What areas does Cojo serve?

Cojo Excavation & Asphalt serves the Oregon I-5 corridor from Portland to Eugene, including all communities in between: Salem, Keizer, Albany, Corvallis, Lebanon, Sweet Home, Springfield, and surrounding areas in Multnomah, Clackamas, Washington, Marion, Polk, Linn, Benton, and Lane counties.

What size projects does Cojo handle?

We handle projects ranging from residential lot grading and driveway excavation to large commercial site preparation, industrial pads, and subdivision mass grading. Our equipment fleet is sized for projects up to about 20 acres. For larger projects, we can scale up with additional rental equipment as needed.

Is Cojo licensed and insured?

Yes. Cojo Excavation & Asphalt holds an active Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB) license, carries $2 million general liability insurance, auto liability, and workers' compensation coverage. We can provide Certificates of Insurance naming your project or company as additional insured upon request.

Does Cojo do asphalt paving as well as excavation?

Yes. Cojo is a full-service site work and paving contractor. We perform excavation, grading, utility trenching, and asphalt paving, which allows us to handle complete site packages from raw land to finished pavement without needing multiple subcontractors.

Cojo's Excavation Capabilities: Equipment, Crew, and Certifications

Who We Are

Cojo Excavation & Asphalt is a site work and paving contractor serving the Oregon I-5 corridor from Portland to Eugene. Based in Lebanon, Oregon, we specialize in excavation, grading, utility installation, and asphalt paving for residential, commercial, and industrial clients.

Our company story starts with a simple belief: construction projects succeed when the site work is done right the first time. The foundation, the pavement, the utilities, the drainage — everything that comes after excavation depends on what happens in the dirt.

Equipment Fleet

The right equipment for the job is the difference between efficient production and expensive delays. We own and maintain our primary fleet, which means our equipment is available when our clients need it, maintained to our standards, and operated by people who know the machines.

Excavators

Our excavators handle everything from precision trenching to mass excavation:

Full-size excavators (30,000-50,000 lb class): Used for deep excavation, heavy trenching, loading trucks, and demolition. Equipped with standard digging buckets, rock buckets, and hydraulic thumb attachments.
Mid-size excavators (15,000-25,000 lb class): The workhorse for most commercial utility trenching, foundation excavation, and material handling. Small enough for residential access but powerful enough for production work.
Mini excavators (8,000-12,000 lb class): For tight-access residential work, landscaping excavation, and precision grading in confined spaces. These machines fit through standard fence gates and work in backyards without damaging surrounding areas.

Dozers

Dozers are the primary grading machines:

D5/D6 class dozers: GPS-equipped for precision grading on commercial and industrial projects. These machines handle mass earthmoving, rough grading, fine grading, and backfill operations. GPS machine control allows our operators to grade to design specifications without traditional survey staking.
D3/D4 class dozers: For residential grading, smaller commercial lots, and finish work. More maneuverable than larger dozers and ideal for the tight lot sizes common in Oregon residential construction.

Trucks and Hauling

Material movement is a major component of excavation work:

Dump trucks (10-14 CY capacity): For hauling cut material, importing fill, and delivering aggregate. Our trucks are compliant with Oregon DOT weight and safety regulations.
Transfer trucks: For long-haul material movement when exporting material to disposal sites or importing structural fill from quarries.
Water truck: For dust control and moisture conditioning of fill soils. Essential for compaction work in Oregon's dry summer months.

Compaction Equipment

Proper compaction is critical for any fill or backfill operation:

Smooth drum rollers: For final compaction of granular soils and aggregate base courses
Sheepsfoot rollers: For deep compaction of clay and cohesive soils, the most common soil type in the Willamette Valley
Plate compactors: For utility trench backfill and areas where roller access is limited
Jumping jacks: For compaction in tight spaces around foundations, in trenches, and next to structures

Support Equipment

Skid steers with attachments: Grading, material handling, sweeping, and mulching
Motor grader: For road grading and large-area finish grading
Wheel loader: For material loading, truck loading, and stockpile management

GPS Machine Control

We have invested in GPS machine control technology for our dozer fleet because it delivers measurable results:

Sub-inch accuracy: Our GPS systems achieve grade tolerances within 1 inch, exceeding what manual grading methods can consistently deliver
Faster completion: GPS-guided grading typically finishes 20-30% faster than conventional methods by eliminating the need for survey stakes and grade checkers
Less rework: Getting the grade right on the first pass means no re-grading, saving time and money
Digital as-builts: GPS records actual blade positions during grading, creating a permanent record of the finished surface

GPS is standard on our commercial and industrial projects. For residential projects, we deploy GPS when the scope and complexity justify it.

Crew Expertise

Equipment is only as good as the people operating it. Our crew brings years of combined experience in Oregon site work:

Operator Experience

Our equipment operators are experienced professionals who understand Oregon's soil conditions, weather patterns, and construction practices. Key competencies include:

Clay soil management: Knowing when clay is workable, when it is too wet, and how to manage moisture for proper compaction — the most critical skill for excavation work in the Willamette Valley
GPS operation: Trained on GPS machine control platforms for precision grading
Utility awareness: Understanding utility locate markings, safe excavation practices near existing utilities, and Oregon 811 requirements
Grade reading: Ability to read civil engineering plans and translate design intent to finished grade

Safety Culture

Construction safety is non-negotiable. Our safety practices include:

OSHA compliance: All crew members are trained in OSHA construction safety standards, including trenching and excavation (29 CFR 1926 Subpart P)
Competent Person: We maintain at least one OSHA-defined Competent Person on every job site for trenching and excavation operations
Daily safety briefings: Every work day starts with a tailgate safety meeting addressing the specific hazards of that day's work
PPE enforcement: Hard hats, high-visibility vests, steel-toe boots, and hearing protection are mandatory on all job sites

Licensing and Certifications

Oregon CCB License: Active license with the Oregon Construction Contractors Board
General Liability Insurance: $2 million per occurrence
Auto Liability Insurance: $1 million combined single limit
Workers' Compensation: Full coverage as required by Oregon law
Bonding: Surety bond on file with the CCB

We provide Certificates of Insurance and additional insured endorsements for all projects upon request.

Service Capabilities

Excavation and Grading

Site clearing and grubbing
Mass earthwork (cut and fill)
Building pad grading
Parking lot subgrade preparation
Subdivision mass grading
Finish/fine grading (GPS-guided)
Slope construction and stabilization
Pond and detention basin excavation

Utility Installation

Water line trenching and installation
Sanitary sewer trenching and installation
Storm drain installation (pipe, catch basins, manholes)
Power and communications conduit
Septic system excavation
Utility trench backfill and compaction

Drainage Solutions

French drain design and installation
Foundation drainage systems
Surface swale grading
Catch basin and drain pipe installation
Yard regrading for drainage correction
Downspout drain line installation

Asphalt Paving

Residential driveways
Commercial parking lots
Private roads and access drives
Asphalt patching and overlay
Asphalt maintenance (crack sealing, sealcoating)

Having excavation and paving under one roof means we can deliver complete site work packages without the coordination headaches of multiple subcontractors. The crew that grades your parking lot subgrade is the same crew that paves it — ensuring the transition from dirt to finished pavement is seamless.

Our Service Area

We serve the full Oregon I-5 corridor from Portland to Eugene:

North: Portland metro area, including Multnomah, Clackamas, and Washington counties Central: Salem, Keizer, Silverton, Stayton (Marion and Polk counties) Mid-Valley: Albany, Corvallis, Lebanon, Sweet Home (Linn and Benton counties) South: Eugene, Springfield, Cottage Grove (Lane County)

Our home base in Lebanon, Oregon (1750 W Airway, Lebanon, OR 97355) puts us within an hour of most project sites in the Willamette Valley.

Learn more about our company, explore our full service offerings, or contact us to discuss your project.

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