HOW WE WORK
We do the work that builds reputations.
Yours, and ours.
Leading excavation in the Bozeman area.
Who We Are
Hopkins Construction & Excavation is a civil, commercial, and residential site work contractor based in Bozeman, Montana. We self-perform all excavation, earthwork, and utility installation with our own crew and owned equipment, creating one point of contact from first cut to final grade.
What sets HCE apart isn't any single thing — it's the unique and deep skillsets from leadership and our crews. Deep field experience paired with transparent communication. Creative problem-solving paired with consistent production. A crew that takes ownership of the work paired with a business operation built to support them. That combination is rare in this industry, and it's what we hold ourselves to on every project we take on.
Cullan Hopkins
Owner, Project Lead
Cullan has spent over 11 years in the excavation field in Southwest Montana - estimating, leading crews, operating iron, and building relationships with the engineers, utility districts, GCs, and municipal public works directors who move civil work in the Gallatin Valley and surrounding area.
FOURTH GENERATION
He comes from four generations of excavation, gravel, and ready-mix concrete, and has a real passion for tackling the complex excavation challenges that the Bozeman area presents. His background isn't just a footnote, it's why he reads a set of civil plans differently than most operators in this market.
A DECADE IN THE VALLEY
He has spent over a decade running excavation and civil construction work across Southwest Montana — from complex residential site prep to large-scale civil infrastructure — and brings deep knowledge of regional soil conditions, project demands, and the relationships that serious work in this valley requires. He is known for finding creative solutions that save clients time and money without compromising quality or schedule.
If you've worked with Cullan before, you already know what to expect with Hopkins. If you haven't, ask around.
Our Leadership
Jake Abel
Owner, Business Operations
Jake's background is in business and operations — the kind where precision matters and the cost of a mistake is measured in more than dollars.
ACCOUNTABLE OPERATIONS
Before getting his MBA, he spent seven years in the Air Force Reserves managing munitions control, the operational nerve center responsible for the accountability and deployment of munitions and missiles. That environment instilled a standard for documentation, accountability, and operational discipline that has followed him into every role since.
PROVEN BUSINESS LEADERSHIP
At Delta Air Lines, Jake led operations within one of the largest marketing organizations in the airline industry — managing strategy, budgets, and large-scale execution that required both analytical rigor and sound decision-making under pressure.
At Hopkins Construction and Excavation, Jake oversees bonding, finance, contracts, HR, insurance, and strategic planning. He built internal systems from the ground up with the same standard he learned in the military: structured where it matters, lean where it doesn't. His role ensures the business behind the field runs as well as the field itself — so nothing administrative ever slows down the work.
What We Stand For
We run a straightforward operation. Here's what that means in practice.
Integrity Above All
We do what we say we're going to do - on schedule, on budget, and to the standard we committed to. When something isn't right, we say so. When something goes wrong, we own it.
Collaborative by Nature
The best outcomes happen when contractors, developers, engineers, and GCs work together rather than in silos. We show up as a partner, not just a vendor - and we bring our field experience to the table early, where it does the most good.
Built for the Long Game
We're not chasing volume. We're building a company with a reputation worth having in Southwest Montana, with clients worth keeping, doing work worth being proud of. That long-term view shapes every decision we make.
Ownership Mentality
Every person at Hopkins Construction and Excavation is expected to treat the work as if their name is on it. That standard doesn't stop at the job site - it runs through every contract, every invoice, and every conversation we have with a client.