Who Do I Call if I Need to Hire Someone to Dig a Trench?

Hiring an excavating company to dig your trench will save you hours or even days of backbreaking labor, especially if you have a yard full of rocky soil and tree roots. A reputable excavation company will be licensed, bonded, and insured, which can offer additional protection if something goes wrong.

Benefits of Hiring an Excavation Company to Dig a Trench

If you want to hire someone to dig a trench, choosing a local excavation company would be your best bet. 

Trenching is the process of digging a deep but narrow cut in the ground, such as what you might need when running electrical to your detached garage or a gas line to an outdoor kitchen. A trench is a type of excavation you can dig by hand or by machine (such as with a rented trencher), so an excavation company is the right choice to get the job done.

Some advantages of hiring an excavation company for your trench job include:

• Experience: Local excavation companies will be knowledgeable about your area’s soil conditions, permit requirements, and laws and regulations (such as whether gas and electric can go in the same trench). 

• Equipment: When you hire an excavation company to dig your trench, they’ll have the right equipment to do the job, including specialized machinery and heavy equipment.

• Safety: Digging a trench can be dangerous if you’re inexperienced. You risk injury and damage to your property, and you could accidentally slice a buried electrical line, water pipe, or gas line. Excavation companies work with your local utility companies to identify line locations and sometimes even have specialty equipment that can detect the location of underground pipes.

• Speed: Armed with a shovel and staring down dozens of linear feet of digging? You’ll speed up the process by hiring a local pro. Not only will their equipment make quick work of digging a trench, but multiple professionals can get the work done even faster.

• Liability: If you hire an insured excavation company, they’ll assume liability for getting the job done properly, safely, and well.

Can I DIY Digging a Trench?

You might save money by digging a trench yourself with a shovel or a rented trencher because labor for digging a trench costs $5.75 per linear foot. However, there are some downsides to digging a trench yourself.

First, digging a trench by hand is tiring work, but if your soil has obstacles like tree roots or potato-sized rocks, then it’s going to be tiring and take forever. Even using a trencher may not solve this problem since they can bind up when they encounter thick roots and rocks. Plus, there’s the cost of the trencher and the need to transport it. If your land isn’t level, that can add to the hassle and danger of doing it yourself.

Another thing to keep in mind is that you must call 811 before you dig so that you can find out where the buried utility lines are. If you were to hit one on accident, you could disrupt service or even be seriously injured or killed. Hiring a professional can ensure your trench is dug safely and according to local regulations.

Can I Hire a Landscaper to Dig a Trench?

Yes, depending on the exact project, a landscaper near you can sometimes build the trench you need. Landscapers have experience digging trenches for underground sprinkler systems and drainage. However, if your trench needs to be exceptionally long, deep, or otherwise complicated, you should stick with a dedicated excavation pro.

How Do Excavation Companies Dig Trenches? 

When you hire an excavation company to dig a trench, they’ll follow these steps:

1. Assess the project and evaluate the site.

2. Provide a detailed contract and scope of work.

3. Check the location of pipes and utility lines.

4. Mark the trench layout.

5. Remove topsoil and any landscaping or plants you may wish to save.

6. Dig the trench according to the depth and width required for the project.

Of course, specifics for every project will differ. At this point, you (or a contractor) can lay whatever lines the trench was dug to accommodate and have an inspector approve them. Then, you or your pro can backfill the trench to match the surrounding surface and landscaping.