Foundation & Basement Rock Cuts
Ledge under a footprint doesn't stop the job — the hammer cuts it out clean, tight to the lines your foundation needs.
Hydraulic Hammer Rock Breaking — No Blasting, Statewide Arkansas
Arkansas rock, broken in place.
A 10,000-pound hydraulic hammer on an 80,000-pound excavator — one of the largest working in Arkansas. It breaks foundation cuts, utility trenches, pond cuts and driveway cuts right where the rock sits. No blast permits, no evacuating the neighbors, no waiting on a blasting sub. And when you call, a Cox answers.
Hammer Weight10,000 lb hydraulic hammer
Carrier80,000 lb Kobelco SK330
MethodNo blasting · no blast permits
AR Contractor License#3287-C Commercial · Active
The rock trade
The rock that stops everybody else
is where our job starts.
North-central Arkansas ground — Ozark foothill country — hides rock ledge under topsoil that looks like plain dirt right up until a bucket hits it. That's the point most contractors stop and call in a blasting sub. It's the point our job starts. The same crew, the same day, switches from the bucket to the hammer and keeps digging.
Our hammer is a 10,000-pound hydraulic hoe ram mounted on an 80,000-pound Kobelco SK330 excavator — Cat 330/336 class. Most contractors' hammers run 1,000 to 4,500 pounds. Ours is one of the largest hydraulic hammers working in Arkansas, which means more rock broken per hour and fewer passes through the same cut.
Mechanical breaking beats blasting on every point that matters on a working job site: no blast permits, no evacuating the neighbors, no seismic risk to nearby foundations or wells, no waiting on a licensed blasting subcontractor to get scheduled. It works right next to existing structures and utilities, and it's precise — we break only what needs breaking.
The rate is straightforward: $425 an hour, operator and fuel included, with an 8-hour minimum. Mobilization is quoted up front by distance from Heber Springs. Prices are subject to change. See the full published rate sheet at dozer work & equipment rates.
We use it for foundation and basement cuts, utility trench rock (we hold the Underground Piping/Cable/Trenching & Boring classification for water, sewer and storm lines through rock), pond and lake cuts that hit rock, road and driveway cuts, clearing jobs that hit ledge, and breaking oversized rock and boulders down to haulable size.
★ Statewide from Heber Springs
Greers FerryQuitmanDrascoClintonFairfield BaySearcyMountain ViewBatesvilleConway
10,000 lbHydraulic hammer — one of the largest working in Arkansas
80,000 lbKobelco SK330 excavator carrying it
0Blast permits needed — mechanical breaking only
0+ yrsFamily-owned dirt-work experience in Arkansas
Rock excavation scope
Wherever the rock is,
the hammer goes.
Utility Trench Rock (Licensed Underground)
Water, sewer and storm line trenches through rock — work covered by our Underground Piping/Cable/Trenching & Boring classification, not farmed out to a sub.
Pond & Lake Rock Cuts
When a pond or lake cut hits rock, the hammer keeps the dam and spillway work on schedule instead of waiting on blasting.
Road & Driveway Cuts
Rock ledge under a road or driveway grade broken out and shaped to spec, no blast crew, no road closures for a shot.
Rock on Clearing Jobs
A clearing job that hits ledge doesn't need a second mobilization — same crew, same day, we switch to the hammer and keep going.
Rock, Boulder & Concrete Breaking
Boulders, oversize rock, and concrete — old slabs, footings and foundations — broken down to haulable size, on site or staged for removal.
Get us to your ground
Talk to a Cox
about your rock.
Call the shop — a Cox answers501.250.4490
Email[email protected]
Shop50 Fort Cox Rd, Heber Springs, AR 72543
ServingAll of Arkansas — Ozarks to the Delta
Best first stepText photos of the site + roughly where the rock is
Book a site walk
Step 1 of 3 — what are we breaking?
Where & when
Step 2 of 3 — so the right machine shows up.
Timeline
Who do we call back?
Step 3 of 3 — we'll call you back to set up the walk.
Rock questions, straight answers
What Arkansas landowners
ask us about rock.
What does rock breaking cost?
$425 an hour, operator and fuel included, with an 8-hour minimum. Mobilization is quoted up front based on distance from Heber Springs. From there the total moves with how hard the rock is, how much volume has to come out, and how tight the access is. Prices are subject to change. Call 501-250-4490 and we'll talk real numbers after a look at the site.
How big is your hammer, really?
10,000 pounds, mounted on an 80,000-pound Kobelco SK330 excavator — Cat 330/336 class. Most contractors' hammers run 1,000 to 4,500 pounds. Ours is one of the largest hydraulic hammers working in Arkansas, which means more rock broken per hour and fewer passes to get through it.
Why not just blast it?
Blasting means blast permits, evacuating the neighbors, seismic risk to nearby foundations and wells, and waiting on a licensed blasting subcontractor to get scheduled. The hammer needs none of that. It works right next to existing structures and utilities, and it's precise — we break only what needs breaking, not everything around it.
Can you break rock in a trench next to my house or utilities?
Yes. That's exactly where a mechanical hammer earns its keep — no blast concussion, no seismic risk to a nearby foundation or well, and no evacuation. We hold the Underground Piping/Cable/Trenching & Boring classification, so trench work through rock for water, sewer, and storm lines is licensed work for us, not a side job.
What if we don't know whether there's rock?
Most of north-central Arkansas doesn't know until a bucket hits ledge. We'll walk the site and give you an honest read on what's likely underground before you commit to a number. If your dirt-work crew stops at rock, we can usually be there the same day — same crew, same job, we just switch to the hammer.
How far will you travel?
Statewide, from our shop in Heber Springs. Mobilization is priced by distance and quoted up front before the machine ever moves.