Trenching in Northern Colorado.
Precise trenching for water, sewer, gas, electric, drainage, and irrigation lines.
About Trenching.
Trenching looks simple from the outside — dig a line, drop pipe, fill it back in. The reality has more moving parts: locating existing utilities so you don't hit them, going to the right depth for frost and load, bedding pipe so it doesn't crack, backfilling in compacted lifts so the surface doesn't settle a year from now, and restoring whatever was on top so you can't see the line ever ran.
NLS handles trenching for water, sewer, gas, electric, drainage, and irrigation lines across Northern Colorado. We pull the 811 ticket as part of the job, verify locates on-site before any blade hits the dirt, and shore or slope walls per OSHA on anything over 5' deep. We can do dig-only if you're running pipe in-house, or coordinate licensed plumbing and electrical sub-trades end-to-end.
Compact track loaders for tight backyards (we fit through 5' gates), full-size excavators for deeper utility trenching — equipment matched to the access and the depth.
What's included.
- 811 locates ordered and verified before digging
- Open-cut trenching for utilities, drainage, and irrigation
- Pipe bedding, haunching, and tracer wire as required
- Backfill and surface restoration matched to existing use
How we execute.
- Step 01Locate & layout
Mark the line, verify locates, plan the route for safety and access.
- Step 02Trench
Cut to depth and width. Steep walls shored or sloped per OSHA.
- Step 03Install
Bed pipe, place line, run tracer wire — by us or your sub-trade.
- Step 04Restore
Backfill in compacted lifts and restore the surface to what was there before.
Why NLS for trenching.
We compete on getting the dirt right the first time. Hire us once, hire us again — and tell your neighbor. That's the whole business plan.
811 ticket, on-site verification, and a route plan that avoids what's already in the ground.
Frost depth, code, and load — we go to the right depth for the line, not whatever was easy.
Anything over 5' deep is shored or sloped per OSHA. Crew safety is non-negotiable.
Compacted lifts, surface restored to match. You won't see where the line ran.
Common questions.
Do I need to call locates myself? +
We handle the 811 ticket as part of the job. You don't need to lift a finger.
How deep do you trench for water lines? +
In Northern Colorado, water lines are typically 5' minimum to stay below frost. We follow local code.
Do you install the pipe or just the trench? +
Either. We can dig only, or coordinate licensed plumbing/electrical sub-trades end-to-end.
Can you trench in tight backyards? +
Yes — our compact track loaders fit through 5' gates.
We offer Trenching across the region.
More services we offer.
- Grading & Leveling
Survey-grade GPS grading for pads, slabs, driveways, and roads. Tight tolerances, clean finish.
- Roads & Driveways
From rural ranch drives to subdivision streets — properly cut, based, crowned, and surfaced.
- Land Clearing
Trees, brush, and overgrowth cleared and hauled. Property reset, ready for what's next.
- Culverts & Drainage
Culverts sized and placed for the runoff your site actually gets, plus the drainage work to keep water moving.
Let's get the job done.
Free, no-pressure quote. Tell us what you're building or fixing — we'll tell you what it takes and when we can be on-site. Same-day response on weekdays.