant Site Request Capture
An AI receptionist handles incoming calls for quotes, gathering parcel data and project types so the estimator has context before calling back.
Locate Status Reminders
Automated workflows that alert the office when utility locate windows are expiring or need renewal to prevent work stoppages.
Digital Change Order Authorization
SMS based document delivery allows operators to send an immediate addendum for unexpected site conditions, getting client signature before the additional digging begins.
Mobilization Notifications
Send automated alerts to clients and neighboring properties regarding machine delivery and expected noise or road blockages.
Retainage Recovery
A system that automatically triggers payment reminders and lien waiver exchanges once the final grade is approved.
Operator Check-in Portals
Simple mobile interfaces for field staff to log hours against specific phases like clearing, trenching, or backfilling for accurate job costing.
Example systems
What it looks like in practice.
Commercial Site Prep Follow-up
- 1Quote sent to General Contractor
- 2Automated follow up every three days for ten days
- 3Notification to office once GC views the digital bid
- 4Contract execution triggers utility locate request
Emergency Drainage Response
- 1After hours call captured by AI receptionist
- 2Urgent text alert sent to on-call foreman
- 3Standard mobilization fee collected via SMS link
- 4Field report and photos sent to client upon completion
Have a different problem?
Tell us what's slowing the business down. LATTICE can build around the way your business operates.
Questions from excavation companies
How do we handle different rates for machine time versus manual labor?
The system allows for customized line items in your bidding templates. You can separate equipment hours, mobilization fees, and disposal costs, ensuring each quote reflects the specific resources required for the terrain.
Can the system track our heavy equipment locations?
While we do not provide GPS hardware, our workflows can log which site specific assets are assigned to, helping the office manage logistics and machine moves between jobs.
What happens if a client doesn't sign a change order on site?
The system can send persistent, automated reminders to their phone or email. This ensures the paper trail is completed before the machine is loaded back onto the trailer, protecting your billable hours.
How do we manage subcontracted haulers?
You can set up automated communication channels for your subcontractors. This allows you to send dispatch details and site addresses to third-party dump truck operators without manual texting.
Can we collect deposits before moving a large excavator?
Yes, your workflow can be configured to require a deposit payment or a signed mobilization agreement before the job is officially added to the production schedule.