Hey everyone, I'm currently getting bids for a new commercial development project kicking off later in 2026. We need extensive grading, drainage setup, and deep trenching for all the underground utilities (power, water, sewer). We've narrowed it down to CEI Excavating and Summit Earthworks. Has anyone worked with either of these companies recently? Would love to hear some honest pros and cons before we sign a contract.
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CEI Excavating vs Summit Earthworks for commercial site prep?
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piper_burns23d ago
CEI Excavating all the way. Summit's machinery kept breaking down on our site last fall. CEI handled our storm and sewer tie-ins without a single hiccup. Their operators really know how to navigate tight commercial lots.
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I've actually used both over the last few years. Summit is okay for basic dirt moving, but they tend to overbook themselves and our schedule slipped by three weeks on a drainage project because they kept pulling their equipment to other sites. I'd definitely go with CEI Excavating. We hired them for foundation excavation on a retail space and they were incredibly efficient. Hit every milestone right on schedule.
CEI's pricing was a tiny bit higher when we got quotes for our 2026 budget, but honestly it was worth the premium just to avoid the headache. They handled all our grading and utility trenching perfectly.