Clean Trench. Tight Depth. Right First Time.
Austin, TX & Salt Lake City, UT · 811 Locate Before Every Job
Water, sewer, storm, electrical, gas. We dig to the depth your spec requires, hand off a clean trench, and backfill with compacted material that passes inspection. Rock trenching available for Austin limestone and SLC hardpan.
Six Utility Types.
One Crew. One Call.
Every utility runs at a different depth, requires different bedding, and has different inspection requirements. We know the specs for each — not just how to dig a ditch.
Potable Water
Service line and main extensions. Trench depth per local code — typically 30–42" in Austin, 36–48" in SLC to clear frost depth. Sand bedding below and around pipe, compacted native backfill above.
Sanitary Sewer
The deepest standard residential utility — slope-dependent depth means the far end of a long run can hit 8–10 feet. We calculate grade requirements before digging so the trench bottom is right, not "close enough." Clean-out access maintained.
Storm Drainage
French drains, box culverts, catch basin connections, and perforated pipe runs for drainage management. Slope calculated from civil plan. Aggregate backfill per drainage spec — not standard compacted fill that blocks flow.
Electrical Conduit
Service laterals, sub-panel feeds, outdoor lighting runs, and EV charging conduit. Conduit bedding and warning tape per code. Narrower trench width — we use the right-sized bucket to keep disturbance minimal on finished landscapes.
Natural Gas
Service line extension and reroutes for new construction and additions. We trench to spec and coordinate with your gas sub for backfill sequencing — gas line inspection has to happen before we close the trench. No assumptions on timing.
Conduit & Low Voltage
Fiber, coax, and data conduit runs for new construction and site improvements. Shallowest standard utility — often combined with electrical trenching on the same run to avoid two mobilizations when both are needed.
811 Isn't Optional.
It's How We Start
Every Single Job.
Utility strikes are the most preventable accident in excavation — and still happen constantly because contractors skip the locate or don't wait for marks to be confirmed. We call 811 before every job, every time, without exception. If marks aren't confirmed, we don't dig.
Trench to Backfill.
We Own the Whole Scope.
Trench Excavation to Depth
Machine cut to specified depth and width. We use the right bucket size for the utility type — not a wide bucket that overcuts a narrow conduit run. Trench walls kept plumb for inspection and to minimize bedding material needed.
Rock Trenching
Austin limestone and caliche don't stop at pool shells — they show up in utility trenches too. Hydraulic hammer available for rock at trench depth. We flag rock likelihood during site walk so it's in the budget before your plumber is scheduled.
Bedding + Pipe Zone Prep
Sand or aggregate bedding placed and screeded to specified grade before your plumber or electrician installs pipe. Initial backfill to the pipe zone placed and hand-compacted before mechanical compaction begins. We don't dump fill on top of freshly laid pipe.
Compacted Backfill + Grade Restore
Mechanical compaction in lifts above the pipe zone — not a single dump-and-roll pass. Surface grade restored to match adjacent area. Pavement, landscaping, and hardscape restoration quoted separately if required — we don't do it without flagging the cost upfront.
What Utility Trenching
Costs in Austin + SLC.
Trench pricing is driven by depth, length, utility type, rock conditions, and backfill requirements. These ranges are from actual Austin TX and Salt Lake City UT residential and light commercial jobs.
| Utility Type / Scenario | Run Length | Conditions | Estimated Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Service Line | 50–100 LF | Soil | $1,800 – $3,500 |
| Water Service Line | 50–100 LF | Caliche / rock | $3,500 – $7,000 |
| Sewer Lateral | 50–80 LF | Soil, standard depth | $2,500 – $5,000 |
| Sewer Lateral — Deep | 50–80 LF | 6–10 ft depth, rock | $6,000 – $14,000 |
| Storm Drain / French Drain | 100–200 LF | Soil, aggregate backfill | $3,200 – $7,500 |
| Electrical Conduit | 100–200 LF | Soil, 18–24" depth | $2,000 – $4,500 |
| Multi-Utility Run | 100–150 LF | Water + sewer + electric | $6,500 – $14,000 |
| Pool Equipment Pad Trench | 30–60 LF | Any | $1,800 – $5,500 |
| Commercial Site Utility | 200–500 LF | Mixed conditions | $9,000 – $28,000 |
Trench Work for the
Trades That Need It Done Right.
One Sub for the Whole Trench Scope
We handle excavation, bedding prep, and compacted backfill — your plumber and electrician step in for install, then we close the trench. One coordination point instead of three separate subs and a compaction contractor.
Equipment Pad + Plumbing Trench
Pool equipment trench from shell to pad is one of the most skipped items in pool excavation — and one of the most common sources of schedule delay. We run it at the same time as the shell dig. Already quoted, already on-site.
The Trench Is Ready When You Arrive
We coordinate mobilization so the trench is open, bedding is set, and the pipe zone is clean when your crew shows up. No waiting on an excavator that ran late. Backfill sequenced around your inspection — not ours.
What Contractors Ask
About Trenching.
We call 811 on every job — it's our standard operating procedure, not something we leave to the GC. We schedule our mobilization around locate confirmation, not before it. Private utilities (irrigation, interior lines) need to be marked by the owner before we arrive.
Yes. Hydraulic hammer is on our excavator when conditions call for it. We assess rock likelihood on site walk and come prepared — not after the standard bucket fails at 3 feet. Rock trench cost is quoted separately from soil trench when we identify it.
Both. We stay on-site through bedding, installation window, and lift-by-lift compacted backfill. We don't dig and leave an open trench for someone else to close. The full scope — trench to grade-restored — is one quote from us.
We don't backfill until your inspector and the installing sub have signed off. We coordinate timing explicitly — not "call us when you're ready." Backfill sequencing is confirmed before we mobilize so nobody's waiting on the wrong trade.
Yes — and it's usually more cost-effective than separate mobilizations. Water, electrical, and telecom often share a corridor. We quote combined runs at a lower per-linear-foot rate than separate jobs. Confirm all utility types before we quote.
Trenches over 5 feet require a protective system per OSHA — sloping, shoring, or a trench box. We come with a trench box for any sewer run expected to exceed 5 feet. It's in the quote, not an afterthought when the inspector shows up.
Tell Us the Run.
We'll Give You the Number.
Utility type, approximate length, and depth. That's all we need to give you a quote range. Site walk confirms it.
Austin, TX · Salt Lake City, UT · Licensed + Insured