Excavation and trenching for wet services
JMP Group carries out service trenching, bulk and detail excavation, rock work and reinstatement across Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Redlands. Services are located before the bucket moves, trenches are supported to depth, and backfill is compacted in layers so the surface above holds its level for years.
Scope of work
Dirt work priced by what the ground actually holds
Service trenching
Trenches for water, sewer, stormwater and conduit, cut to the width and depth the pipe class and cover requirements call for.
Bulk & detail excavation
Site cut, tank holes, pier and footing excavation, boxing out for slabs and driveways, spoil loaded and removed.
Rock excavation
Rock hammer and ripping through the sandstone and basalt that turns up across the Redlands and Brisbane's western suburbs.
Shoring & trench support
Shields, boxes and battering for deep trenches, with entry controls that satisfy excavation and confined-space requirements.
Service location
Before You Dig plans, electronic locating and hand or vacuum exposure of live services crossing the alignment.
Backfill & reinstatement
Bedding and overlay material, layered compaction, then concrete, asphalt, pavers or turf restored to match the surrounds.
Ground conditions
What South East Queensland ground does to a trench
Soil type changes the method, the plant and the material we bring back to the site. These are the conditions we plan around region by region.
| Ground | Where it shows up | Effect on the dig |
|---|---|---|
| Reactive clay | Much of Brisbane and Logan | Moves with moisture, so bedding and flexible pipe selection matter more than raw trench speed |
| Sandstone & shale | Redlands ridgelines, western Brisbane | Hammer time and imported bedding sand, with slower metres per day through the hard layer |
| Coastal sand | Gold Coast, bayside suburbs | Trench walls collapse without support, so shoring goes in as the trench opens |
| High water table | Low-lying canal and river flats | Dewatering, sumps and discharge approval before pipe can be bedded dry |
| Uncontrolled fill | Older infill and industrial sites | Buried rubble, asbestos risk and unknown services, which changes disposal and testing requirements |
Safety
Trench work is the part that kills people
Excavation collapse and service strikes are the two hazards that define how we run a dig. Controls are documented before mobilisation and enforced on site, not written up afterwards.
- Before You Dig plans obtained, then verified on the ground with locating equipment
- Live services exposed by hand or vacuum excavation, never by machine
- Shoring, benching or battering in place for any trench a person enters
- Spoil set back from the edge, with access ladders and edge protection provided
- SWMS, plant records and operator tickets supplied ahead of site induction
Reinstatement we stand behind
Settlement over a trench is the complaint that arrives six months after everyone has left. Backfill goes in in layers, each one compacted and tested where the surface above demands it, and concrete or asphalt is restored to the thickness that was there before.
Questions
Excavation questions
Do you dig trenches for other plumbers?
Regularly. Plumbing businesses hand us the machine work, deep trenching and mains connections while keeping their client relationship intact. Scope, access and hold points are agreed in writing before we mobilise.
What happens if you hit rock?
Rock is identified in the quote as either included to a nominated depth or priced as a rate, so the variation process is agreed up front. On site we switch to a hammer or rip attachment and record the extent for measurement.
Can you work on tight infill blocks?
Yes. Narrow access is handled with smaller plant, conveyor or barrow spoil removal and staged trenching. Access width, gate positions and overhead clearances are checked at the site visit.
Who removes the spoil?
We do, and the quote states whether spoil is stockpiled on site for reuse or trucked to a licensed facility. Contaminated or suspect material is tested and classified before disposal.
How deep can you trench?
Depth is governed by the design, the ground and the support system rather than the machine. Deep trenches get shields or boxes, and entry is controlled under an excavation permit with a rescue plan in place.
Do you repair the driveway afterwards?
Reinstatement of concrete, asphalt, pavers and turf is quoted as part of the works. The quote names the finish and the area, so what gets restored is settled before the saw comes out.
Related work
Water supply systems
Mains, services and fire feeds installed in the trenches we cut.
Stormwater management
Pits, pipes, detention tanks and subsoil drainage.
About JMP Group
How we work, document jobs and close them out.
Book the machine
Tell us the site, the depth and the surface. Quote back in writing.