Also known as: General Engineering, Class A, heavy civil, sitework and utilities

What this role covers

• Prepares and stabilizes the site so vertical construction can start safely and on schedule.
• Installs systems that connect a property to public infrastructure and manage water, soil, and traffic loads.
• Coordinates with surveyors, geotechnical engineers, utility companies, municipalities, and inspections.

What they do

• Earthwork and grading: clearing, cut/fill, compaction, slope shaping, pad certification.
• Excavation and trenching: safe dig operations for structures and utilities, dewatering where needed.
• Underground utilities: domestic water, fire lines, sanitary sewer, storm drain, gas, electrical and telecom conduits.
• Shoring and soil retention: soldier piles, lagging, sheet piles, trench shields, soil nails, slope stabilization.
• Subgrade prep and paving: base rock, asphalt paving, concrete paving, curb and gutter, ADA ramps.
• Site concrete: equipment pads, utility vaults, headwalls, thrust blocks, aprons.
• Drainage and erosion control: bioswales, catch basins, culverts, riprap, BMPs, SWPPP implementation.
• Heavy civil features: retaining walls, sound walls, grading for roadways, low‑water crossings, miscellaneous civil structures.

Where it fits in the project timeline

• Early phase: due diligence support, soils and survey coordination, rough grading, temporary utilities, SWPPP measures.
• Mid phase: utility installation, shoring, structural excavation, site concrete, base and binder courses.
• Late phase: final paving, striping, signage, permanent erosion control, punch‑list restorations.

Permits, inspections, and coordination

• Works under city/county civil permits, encroachment permits for work in public right‑of‑way, traffic control plans, and SWPPP compliance.
• Inspected by building departments, utility purveyors, third‑party special inspectors, and sometimes Caltrans or local public works.
• Coordinates USA 811 utility locates, tie‑ins, shutdowns, pressure tests, mandrel and CCTV tests for sewer, chlorination for potable lines.

Deliverables and documentation

• Stamped grading and utility plans (by engineers), cut/fill reports, compaction test results, density and moisture logs.
• As‑built utility maps, CCTV videos and test reports, chlorination and bacteriological results, paving tickets and core samples.
• SWPPP logs, stormwater inspections, traffic control records, daily reports and safety tailgate notes.

When to bring this team in

• Sites with meaningful earthwork, deep utilities, right‑of‑way tie‑ins, shoring, or complex drainage.
• Projects that touch public infrastructure or require multi‑agency approvals.
• Any build that needs certified pads, compaction, or engineered support before foundations.

Interfaces with other trades

• Survey: staking, as‑builts, quantity verification.
• Geotechnical: soil recommendations, compaction criteria, special inspections.
• Structural: excavation and backfill around foundations and retaining structures.
• MEP and telecom: utility routing, vaults, and conduit banks.
• Landscape and paving: final grades, subgrade prep, hardscape coordination.

Safety and risk notes

• Excavation safety (shoring, shielding, sloping) and confined space procedures.
• Utility strikes prevention through locates and potholing.
• Traffic control for right‑of‑way work, dust and stormwater management.

Quality and standards

• Follows contract documents, CAL/OSHA, local public works standards, CSI spec sections for earthwork, utilities, and paving.
• Verifies compaction, pipe bedding and cover, slope tolerances, and surface smoothness.

Not to confuse with

General Building Contractor (CSLB Class B): focuses on buildings and coordinated trades for vertical construction. Class A focuses on heavy civil/site and infrastructure scopes.

Typical inclusions

• Mobilization, traffic control, rough and finish grading, over‑excavation and recompaction.
• Trenching and backfill, pipe and structure installation, testing.
• Site concrete, paving, striping, permanent erosion control, as‑builts.

Typical exclusions (project‑dependent)

• Architectural finishes, vertical framing, interior MEP beyond service laterals.
• Specialty landscapes, long‑term maintenance.

Result

A stable, compliant, and precisely graded site with installed utilities and durable surface improvements, ready for the building contractor to take over.