Professional Excavation for Foundation & Drainage Work

Are you noticing new cracks in your walls or dealing with a wet basement after a heavy Kansas rainstorm? Foundation problems are stressful enough without worrying about a contractor tearing up your entire yard.

Wichita Foundation Solutions was founded with a simple mission: to provide exceptional foundation repair and expert excavation services that customers can count on.

We know that excavation is not a service you buy alone. It is the crucial first step that enables the real repair to happen. Sloppy digging ruins good repair work, but precise excavation lets your exterior waterproofing or deep pier system stand for decades.

We treat this process as carefully engineered work. Protecting your landscape, exposing only what is necessary, and restoring the site cleanly are our top priorities.

Excavation done right

The soil in south-central Kansas is notorious for causing structural damage. This region sits heavily on expansive clay, often called fat clay, which can expand by up to 30 percent in volume when saturated.

We see how this swelling puts massive hydrostatic pressure on your basement walls. That constant shrinking and swelling means any professional excavation services around your home must be handled by experts who understand local soil behavior.

We take utility safety incredibly seriously before a single shovel hits the dirt. The Common Ground Alliance 2024 DIRT Report revealed that nearly 197,000 underground utility strikes occurred nationwide. Hitting a buried gas or water line is a dangerous and costly mistake.

We always coordinate with Kansas 811 to mark every utility line in your yard. This extra step guarantees a safe and controlled project.

Common excavation calls

Knowing exactly when to dig requires a deep understanding of local building codes and climate factors. The standard frost line depth in the Wichita area is 24 inches, meaning many structural footings and pipes must sit well below that mark to avoid winter freezing.

We perform several types of targeted digs to reach these crucial depths and correct underlying problems. These are the most frequent projects on our schedule:

• Exterior waterproofing that needs the foundation wall exposed to the footing
• Deep pier access on tight lots
• Large French drain or drain tile installations
• Retaining wall drainage correction
• Prep for major concrete replacement

If you are unsure whether your project needs excavation, our when does foundation or drainage work need excavation guide explains the calls we make.

Our excavation scope

Hiring separate companies for digging and foundation repair often leads to miscommunication and delayed schedules. We handle both the excavation and the repair that follows, guaranteeing that no vital details slip between two contractors.

Proper backfilling is just as important as the initial dig. We require our crews to backfill soil in controlled lifts, tamping it down to a 95 percent Standard Proctor density.

This specific engineering standard prevents the loose soil from settling later. Compacting the dirt stops rainwater from pooling against your house in a sunken depression.

Exterior waterproofing excavation

Protecting your basement from moisture requires exposing the exterior foundation wall all the way down to the footing. We install a heavy-duty 60-mil polymer waterproofing membrane directly onto the concrete to block out water.

A high-capacity dimple drainage board is then placed over the membrane. We use this specific board because the dimples create a physical air gap.

Ground water drops straight down into the footing drain instead of pressing against your walls.

Deep piering support

Some settling houses require a push pier system to permanently stabilize the structure. The load-bearing bedrock in south-central Kansas can sit anywhere from 15 to 30 feet below the surface.

We excavate around the base of your foundation to give our crew the clean working room needed to drive those steel piers deep into the earth.

This targeted digging approach minimizes damage to your surrounding lawn. We clear just enough space to mount the heavy hydraulic equipment safely, keeping your yard as intact as possible.

Drainage trenching

Moving excess water away from your foundation is the best way to prevent future structural failure. We dig custom trenches for French drains, drain tiles, and large surface drainage systems based on exact design specifications.

Gravity does the heavy lifting, but only if the trench is angled correctly. We always grade our drainage trenches with a minimum slope of 1 inch of drop for every 10 feet of length.

This precise angle ensures that water flows swiftly away from your home without pooling in the pipe. Here is a quick comparison of the drainage systems we frequently install:

Drainage Solution	Best Used For	Typical Excavation Depth
French Drain	Subsurface groundwater and soggy lawns	18 to 24 inches
Surface Drain	Heavy downpours and gutter runoff	8 to 12 inches
Footing Drain	Hydrostatic pressure against basement walls	Down to the foundation footing

Free estimate for your project

Every successful project begins with a careful inspection of your property. Any excavation job starts with a free on-site walk to assess your unique soil conditions and drainage needs.

We will scope the required dig and handle all the necessary safety precautions for you. Kansas law requires contacting Kansas 811 at least two full working days before digging begins, and our team coordinates these utility marks on your behalf.

We give you a clear, upfront price for our excavation services and any follow-on repair work required. You will know exactly what to expect before a single piece of equipment arrives at your house.