Trenching price per foot

[Dnewell]

I was just curious those of you who have trenchers, what you were charging per foot and where you’re located. I know there are all types of things that’ll come into play just looking for a general idea. Say cutting a 8” trench 3’ deep for 1 to 2” pipe for water service. Include installing the pipe but not price of pipe and backfilling. We generally do 4-4.50 a foot. Some act like it’s robbery others act like we’re doing it for free. Located in Rural North East Kansas.

 

[Simon C]

Sometimes 1 hour is 10 feet, full of problems. Sometimes it is 200 feet. Charge lots to cover chain wear, but just charge by the hour. You never know what kind of day it will be. I had a Bradco trencher on a John Deere 326D machine and did 1.5 KM of camera cable for the owner. By the hour is best.
Simon C

 

[CM1995]

Agee by the hour is best with a minimum usually 4 hours.

Does your $4/FT include mobilization? Does it include hooking the pipe up to the meter and the structure?

For us we couldn't make enough at $4 per FT unless your average water service is 300-400' and the trenching was easy. Couldn't send a truck, trailer, machine and operator out to a 100' service for $400 and have any profit left over. YMMV.

 

[KSSS]

Water lines that are three feet deep... that dog wouldn't hunt here. We go 6' deep, using 1" poly its $16 a foot with a $1000 min. mobilization depends on how far away it is. Price increases with the size of water line. If we are hooking up to a meter that we install, that is more. Thats using a hoe, not a trencher.

 

[CM1995]

Only 18" here and that's more to protect the line from surface traffic not frost..

Also any water line here in the state of AL smaller than 4" from the meter to building has to be permitted and installed by a master plumber. Plumber's assoc apparently has a lot of pull in Montgomery..

 

[Shimmy1]

Water lines that are three feet deep... that dog wouldn't hunt here. We go 6' deep, using 1" poly its $16 a foot with a $1000 min. mobilization depends on how far away it is. Price increases with the size of water line. If we are hooking up to a meter that we install, that is more. Thats using a hoe, not a trencher.

$16 per foot? Is there a range? Like, up to 350' is 16, up to 500' is $12, 1000' is $8, and so on?? In my world, if you could make $16,000 per day on a 1000' of waterline, every swinging Richard would be buying a backhoe and a skid steer. No joke.

 

[KSSS]

It is based on new home installation. Most are around 100'-150' in length. Some are less which is why we bid it on min. as well. It requires at least one inspection sometimes more. So there is typically another mob involved to backfill, since the inspections can take up to a week.

 

[Acoals]

Water lines that are three feet deep... that dog wouldn't hunt here. We go 6' deep, using 1" poly its $16 a foot with a $1000 min. mobilization depends on how far away it is. Price increases with the size of water line. If we are hooking up to a meter that we install, that is more. Thats using a hoe, not a trencher.

36" . . . lol, that would be frozen by Christmas. 6' is pretty much the minimum here, if the line is going under a driveway or road that will be plowed it better be deeper than that.

 

[Dnewell]

You all have very good points! I appreciate all the feedback. Keep them coming!

 

[Welder Dave]

Just like drilling post holes, charge by the hour with maybe a 2 hour minimum.