Good evening, Sarah.

Tuesday morning around 7 AM, Desert Dig Co. rolls in with a mini-excavator and a haul-off trailer. The first hour is all layout — Miguel walks your staked outline, double-checks elevations against the plan set, and confirms where the spoil pile lands so it doesn't block the rest of the build.

Expect two to three days of dig. Day one carves the gross shape and shelf. Day two squares up the steps, benches, and any raised spa footprint. Day three is for cleanup, grading, and the inspection pre-check — this is also when the site feels real for the first time.

Your job during the phase: stay reachable, cover patio furniture from dust, and clear the driveway the night before so the crew can stage. The checklist on the right covers the exact pre-dig items — tick each off before Tuesday and you'll have a clean, fast dig.