Hydrovac & Potholing
Our hydrovac truck cuts soil loose with pressurized water and vacuums it out, so we can expose gas, water, electrical and sewer lines without striking them. We pothole for design teams, clear around utilities for general contractors and dig where a machine can't. The work is billed on time and material, because what is underground sets how long it takes.
Who it's for
- Design teams who need existing utilities exposed and measured before plans are finished
- General contractors who need potholing ahead of a trench, caisson or foundation
- Restoration firms and property managers who need utilities exposed before a repair
- Owners who need to find a buried line or tank without tearing up the yard
How the work goes
- We start with a signed Service Agreement that lists the time-and-material terms. Nothing is scheduled before it is signed.
- The crew calls in Dig Alert, then exposes each line or target with water and vacuum. A foreman who is an OSHA-trained competent person runs every excavation.
- We record what we find, with depths and photos, before anything is backfilled.
- If you need a ceiling on the work, we agree an authorized amount in writing, and we stop and ask for your approval before we reach it.
What drives the cost
- Time on site, which depends on soil, depth and how many locations we open
- Access for the truck and the length of hose needed
- Disposal of the spoil, which is not billed when it can stay on site
- Travel to the site
What we do differently
Our own hydro-excavation truck. If the spoil can stay on site, we don't bill disposal.
Common questions
Can you give me a total before you start digging?
When the work depends on what is underground, we bill on time and material, because nobody knows the conditions until the ground is open. We can give you a typical range in writing. If you need a ceiling, we agree an authorized amount and stop for your approval before we reach it.
Can you waterproof a wall when there is no room to dig outside it?
Yes. Where a machine can't reach the soil side, we dig by hydrovac or by hand, or treat the inside face of the wall. Where both are possible, we price a soil-side option and an inside-face option. Every excavation is run by a foreman who is an OSHA-trained competent person.
From the field
Ready to talk about your project?
Send us the details and we will follow up with next steps, or call us directly.