trenching
Service trenches across Melbourne
A trench that is the wrong depth, in the wrong line, or piled with spoil in the plumber’s way costs a whole extra day. We dig to the drawing, keep the line straight, and coordinate with the trade who has to work in it.
Who this is for
Builders who need sewer, stormwater and electrical runs opened before the slab. Licensed plumbers and electricians who want a machine and operator on a short booking, not a second contractor arguing about levels. Homeowners with a flooded side path or a new drainage line after an extension. Pool builders who need a pipe run from the plant pad to the shell.
We are earthmoving contractors. You are hiring the trench done — not an unmanned machine for the day.
What a trench job includes
Scope is written on the quote. Typical residential and small commercial trenches look like this.
Usually included
- Trench to the depth and width on your plumber, electrician or engineer drawing
- Dial Before You Dig review and visual check of pits before the bucket goes in
- Sewer, stormwater, electrical conduit, NBN and communications runs
- Footing trenches where they are a machine job, not a hand dig
- Spoil stacked so the trade can work, or loaded out if you also book soil removal
- Machine matched to side access — mini excavator on tight estate lots
Not included unless quoted
- Licensed plumbing, electrical or gas installation
- Electronic service locating beyond Dial Before You Dig plans
- Engineered shoring or trench boxes for deep / confined work
- Traffic management on a public road or nature strip
- Bedding sand, conduit, pipe or backfill compaction testing
- Repair of unmarked private services that were not on the plans
How a trench day runs
- Drawings and access. Send the hydraulic or electrical layout, gate width and photos of the run. We quote length, depth and whether spoil stays or leaves.
- Services check. Dial Before You Dig plans on site. We mark known pits, meters and NBN. If the run crosses a live service, we hand-expose or pause for the licensed trade.
- Dig to spec. Straight line, consistent invert. The plumber or electrician can inspect before we close anything.
- Spoil and handover. Open trench for inspection, or backfill if that is in the quote. Site left walkable for the next trade.
Western growth-corridor notes
Melton, Tarneit, Werribee and Caroline Springs estate lots are a different job to an open acreage block. Crossovers are bonded, NBN pits sit near the front boundary, and there is often no room to stockpile. Reactive clay smears after winter rain — a trench cut wet will not hold a clean wall, and the plumber cannot bed pipe on soup. We will tell you if the block needs a dry day first.
Basalt floaters turn up on some Werribee and Rockbank runs. A short hammer burst is normal; a shelf across the whole line is a variation. That is written on the quote, not sprung at 3 pm. Tight side setbacks get a smaller machine so we are not taking out a new fence to reach the sewer connection.
Safe & sequenced
We work to Australian trench safety practice for the depths we quote. Deeper or confined work is assessed before we start — we do not improvise a 2 m hole between two fences.
Urgent drainage
Blocked or overflowing stormwater? Call Melton. If the diary is free we can often open a drainage trench the next day across metro Melbourne.
Trenching FAQs
How deep can you trench?
Typically 450 mm–1.2 m for plumbing, electrical and drainage — to your licensed trade’s spec. Deeper footing or stormwater runs are quoted once we see the drawings.
Do you locate services before digging?
Yes. We check Dial Before You Dig plans and visually locate pits before the bucket goes in. Electronic locates, if you need them, should be arranged before we arrive.
Can you trench on a tight estate lot?
Yes. We match machine size to the gate and keep spoil off neighbouring fences and the bonded crossover.
Do you backfill the trench?
If it is in the quote. Some trades want the trench left open for inspection; others want it closed the same day.
Which suburbs do you trench in?
Melton, Caroline Springs, Werribee, Tarneit, Craigieburn and across Greater Melbourne. See our Melton trenching guide.