Digging post holes by hand in Treasure Valley ground gets old fast, especially once you hit caliche. We drill holes with a hydraulic auger for fences, decks, pergolas, pole barns, signs and more, to the size and depth your plans call for.
Augering Services in Boise
Anyone who has tried to dig a post hole in Meridian or Kuna knows the feeling. The first foot goes fine. Then the shovel hits a layer that feels like concrete. That layer is caliche, a hard, cemented soil that's common across the Treasure Valley, and it's the reason so many people hire out their post holes.
A machine-mounted auger gets through it far faster than a hand auger or a rented one-man unit, and the holes come out straight and to depth. We do augering in Boise, Meridian, Eagle, Kuna, Star, Nampa, Middleton and Caldwell.
Common Augering Jobs Around the Valley
Fence posts
Wood, vinyl and chain link fences all need consistent post holes. On a long property line or acreage fence in Star, Kuna or Canyon County, a machine auger saves days of work. Before we drill, the fence line should be staked or painted, with corner, end and gate posts marked. Gate posts carry more weight, so they often get a bigger, deeper hole. If the fence runs along a property line, confirm where the line is first, since moving a set post is a lot more work than moving a stake.
Deck, porch and pergola footings
Footings for decks, covered patios, pergolas and carports need to go below frost and be the size the plans call for. In Boise, frost depth for footings is 24 inches. Many deck and pergola footings use round cardboard forms set in the hole, so the hole has to be a bit wider than the form. We keep the holes clean so the inspector can see the bottom if your permit calls for a footing inspection.
Pole barns, shops and loafing sheds
Post-frame buildings are popular on acreage around Star, Middleton, Kuna and Parma. They need a lot of large, deep holes in exact spots, which is where an auger earns its keep. The holes have to line up with the building layout, so the corners get squared and staked before we start. If the floor slab comes later, we can prep that pad too. See slab excavation.
Signs, lights and mailboxes
Sign posts, light poles, flagpoles, gate posts and mailbox posts for homes and businesses. The sign or pole maker usually lists a hole size and depth for the base, and some cities want to see it before concrete goes in. Near parking lots and sidewalks, buried power and irrigation lines are common, so locates matter even more.
Trees and landscaping
Holes for planting trees and large shrubs, and holes for drainage, like small dry wells. In caliche, drilling a planting hole through the hard layer lets roots and water get down instead of sitting in a hardpan bowl. A dry well hole gets drilled down to soil that drains, then filled with rock.
How Soil Affects Augering
Different ground drills differently, and it changes how long the job takes. Before we bid, we ask what you've hit digging in the yard before, and we look at the ground on site. Here's what we see most around the valley.
- Caliche and hardpan. Common in Meridian, Nampa and Kuna. It drills slow, but it drills.
- Clay. Sticky when wet and hard when dry. Holes stay open well but the auger loads up.
- Sand and river gravel. Near the Boise River in Garden City and Eagle, sandy and gravelly soil can cave back into the hole. Sometimes the post or form has to go in right away.
- Rock. Basalt in parts of Southeast Boise and Kuna, and big cobble near the river, can stop an auger. If we hit rock, we'll talk with you about options before going further.
- Decomposed granite. Foothills lots drill pretty easily.
Hole Size and Depth
The bit size and depth should come from your plans, your post or footing manufacturer, or your building permit. A fence post hole and a pole barn hole are very different. If you don't know what you need, your builder or the permit office can tell you. We'll drill to whatever the job calls for.
Locates Before Every Hole
Post holes go right where buried lines like to hide: along fence lines, near the house and next to driveways. Idaho law requires a Digline (811) request at least two business days before digging, and we make that call. Private lines like sprinkler mains, low voltage lighting and power to outbuildings aren't marked, so tell us what you know about.
What Augering Costs
Price depends mostly on the number of holes, their size and depth, the soil, and how easy it is to get a machine to each spot. A straight fence line across an open yard goes quickly. Holes scattered around a finished backyard with tight access take longer. We give free estimates and can usually price from a site visit or a plan.
More Than Post Holes
Augering is often one step in a bigger job. We also do site preparation and grading for pole barns and shops, trenching for power and water to new buildings, and dirt hauling when there's spoil to get rid of.
We're an Idaho registered contractor (RCE-65836) with a 5.0 rating on Google. Call (208) 697-2429 or request a free estimate.
