Category: Awards

Tales of the Tape:

• Linear Feet of Wall: 300
• Square Feet: 1,920
• Yards of Concrete: 375
• Steel Reinforcement: 17,500 lbs.
• Wall Heights: 14’-0”

• Wall Thickness: 10”
• Steel Beams: 10,000 lbs.
• Excavation Mass: 10,000+ cubic yards
• Backfill: 5,000 lbs. of stone

This project, though small, had many challenges throughout. The difficult, rough terrain created multiple challenges, including a steep elevation change required to access the site from the county road. This made it necessary for us to produce a temporary concrete road with a rough, “boat ramp” finish to provide enough traction for construction equipment access.

The height of walls and the location were designed to maximize the view of the lake. The steep grade required multiple footing steps in the garage specifically. There was additional steel structural design to support hollow-core precast panels and hot-tub structure steel frame. 

Our work gained the respect of local contractors and businesses who have worked and continue to work on this project, and this respect has been reciprocated.

The most valuable part of joining an organization is diving in and finding the networking, interaction, support and resources beneficial to the goals of your company. In honor of this identified truth, the CFA Board of Directors developed a new award in 2015 that honors the intentional exploration of the professional network found in the Concrete Foundations Association, this recognition is awarded to a member within the first three years of participation.

I kept saying to myself, ‘I’ve got a nice job and I’m going to throw it all away to buy this bulldozer,’” O’Risky remembers.

He grappled with the idea until a coworker at the General Electric factory in Mt. Vernon, Indiana, told him he was going to buy the excavating company if O’Risky wouldn’t.

O’Risky quit his job the next day and has been busy doing site prep – mostly residential – ever since. As far as the housing market in Evansville is concerned, there is no recession, O’Risky explains.

Jeff O’Risky
O’Risky Excavating
Evansville, Indiana

O’Risky Excavating has been growing modestly, “slow and steady like we want to,” O’Risky says. “Our local market is so diversified it’s kind of insulated and doesn’t really react to national ups and downs.”

The company, which does site development, subdivisions, basements and some light commercial work, has added a scraper, skid steer, semi truck and a dozer to its lineup. “We’re also still keeping all our old machines,” O’Risky says.

O’Risky admits he sometimes has to quell the itch to look at other contracting avenues beyond what he’s doing. “I’m always trying to exploit new opportunities,” he says, “but if you stick to what you are good at everything seems to work out. You don’t want to lose focus on what got you there.”

Advice: “This is an expensive business to get into so make sure you manage and limit your debt ratio. Well-maintained used equipment will serve you well, especially if there’s a downturn.”

Equipment World