# Sewer line excavation



## fishman002 (Mar 26, 2009)

I am new to this site and it is great. Here is my question: I do landscaping for a living and I have an opportunity to trench an existing sewer line that needs replacing for one of my customers. I have a Kubota B20 with a hoe that is capable of digging 7.5 feet. The sewer line is reported to be 7 feet down. This is documented because the plumber just tied into it with a new service going into the house in the last month. The homeowner wants to replace the whole line out to the street now. My hoe has a 16" wide bucket and I estimate that the trench would need to be 4-5 ft wide and 7 feet deep. I am not sure at this point what the total distance to the street would be but for the sake of argument say it will be 100 feet. What would be a fair price to do this job?


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## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

my excel spread sheet i set up for estimating, comes up with $206.73....but with your local variables, your price may vary.


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## Kgmz (Feb 9, 2007)

Don't forget you will need a OSHA certified "competent person" on site, and shoring, trench boxes.

I can hire myself out to you as the competent person and bring the trench boxes for $50,000 to $100,000 depending on your location.


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## bamawildcat (Dec 14, 2008)

$300 would be a fair price. 

Or $12/hr plus gas.


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## tgeb (Feb 9, 2006)

fishman002 said:


> .... I have a Kubota B20 with a hoe that is capable of digging 7.5 feet. The sewer line is reported to be 7 feet down. ..... My hoe has a 16" wide bucket and I estimate that the trench would need to be 4-5 ft wide and 7 feet deep........


Welcome to the site.

I would not even attempt this with a backhoe that small.

You would have to classify that soil as class C, as it has been previously excavated. Class C requires a 1 to 1 bench or slope. That would mean for every foot deep, the embankment must be 1 foot back on each side, making the top of the trench 15 wide plus the width of the bottom. No way you can dig that and get the soil away from the top of the trench (2' from the edge) with a machine that is only capable of 7.5 feet depth.

What will you do if the old pipe picks up a little grade on the way to the street and the tap is more like 11 or 12 feet in the ground?

Competent person training is in order here for sure. The backhoe operator is responsible for the men in the trench, if you don't know what precautions are needed, get someone who does know.

So far this week, I have heard of 3 instances of trench collapse and workers being buried, the fate of which I do not know. In all 3 incidents it could have been avoided.
I suspect these cave-ins occurred due to people who did not have experience in deep trenching, taking on a job they knew little about, because they had a backhoe and could do it, even though that's not they usually do.

You are entering *very* dangerous territory when doing what you propose. 


Oh, for pricing, I can easily dig that in 1 day, backfill the next. So 2 days aught to cover it.


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## IHI55j (Jan 16, 2009)

$200 or $300 that is cheap up here would get 2,500 for the trench and line.


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## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

bamawildcat said:


> $300 would be a fair price.
> 
> Or $12/hr plus gas.


trying to outbid me now? this is war then!!! i'll do it for $185...PLUS free breakfast at Denny's for a week


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## kubotaman333 (Feb 26, 2006)

fishman,
there seems to be more comedians on here than contractors, but anyway we usually get about 15.00 dollars per foot for residential sewer lines. 
now they will prolly attack me.lol


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## Little (Jul 22, 2006)

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and put in my offer of $300.01 and that includes coffee break & traffic control. One thing as well, i'll also send you a christmas card.


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