Services
Excavation & Trenching
Excavation and trenching is the controlled digging of trenches and pits so fiber, power, water and sewer lines can be installed, repaired or exposed. Across the Midwest and Southeast, Blackstone Utilities digs utility trenches, connection pits and potholes to the required width and depth, shores or slopes the walls as the soil requires, and backfills and restores the site.
What does utility excavation involve?
Every underground utility needs a path in the ground. We cut it to the size the line requires, keep the walls safe while people work in it, and put the ground back once the line is in, from a short trench across a front yard to a long run beside a road.
Scope of work
Utility trenches
We dig utility trenches to the width and depth the pipe, conduit or cable requires. Walls are shored with a trench box or sloped where the depth and soil call for it, and the trench is backfilled in compacted lifts once the utility is in place.
Pits and potholes
We also dig the pits needed to reach a connection, a valve or a repair, and potholes that expose an existing utility so its position and depth are known before work continues.
Restoration
Restoration is part of the job. We backfill and compact in lifts, then restore pavement, walks, curbs and lawns to the project specifications, with sod or seed in finished yards.
What to send for a quote
- Where the work is: the address or nearest intersection.
- What will be placed in the trench and roughly how long it is.
- The surface: pavement, lawn or open ground.
- Any plans or specifications.
At a glance
- Service type
- Excavation and trenching
- Work
- Utility trenches, pits and potholes
- Service area
- The Midwest and Southeast
- How to start
- Call us or request a quote
How we do the work
-
01
Locate
We request 811 locates and mark existing utilities in the work area before digging.
-
02
Excavate
We dig to the required width and depth and shore or slope the walls.
-
03
Install
We place and connect the utility, or expose the existing line for repair.
-
04
Restore
We backfill in compacted lifts and restore the surface to the project specifications.
Questions about excavation & trenching
What is utility trenching?
Utility trenching is digging a narrow, controlled trench so that pipe, conduit or cable can be placed or repaired underground. We dig to the width and depth the line requires, shore the walls with a trench box or slope them where the depth and soil call for it, and backfill in compacted lifts.
What is a pothole in utility work?
A pothole is a small excavation that exposes a buried utility so its position and depth can be confirmed. We dig potholes before work continues near an existing line, and pits to reach a connection, a valve or a repair. Hydro excavation is a common way to dig a pothole.
How is trenching different from directional drilling?
Trenching opens the ground along the whole route. Directional drilling places pipe or conduit through a steered bore, with pits only at each end, so it suits crossings under roads, drives and landscaping. Gravity sewers, which need a steady slope, are usually still built by open-cut trenching.
Do you restore the yard or street after trenching?
Yes. Restoration is part of the job, from a short trench across a front yard to a long run beside a road. We backfill and compact in lifts, then restore pavement, walks, curbs and lawns to the project specifications, with sod or seed in finished yards.
What information do you need for a quote?
The location of the work, what will go in the trench, a short description of the job and how to reach you. Mention any plans or dimensions in the description, and say whether the work is new or a repair. We follow up by phone or email.
Related services
We work across the Midwest and Southeast. See the service areas for the states and cities we serve.
Request a quote for excavation & trenching
Send the location and the scope, and we will follow up. Office hours: Mon-Fri 7:00 AM-7:00 PM CT.