One of the coolest parts about rock milling is that no two days on the job are exactly the same. Our team gets called on for all sorts of exciting projects—such as the site of the first-ever Tesla roof in San Antonio, horse arenas, wine cellars, retention ponds, and more!
To mark the halfway point through the year, we wanted to take some time to look back on some of the great projects Texas Rock Milling has had the joy of being part of so far in 2025. It’s always an honor to be the first one on a job to start it out right. We truly get to tame the terrain all around us and transform it into something that serves our clients well.
Check out these four interesting projects from this year to see our work in action. Who knows? You might even see a type of project you didn’t know we could help you complete!
1) ZACCHARIAH RANCH
This job is interesting for several reasons. Our team got to work cutting down a hill and a sports court on site to help expand the homeowners’ usable space in both their front and backyards. The milling created about 5,000 square yards of reusable material. But the best part of all? 100% of that material was reused on the job. That’s right—not a single piece of material was hauled off. We’re talking about some serious efficiency and cost savings!
We crushed the existing barriers and turned them into usable material for the house pad, base for the road, and future gardens. Our rock milling work will allow this homeowner to enjoy both a clearer view of the spectacular Texas Hill Country landscape surrounding their property and more space to expand their ranch.
LEARN MORE: Material Production
2) SUBDIVISION DRIVEWAY
The Texas Hill Country is known for its spectacular views and rugged landscape. However, it can also be very stubborn—and you are bound to encounter numerous obstacles that make it challenging to carve out your place here. This project in the Dominion subdivision is the perfect example of that.
Our team was contracted to lay the foundation for a new driveway, but before that could be done, we had to excavate our way INTO the job site. You see, there were so many rocks and other barriers in the way from the get-go that the site was inaccessible to large equipment. By working this landscape day in and day out, we know that sometimes you have to pave the way so that future contractors and trades can gain access to the site. It’s just part of what we do.
LEARN MORE: Road Creation
3) ROCK RETAINING WALL
Have you ever seen rocks this big? We moved these massive boulders to be used for a retaining wall that will help divert water.
Proper water management is important because it helps control erosion and protect nearby properties from costly water damage.
We believe it’s important to consider how every action will affect the natural layout and environment of the landscape. This includes everything from the natural water drainage patterns to soil erosion. Our commitment to doing things the right way ensures that your project rests on solid, stable ground.
The builder working on this project asked us to come in and do the heavy lifting so they could get into the job site and start their work of forming the actual house on the property. Now, they can rest assured knowing that these rocks will help retain water and keep this build safe for years to come.
4) MILLING VS EXCAVATING
We talk quite a bit about the advantages of rock milling vs traditional excavating. But recently, we got a golden opportunity to not just tell you the difference, but to show you!
We got to work on a lot where the lot right next to it was excavated using a jackhammer. As a result, we can show a side-by-side comparison of the differences between these two job sites.
#1: Rock Milling – This process produced clean lines in the rocks and soil. All material was broken down on-site and repurposed for foundation material, roads, and even landscaping. The total cost of this project, which produced a turnkey site, was approximately $35,000. Notice how small and fine the resulting material was after we broke it down with our advanced milling machines—and then compare that to the large, unusable size of the rock chunks that resulted from the other job site’s jackhammering process:
#2: Excavation – Just looking at this site, you can visually see the difference here. The rock and soil walls are jagged from jackhammering, and there are giant mounds of these massive rocks. Unless the homeowner plans to build a retaining wall, these barriers are unusable and have to be hauled off, or they need to hire a miller to come in after the fact. Excavation costs were likely around $25,000 to $30,000, and while that initially seems lower, the cost of hauling off the raw materials is really where you start to see the cost benefits of rock milling. The cost of hauling these materials off likely costs an additional $50,000 to $60,000, bringing the project total to around $75,000 to $90,000:
Rock milling may appear more costly if you are comparing it with merely the excavation quotes; however, it is by far the more efficient option once you factor in the cost of hauling off the raw, unusable materials.
LEARN MORE: Rock Milling
That’s it folks—a quick round-up of some of our most interesting projects so far this year! We hope that seeing the power, flexibility, and efficiency of rock milling has inspired you to consider opting for this method when the time comes for your next build. Remember, whatever project you can dream up, Texas Rock Milling can help you achieve it!
We love applying our expertise to unique projects that we’ve never done before, as well as ones that utilize our core services. Our team can help you tame the rugged land to pave the way for your dreams. Our calendar does fill up fast, but there are still a few spots left to be able to get your projects on our books for this year. Reach out at (210) 854-1362 or email us at trey@txrockmilling.com to get started.
Allow our Texas Rock Milling team to repurpose raw material taken directly from the ground of your property, break down any barriers standing in the way of your build, and use our state-of-the-art milling equipment to turn your obstacles into assets. Learn more.