Sometimes a pipe has to go under something you'd rather not dig up. We handle the excavation side of trenchless work, including entry and exit pits, potholing and the open trench on either side of the crossing.
Trenchless Excavation in Boise and the Treasure Valley
Trenchless work gets a pipe or line from one side of something to the other without opening the whole path. Instead of a long trench, there's a pit on each side and a bored or pushed path in between. It's used when digging up what's in the way would cost more, or do more damage, than going under it.
We do the excavation side of trenchless work for homeowners, builders and contractors around Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Eagle, Kuna, Star and Caldwell.
When Going Under Makes Sense
- Driveways and sidewalks. A new line has to cross concrete you'd rather not cut and replace.
- Roads. Many roads can't be closed, and the highway district may not allow an open cut.
- Mature trees and landscaping. A trench can sever roots and tear up established beds.
- Fences, walls and patios. The line has to pass something that's expensive to rebuild.
- Tight sites. There's no room to open a trench the full length.
Where We Come In
A trenchless crossing has a few parts that need a good excavator.
Entry and exit pits. The path starts in one pit and ends in another. We dig them to the depth and size the crossing needs, with room to work.
Potholing. Before anything gets bored under a driveway, we dig down to find buried lines in the path and check what's actually there. That's called potholing, and it's the best way to avoid hitting something. We call Digline (811) first.
The open trench. Most lines are only trenchless for part of the run. The rest is a regular trench from the house, meter or main to the crossing. Our trenching services and utility excavation pages cover that part.
Connections and backfill. We help connect the line on both sides, then backfill, compact and grade so the surface settles the same as the ground around it.
Who Does the Boring
Some crossings are short and shallow and can be planned into a regular job. Longer or deeper crossings, or ones that need steering the bore, may need a specialist boring crew. We'll tell you which kind your job is before work starts, and we'll coordinate the pits and trenches around whoever does the boring.
What Can Go Under
Water service lines, sewer laterals, irrigation lines, electrical conduit, communication lines and drainage pipe can be run under a crossing. Power, gas and communication lines belong to the utility companies, which have their own rules and often their own crews. We'll help you find out who to call. See water line excavation and sewer line trenching for how those lines work.
Rocks, Roots and Soil
Ground matters. Clean clay and sand bore easily. Caliche, cobble and rock can stop a bore or push it off line, and sometimes a short open trench is the better answer. We'll tell you what we think after seeing the site and, where we can, from what we learn while potholing. See our rock excavation page.
Trenchless or Open Trench
Trenchless costs more per foot of crossing but can cost less overall, because it saves cutting and replacing concrete, landscaping or a road surface. For a short crossing under an older, thin driveway, an open cut and patch can be the cheaper choice. We'll lay out both and let you pick.
Permits and Road Crossings
Crossing a public road almost always needs a permit from the highway district, county or city, and may need traffic control. Crossing a ditch or canal needs the owner's approval. Crossing under an HOA's property may need a sign-off. Tell us early so the permit doesn't hold up the job.
Why Call Ultimate Excavation LLC
We're an Idaho registered contractor (RCE-65836) based in Caldwell, with a 5.0 rating on Google. Our reviews say we explain things clearly and give you options. Call (208) 697-2429 or request a free estimate. Tell us what's going under what, and about how far.
