Author: Dallas Wohlfeil

Dallas Wohlfeil is the owner and founder of DW Excavation, LLC, a licensed California excavation and general engineering contractor (CA LIC #1060838) he started in 2013 in Windsor. Over more than a decade in the field, he's built the company into a trusted partner for homeowners, builders, and developers across Sonoma County, Monterey County, and the Central Coast, delivering everything from site preparation and grading to underground utilities, drainage, and erosion control. Hands-on and locally rooted, Dallas is known for clear communication and getting the job done right the first time.

Trenching for Electrical Lines on a Residential Property: What the Job Involves

Two excavators dig a residential electrical trench with concrete pipe and junction boxes staged along the excavation.

Direct Answer: Electrical trenching means digging a marked, code-depth trench, placing conduit, then backfilling and compacting it. In California, most residential branch circuit conduit sits at least 18 inches deep, with more required under driveways. Most people who call me about electrical trenching already know what they want. They want power out to a hot […]

When a Neighborhood Undergrounds Its Utilities: The Excavation Breakdown

Two CAT excavators digging a long utility trench with concrete pipes and junction boxes in a residential development area.

Direct Answer: Neighborhood utility undergrounding requires coordinated trenching to specific depths, utility separation standards, 811 locates, and proper backfill, all managed separately from the utility company’s own installation crew. A neighborhood association in Carmel recently submitted a form to our team after receiving approval for a full street undergrounding project. Their message was short: they […]

Demolishing a Septic Tank: The Permit and Documentation Steps

Excavator working beside an open septic tank demolition site with field documentation notes on a clipboard nearby.

Direct Answer: Demolishing a septic tank requires a separate abandonment permit from your county Environmental Health or Building Department. Photos, pumping records, and contractor documentation must be submitted before the inspection closes. One of the most stressful calls we get is from a homeowner who has already connected to city sewer, already had the septic […]

Private Road Grading After a Wet Winter: What a Proper Job Actually Covers

Freshly graded gravel driveway through forested area showing completed road grading and site preparation work.

Direct Answer: A proper private road grading job after a wet winter addresses base failure, crown and drainage correction, and gravel replacement, not just surface smoothing. Every spring, I talk to property managers and landowners who describe the same problem. The winter rains beat up their private road, left ruts in the access lanes, and […]

Land Clearing Beyond Weed Whacking: What Machine Work Gets Done That Hand Crews Cannot

Yellow CAT excavator on graded dirt site next to earth materials, demonstrating and heavy equipment work.

Direct Answer: Machine-based land clearing removes root systems, rhizomes, and compacted vegetation below the surface. Hand crews and weed whackers only cut what’s visible above ground, the root structure stays intact and regrows. We got a call last May from a property owner asking about discing two acres of overgrown land. When we gave him […]

Coastal Lot Site Prep in Monterey County: What the Terrain Changes About the Process

installation with riprap stone and drainage pipe along a streambank slope near water.

Direct Answer: Coastal lots in Monterey County involve variable soils, strict drainage requirements, and a grading permit process that can require a geotechnical report and drainage study before a single shovel hits the ground. A developer recently reached out to us about a lot near the corner of Martin and Bayview in Carmel. The scope […]

Connecting an ADU to Your Existing Sewer Line: What the Trenching Involves

Worker examining exposed sewer pipe with wye fitting in a residential backyard trench during an ADU sewer connection project.

Direct Answer: Connecting an ADU to your sewer line requires locating the existing lateral, determining its depth and condition, digging a trench to the connection point, and pulling the right permits before any dirt moves. One of the most common questions we get from homeowners converting a garage into an ADU is some version of […]

Switching From Septic to Sewer: What the Excavation Side Involves

Open excavation trench with sewer pipe laid in bottom running from residential yard toward street during septic to sewer conversion

Direct Answer: A septic-to-sewer conversion involves three separate excavation scopes: trenching to the street main, decommissioning the old tank, and sometimes installing a grinder pump when gravity flow won’t work. Most homeowners going through a septic-to-sewer conversion spend a lot of mental energy on the permits. And there is real paperwork involved, county environmental health, […]

What Makes Foundation Excavation Hard in Sonoma County

Aerial view of residential foundation excavation with concrete foundation walls, excavators, and earthmoving equipment actively grading land

Direct Answer: Foundation excavation in Sonoma County is complicated by expansive clay soils, steep terrain, and shallow water tables, factors that affect depth, cost, and permit requirements before a single concrete truck shows up. Most homeowners planning a new build in Sonoma County think the hard part is finding a foundation contractor. What they don’t […]

What Foundation Excavation in Monterey County Actually Demands

Aerial view of residential foundation excavation with concrete walls, excavators, and active grading work in Monterey County.

Direct Answer: Foundation excavation in Monterey County depends heavily on your soil profile. Coastal lots often require drilled pier foundations instead of standard footings, and grading permits kick in at 100 cubic yards, a threshold many homeowners hit faster than expected. Most homeowners planning a new build in Monterey County come in thinking the foundation […]