Brandon Ralph grew up in the excavation business. To start with, his dad showered him with excavation toys. Good friends Mark Smith and Florian Freymuth – described by Ralph as “local excavation legends” – were around throughout his childhood, influencing his future. Ralph counts himself as the fifth generation in the construction business, and reminds us of how much the area suffers from the loss of Mark Smith.
As an adult, Ralph worked on heavy civil projects, often with the Army Corps of Engineers “on stringent multi-million dollar projects.” In 2018 he opened Dig Excavation in Nederland. At first, he rented his equipment, but now Dig has two brand new Caterpillars and a new truck and trailer.
He sets himself apart from others in the business with his professional attitude and performance. “I bid professionally and communicate quickly, meet deadlines, get along with county inspectors, and strive to make my customers happy.” The business also has its own dedicated blasting crew.
What he really digs is “moving earth and sculpting landscapes…. The growing gratification of seeing projects unfold from start to finish is simply beautiful. It’s fun building things, making people’s dreams reality, and that makes us feel good. Working outside in our mountain area is nothing less than epic, as well. We are pretty spoiled.” His motto: “I’m on site early and out by dinner! Dig gets it done! Dig it?”
Making his operations clear, he says “We move earth, build cool things with rocks, install state of the art septic systems, and fulfill all general excavation needs.” Dig also provides disaster cleanup and drone surveys.
Like so many businesses, Dig Excavation suffered from supply chain issues during the worst of the Covid pandemic. Ralph definitely strove to find workarounds for those problems. “I was driving where none of my competitors would, to get the best septic materials that were nowhere to be found in Colorado. I drove to New Mexico, Iowa, and Idaho to ensure my jobs had the right materials and could be completed on time,” he stressed. Supply chain problems still remain, he said, and manufacturers still have some catching up to do.
Dig services Boulder, Gilpin, Adams, Clear Creek, Jefferson, Grand and Larimer Counties. Ralph points out that “We have capabilities in Florida and California as well.” He’s not trying to grow the business right now. “I’m right where I want to be. Lean and mean.”
Right? Dig it!
Dig Excavation is located in Nederland. has a strong online presence, with one of the most sophisticated commercial websites around, www.digexcavation.com, plus Instagram @digexcavation and Twitter @digcolorado. You can also phone him at 720-276-1731.
Sponsored by the Town of Nederland, with funds from the American Rescue Plan Act.
