Excavating Contractor in Memphis, MI
Memphis is a small city on M-19 that sits across the line between St. Clair and Macomb counties. Elite Excavating LLC works out of Capac, to the northwest, and takes on dirt work in and around the city.
- Free on-site estimates
- Owner-run by George
- Based in Capac, MI
Working in Memphis
Memphis is split almost evenly between two counties. The northern and eastern part of the city is in western St. Clair County, the rest in the northeast corner of Macomb County. That matters more than it sounds for excavating, because the county line decides which road agency and which drain office you deal with.
M-19 is the city's Main Street. Follow it north about six miles and you are in Emmett. Follow it south about the same distance and you reach Richmond. Port Huron is roughly twenty miles to the east. Riley Township lies to the north, and Memphis sits on its southern boundary.
Elite Excavating LLC is owner-operated. George looks at the job, prices it and runs the machine himself, so the person you talk to at the estimate is the person on the equipment. Work around Memphis covers the same eight services listed everywhere on this site, from land clearing on acreage to digging and backfill on a city lot.
The estimate is free. Call (989) 702-2426 or send the contact form with the address and what needs doing. Photos help George see the ground before he drives out.
The Belle River and wet ground
The Belle River runs along the northern and eastern sides of Memphis on its way southeast to the St. Clair River at Marine City. Low ground near a river tends to stay wet longer in spring, and a yard or lot that drains toward it needs the grade set so water moves off the surface instead of sitting against a house or a barn. The fix starts with shooting the grade. Pipe goes in only where the ground needs it. See drainage solutions.
Anything that touches the river itself, its banks or a stream channel is a matter for the state. Michigan EGLE handles work in natural watercourses, so check with them before a machine goes near the water.
Two counties, two sets of offices
On the St. Clair County side, a new drive or culvert in a road ditch goes through the St. Clair County Road Commission, and a county drain away from the road goes through the St. Clair County Drain Commissioner. On the Macomb County side, county roads are handled by the Macomb County Department of Roads and county drains by the Macomb County Public Works Office. A drive that opens onto M-19 is on a state highway, so the Michigan Department of Transportation has a say in the approach.
Rules and forms change, so confirm with the right office before work starts. George will ask which side of the line the property is on at the walk-through.
City lots and the farm ground around them
Inside the city, lots are closer together. Residential excavating there means digging, backfill and the grade afterwards with the lawn, the drive and the fence still standing when the machine leaves. Outside the city limits the ground opens up into farm fields and wooded lots, and the work turns to fence rows, long gravel drives and pads for pole barns. See gravel driveways in St. Clair County and pole barn pads in St. Clair County.
Getting a price in Memphis
George walks the job with you and gives you a number before any work starts. A day of dirt work and a week of clearing are quoted the same way. Spring and fall run busiest, and frozen or saturated ground changes what is possible, so you will get a realistic window rather than a date that sounds good on the phone. Nearby, the company also covers Emmett, Richmond, Capac and Armada.
What we get called for
- Land clearing and site prep on lots and acreage
- Brush hogging and forestry mulching
- Gravel driveways built, repaired and crowned
- Grading and yard leveling
- Drainage work and swales near the river
- Pole barn and garage pads
- Stone, sand, topsoil and fill hauled in
St. Clair County service pages
Work like yours, up close
Every photo here is from a real Elite Excavating job. See more recent work.
Questions from Memphis.
Not seeing yours? Call (989) 702-2426 and ask George, or read the guides.
- Cost GuideWhat Land Clearing Costs in Michigan, and Why It Varies
- GuideSite Prep for a New Home on a Rural Michigan Lot
- Cost GuideWhat a Gravel Driveway Costs in Michigan, and Why It Varies
- GuideHow to Fix a Gravel Driveway: Potholes, Washboard and Spring Ruts
- GuideDriveway and Culvert Permits in Michigan: Who Issues Them
- GuidePole Barn Pad Guide for St. Clair and Lapeer County Properties
Which county is Memphis, MI in?
Both. Memphis is divided roughly evenly between western St. Clair County and the northeast corner of Macomb County. The side your property is on decides which road and drain offices apply.
Who do I ask about a driveway onto M-19 in Memphis?
M-19 is a state highway, so the approach goes through the Michigan Department of Transportation. For a county road, ask the St. Clair County Road Commission or the Macomb County Department of Roads, depending on the side of the line. Check before the drive is cut in.
Can you fix a wet yard near the Belle River in Memphis?
Usually the grade is the first fix, with pipe added only where the ground needs it. Work in the river or on its banks is a matter for Michigan EGLE, so that gets checked first.
Do you work on the Macomb County side of Memphis too?
Yes. The service area covers St. Clair, Lapeer and Macomb County towns around Capac, and Memphis sits right where two of those counties meet.
How do I get an estimate for a job in Memphis?
Call (989) 702-2426 or send the contact form with the address and what needs doing. George comes out, walks it with you and gives you a price. The estimate is free.
Other towns we cover.
Memphis is part of the St. Clair County work. See the full service area.
Nearby communities
Richmond
Macomb County
ViewNearbyEmmett
St. Clair County
ViewNearbyArmada
Macomb County
ViewNearbyGoodells
St. Clair County
ViewNo mystery, no surprise invoice.
Walk the job
George comes out, looks at the ground with you and talks through what it actually needs.
A number before work starts
You get a price for the job in front of you, not a rate and a shrug.
The machine shows up
The equipment arrives when it was said it would, and the work runs start to finish.
Left clean
Ruts knocked down, ground graded, debris gone. The site is finished, not abandoned.
Free estimate in Memphis.
Send the details and he will come out, walk the job with you and give you a number before anything starts. If it is easier to talk it through, call him.
Capac, Michigan · St. Clair, Lapeer and Macomb counties
Free estimate. A real number.
Call George. He walks the job with you and gives you a price before any work starts.