10 Reasons to Hire an Excavation Partner vs. Contractor

Excavation is a complex undertaking. You never know exactly what you will find when you start to dig. At the same time, a well-executed excavation project can be quite literally the foundation of your project’s success, whether you are constructing a building, a bridge, an airport runway, or restoring a shoreline.

Finding the right excavation company is what you could call a bedrock requirement of good construction planning. A solid excavation partner does more than get the job done: they prevent problems, set the pace, and help you close out the project quickly, so you get paid faster.

While there are many experienced excavation contractors out there, an excavation partner won’t sit by and leave you to manage problems that arise during excavation projects. They’ll work as an extension of your team to resolve issues quickly and effectively.

Here are 10 reasons to hire an excavation company who works in partnership with you—as your excavation division—to ensure the success of your project down to the smallest details.

1. Aligned Goals: a partner will seek to understand and align with your primary business objectives, going beyond a narrow scope of a subcontract to work towards mutual success
2. Shared Risk & Reward: partners share in the risks and rewards of the project; this might include reasonable allowances, proactive problem solving, and shared accountability for project outcomes
3. Transparency & Communication: partners maintain open lines of communication, regularly updating all parties involved on progress, challenge, solutions, and changes – building trust and promoting smoother project management
4. Commitment to Quality: a partner invests in delivering high-quality outcomes that contribute to the success of the overall project, not just fulfilling specific contractual obligations
5. Long-Term Focus: unlike a traditional earthwork subcontractor who might focus on short-term tasks, a partner looks at long-term implications and the overall relationship
6. Flexibility & Adaptability: a partner is flexible and ready adapt to changing conditions and design changes within the project, working collaboratively to manage problems, provide solutions, and transparently adjust scope as necessary to meet end goals
7. Expertise & Proactive Contributions: a partner brings valuable expertise and proactively suggests innovations or improvements that can enhance the project’s success; as more than a task executor, a partner participates in strategic solution planning
8. Integration into Core Processes: a partner is often integrated into the planning and execution processes of the project – from mobilization to topsoil respread – and works alongside your team as one cohesive unit
9. Trust & Reliability: trust is a cornerstone of any partnership; reliable performance, consistency in meeting deadlines, and acting in the client’s best interest underpin this trust
10. Cultural Alignment: partnership requires a cultural fit between the organizations, with compatible values and working styles for teamwork and collaboration

Ensure the Success of Your Project

A third-generation, family-owned business, John Keno & Company has been partnering with construction managers, engineers and architects across the Chicagoland area for over 50 years, providing reliable, innovative and high-quality excavation services for some of the area’s biggest and most challenging projects.

Our capabilities include earthworks, utility construction, shoreline and ravine conservation and site and structural demolition – managed with a “Can Do, Will Do” approach that makes us the excavation partner of choice for many of the highest profile projects across Chicago, from international airports to presidential libraries.

The professionalism, skill, attention to detail, and problem-solving capabilities of the JKC team brings you high-quality results and a process that leaves nothing to chance, including a three-phase quality control program that we can help administer. Speak with a member of our team to learn more about how partnering with John Keno & Company will help ensure the success of your project.