Our History

1982

S & W Mechanical Contractors, Nashville, Tennessee. Operated machinery in and around Nashville. Exposed to many different types of construction, as well as more sophisticated underground construction of commercial utilities.

1989

Graduated from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville with a degree in Engineering. Started a successful business partnership with father, Franklin Brooks: Brooks Excavation Contractor was born.

1990

Because I wanted Brooks Excavation Contractor to grow and knew there were certain steps required for that to happen, we qualified for a Tennessee State Contractor’s License. License has been maintained with no fines, penalties, or complaints ever having been registered against it.

1992

Awarded a contract with Ben Lomand Telephone Co-operative as its primary underground contractor for over 15 years and still have a great relationship with them. Brooks Excavation Contractor, LLC covered 13 counties installing complete backbone, intermediate runs, and drops for residential and commercial service. The installation of copper, fiber, and conduits along with setting vaults were all part of that long term contract.

1998 / 1999

Became sole proprietor of Brooks Excavation Contractor with the retirement of partner and father, Franklin Brooks.

2000

Expanded business to include Directional Boring, which proved to be a fast growing and diverse field that has become the backbone of Brooks Excavation Contractor today. Impact hammering tools, compaction head boring and other methods which had been used for years were improved to keep up with industry demands. Continued to strive to become tops in the industries along with keeping up with advances in plowing, trenching, and excavation.

2001

Brooks Excavation Contractor, LLC. Company was converted into a Limited Liability Corporation.

2006 / 2007

In accordance with a strong desire to grow and diversify the company, Brooks Excavation Contractor, LLC began pursuing other areas of construction that strengthened the company through inevitable lows of the construction industry and uncertain economic times. Companies such as Atmos Energy and Middle Tennessee Natural Gas continued to provide avenues working with their contractors to expand the directional boring portion of the company. Brooks Excavation Contractor continued growing, providing services to other local underground utilities companies such as electrical, telecommunications, water, and sewer as well.

Green Company, Brooks Excavation Contractor, LLC continues its growth expanding into new markets, building on the knowledge and experience such as working with a local Geothermal HVAC company. Being energy efficient and eco minded is very important to Brooks Excavation Contractor, therefore the wave of the future Geothermal Systems became an avenue to explore. Brooks Excavation Contractor completed a very large geothermal system at the Warren County 911-Emergency Building in November 2007, using directional boring methods for geothermal system placement.

2008 / 2009

Harvey Layne joins Brooks Excavation Contractor, LLC in early 2008. With a wealth of knowledge and background in the industry, a drive for professionalism which matched the idealisms that provided growth for Brooks Excavation Contractor, LLC through the years, Harvey was instrumental in the introduction of rock drilling into our company. Harvey brought a vast wealth of experience in addition to working relationships with many in the telecommunications field from his 23 years of experience. This experience and contacts have been and continue to be instrumental in our success in an industry that has struggled. Harvey is a very valued member of this company and now is the Director of Operations.

With continued evolution and a quest for growth, Brooks entered into the proprietary field of rock excavation. After months of studying different rock drilling directional systems, Brooks decided on the latest technology of a Ditch Witch JT3020AT, purchasing two units within a year. Not wanting to be known only for and limited to our directional rock boring, a Vermeer T555 rock saw was added to our trenching equipment. Using experience from the dirt excavation techniques as a basis, rock excavation was a sensible next step for our growth.

Nashville ITS SmartWay Camera System Brooks Excavation Contractor LLC, as a subcontractor for UCW, Inc, was awarded the underground excavation contract with Trans Tech Electric for the TDOT ITS SmartWay Camera System, Phase III in Nashville, Tennessee. Work began on a 115 mile stretch in the spring of 2008 and continued until spring 2010. Brooks completed 98% of the directional bores (rock and dirt) along with a large portion of the trenching, installing the conduits and handholes for the backbone of the SmartWay System.

Technological Advancements Technology is very important to Brooks, as proven with the implementation of a document management system. With the addition of software along with advanced scanners, we are able to electronically redline jobs in our offices and in the field so our customers can follow job completion in a real time environment. Document management software is allowing our office and field members to access needed information without delay.

2010

Brooks Excavation Contractor, LLC is now known to the industry as Brooks “an underground utilities company”.

FTTH Cable and conduit installation for Ben Lomand Telephone, and the TDOT Smartway camera system increased our specialty and experience in FTTH - Fiber to The House. Brooks has gained a great working knowledge of this cutting edge technology. This is the fastest means of getting signal to a house or business to carry HDTV, high-speed internet, Interactive on Demand TV, video conferencing and many other exciting new features. Brooks has a vast experience with FTTH, which has opened avenues with professional companies such as MasTec, Star Communications, Modern Cable, West Kentucky & Tennessee, AT&T (local and long distance), and TDS, to name a few.

Brooks buys Ditch Witch JT4020AT (all terrain drill) for bigger bores and river crossings. Directional boring has created opportunities for work with many other underground utilities such as Piedmont Natural Gas, Atmos Energy, Clarksville Gas, and Greater Dickson Gas. Projects for these companies have continued to provide Brooks with increased experience, knowledge and skills necessary to complete even larger jobs. The best example is the twin bores over 800 feet in length of 12”and 8”steel gas line relocation in Clarksville, Tennessee.

The Great Nashville, Tennessee Floods (May 2010) that hit Nashville kept Brooks scrambling to keep up with the damage caused to the local gas systems. There were damaged and exposed lines in many areas of the mid state, but with diligence Brooks rose to the challenge.

2011

The Storms Came to Phill Campbell, Alabama along with Mississippi and Tennessee, and experienced some of the most severe storms in decades. Tornados leveled thousands of square miles of homes and businesses leaving families without homes, food, jobs, and in too many cases, family members. One call and one day was all that was needed for Brooks to be mobilized to the scene, replacing telephone cable so that much-needed communication could be restored.

West Kentucky & Tennessee Brooks, working with Star Construction, undertook the largest stimulus project every awarded to a telephone cooperative in 2011. The 2400 mile project is bringing the latest in telecommunication advancements to the rural areas in West Tennessee, Western Kentucky, and Southern Missouri.

2012

Brooks will continue striving for professionalism and advancement with the latest technology to streamline our company. With the addition of several specialized pieces of equipment and the appointment of several key personnel, the future looks bright indeed. Brooks is ready and able to complete larger and more complex projects.