For Utility Contractors
Trench Sub Who Hits Spec Depth Every Time
Water, sewer, gas, electric, fiber, telecom. Spec depth, bedding sand placed right, compaction in 6 to 8 inch lifts. 811 ticket pulled before the first scoop.
Utility contractors hire us when they need an extra trench crew that gets the spec right. We dig water, sewer, gas, electric, fiber, and telecom trenches to the depth, width, and bedding called out on the drawing. Compaction in lifts, density tests on request. Saw cuts clean if it's in pavement. Your conduit guys, plumber, or splicer walks in to a trench that's right the first time.
Spec Depth, No Guessing
Cable depths to NEC and PUC, water and sewer to district code. We read the spec sheet and hit the targets.
811 First, Always
Fresh USA dig ticket on every job. White paint before locate. We confirm marks before we drop a bucket.
Bedding & Compaction Done Right
Sand bedding to spec, backfill compacted in 6 to 8 inch lifts. Density tests with the soils engineer on request.
What We Trench
Mainlines, Laterals, Vaults, Potholes
Whatever's going in the ground. We dig the trench, you set the line.
Mainline Trenches
Water, sewer, gas mains. Long runs, deep cuts. Traffic control coordinated when in the right of way.
Service Laterals
Residential and commercial taps. Saw cut, dig, bed, backfill. Restoration coordinated with paver or concrete sub.
Vaults & Pull Boxes
Excavation for transformer pads, fiber vaults, pull boxes. Set-ready with sub-base placed and compacted.
Pothole & Daylight
Hand-dig and vac excavation to expose buried utilities for as-built or mark-up. Slow and clean.
How We Work With Your Crew
Trench work is unforgiving. One wrong depth or a missed locate and the day's gone. Here's how we keep it tight.
- We read your trench detail and depth sheet before we quote, not after.
- Written quote within 24 hours, itemized by run or per linear foot.
- USA North 811 ticket pulled the day before the dig.
- Bedding sand and select backfill staged on site before we cut.
- Trench plate or temporary backfill at the end of each shift if open.
- Density reports and inspection sign-offs documented before we leave.
Buried Utilities Strike, We Don't
We pull a fresh USA North 811 dig ticket on every job. White paint before the first scoop. If the locate marks do not match what we're seeing in the ground, we stop and re-call before we hit something. Hitting a gas or fiber line is bad for everyone. We work the protocol, not around it.
Pricing & Scheduling
How We Price and How Fast We Slot In
Per linear foot, lump sum, or T&M. Whatever the job calls for.
Pricing
Per LF, lump sum, or T&M
Repeatable runs price per linear foot. Scoped jobs run lump sum. Unknowns and emergency cuts run T&M with a not-to-exceed.
- Per linear foot for clean, repeatable runs
- Lump sum on scoped trench packages
- T&M with NTE for unknowns and emergency cuts
- Bedding sand and compaction either included or itemized
Lead Time
How fast we can dig
Standard runs are 1 to 2 weeks out. Single laterals and emergency cuts, we can usually move within the week.
- Mainline runs: 1 to 2 weeks
- Single residential or commercial lateral: 1 to 3 days
- Pothole and daylight work: same week often
- Emergency cuts: same day when possible
Services Utility Contractors Hire Us For
Pick a Scope or Bundle the Whole Cut
Most utility jobs combine the trench with saw cut and removal. One quote, one mob.
Related Trades
Other Trades We Sub For
Same crew, same standards, different scope.
Common Questions
What Utility Contractors Ask Before They Hire Us
Can you trench to PG and E, SMUD, and water district spec depths?
Yes. We trench to the depth, width, and bedding spec called out by the utility or district. Standard targets are 24 inches for low-voltage and comm, 36 inches for water and sewer, and 30 to 36 inches for gas, but we follow the spec sheet on every job. Send the dig diagram and we hit the numbers.
Do you call 811 locates?
Always. Every dig starts with a fresh USA North 811 ticket. We mark white paint before the locate crew shows up and confirm the locate marks before we drop a bucket. If the marks do not match what we are seeing in the ground, we stop and re-call before we hit anything.
Can you hand-dig pothole and daylight work?
Yes. Where the locate calls for hand digging or where the conditions are sensitive, we hand-shovel and use vac equipment to expose buried utilities for as-built or mark-up. Slow and clean is faster than fixing a hit line.
Do you handle bedding sand and compaction in lifts?
Yes. Sand bedding placed to spec around the conduit or pipe, then native or import backfill compacted in 6 to 8 inch lifts. Density tests with the soils engineer on request. Trench restoration coordinated with your paving or concrete sub.
Need an Extra Trench Crew?
Send the Address and the Trench Detail
We send a written, itemized quote within 24 hours on most utility scopes.