Trenching Utilities (seeking advice)

[ac2520]

Long time lurker with very few posts, but have learned quite a bit from the folks here.

I have 7 acres in Western Kentucky that will eventually become our retirement home. This year I have decided to move forward to getting the utilities done and hopefully a dried in 1100sq ft home/cabin.

First steps are electric and water. I have a 700 feet run for both and both have to be underground. The electric company is a co-op and requires I pay for the cable @ $12.37/ft that's ~$8700. Once I make this my primary residence, I get this money back minus 10% per year times the number of years it takes me to make it my primary residence. I think this is fair since they need to make certain I follow-up with the build. They are also covering the transformer that will be installed in the property. The 700 ft run requires this be a primary line due to the voltage drop at this length.

Since I currently live 6 hours away, I really need to have this work contracted out and this is where I need some advice.
Requirements for electricity:
* 4 feet deep
* underground conduit
* 30 inches separation from any other utility (i.e. water lines)

Requirements for water line
* 30 inches deep
* 30 inches separation from other utilities

The first contractor estimated $11200 for 2 parallel trenches 30 inches apart. This will be turnkey (parts and labor, minus the cable which I pay the electric company directly) for temporary electric panel and water spigot. He has done work for a neighbor and does quality work.
Does this sounds like a fair price? The path is along the right side of a stone driveway with some trees to navigate/remove. (See attached pics if I can successfully upload).

The pictures show the driveway from front to back


Another option can be to have the contractor go 5 ft deep with the electricity and then install the water line in the same trench 30 inches away, but I don't have a price for that. This is allowed since this is how the neighbor had his done. I figure it may be a bit cheaper since only one trench needs to be dug, but maybe the extra foot would not make it that much cheaper.

I have a Bradco 612 3pt trencher that can go 3 ft deep so I can trench the water line, but not the electric, but frankly probably cannot get it done in the course of a weekend or two. So I'd hate to leave an open trench for an extended period of time.

I guess I'd like to hear whether this is a fair estimate since I have no idea of what this should cost. Any and all input is appreciated. Thanks.

 

[oosik]

Get another estimate and see how they compare. I would definitely put each utility in its own trench. Future digging for repairs could really screw things up.

 

[Dishpointer]

I just trenched 1100 feet for electricity last weekend. I hired out the trenching and glued/installed the 2" conduit as they were trenching. I added the pull cord as I went and we were able to get it done in 6 hours. The contractors around here charge $1/foot and he dug the trench 5 foot deep. I purchased all of the supplies and I ended up paying $600 for the 2" conduit and 36" sweeps.

 

[SRMN8R]

Get another estimate and see how they compare. I would definitely put each utility in its own trench. Future digging for repairs could really screw things up.

^ I agree! ^

 

[ac2520]

Thanks everyone. I have called another contractor and left a message trying to setup getting another estimate.
I also plan to ask the electric company field engineer for names of any other contractor he recommends. Not being in or from the area makes it difficult to find contractors. Thanks again.

 

[mjcountrybumpkin]

Sounds incredibly high to me. Is the contractor using 1" copper or something ridiculously expensive for the water ?
Get several estimates. Just because someone does good work doesn't mean they are worth double

 

[jel1988]

Seems awful steep to me. As a contractor I would estimate my sub would complete the trench in a shift and backfill in 1/2 a shift and 1/2 a shift transport to and from his yard. In my world this would cost 16 hrs @ 110 per plus installing the conduit a water line ( one man plus helper for an easy day about 400 + material). I don't know what size shovel your looking at but I'd send one with at least a 24" bucket digging a 3' wide trench placing one utility on each side. All up shouldn't be more than 4g's to hire it out.

 

[NewfieDan]

Do they two utilities have to be 30" apart. For example, here in Canada you can put both utilities in the same trench but there has to be a physical barrier between the two. Will the utilities be covered with pavement? Some jurisdictions allow the electric to be shallower if there is a hard physical barrier above them.

When I built a garage a few years ago I put in natural gas and electric but had pressure treated wood between the two. This was acceptable to the inspector. This might let dig one trench that isn't quite so deep as you mentioned.

Do you have to use conduit? Can you put in a direct burial cable? Something like a teck cable? Cable in conduit can be changed much easier later if needed, but once a direct burial cable is in its there for life. With sand around it you will never have to worry about moisture, rodents or any other issues. You will only have to buy a couple lengths of conduit. This is for the entry into your house and where it ties into the utility company.

This may be worth the phone call to ask the utility company.

 

[EddieWalker]

My driveway is 800 feet long and I installed my water line myself. It's not hard to dig the trench or install the pipe, but for some reason, when you go to hire a company to do it, they rape you. I was quoted $30,000 to install my water line, which included water and a road bore under a State Highway. Ten grand was just going under the highway. I shopped around and found a guy who does it all the time that charged me $6,000 and I did the rest.

I don't know what you make in a week, but for what they are charging, I would take a week vacation, rent a trencher and do it yourself. Rental of a big trencher is a couple hundred bucks for the day. Lets say $500 at the top end. You should be able to do both trenches in a day fairly easily. Then you will need to clean out the trench to get the bottom smooth. That should be another day. Installing the water line will take another day. Then one more day for the electrical line. And on the fifth day you cover it all up and smooth it out. Probably best to rent that trencher again if it has a blade on the front of it, so another $500 max for the rental.

One week by yourself, $1,000 in rental fees and whatever the materials will cost you compared to $11,000, with about ten grand being profit for whoever you hire. Seems like an easy choice.

Eddie

 

[radioman]

You already have a trencher, but you want to hire out the work? Sorry ... I'm frugal. I make things work with what I have. If I was in your shoes, I would be taking a week off for vacation. I would be up that weekend trenching and then installing water lines and get it inspected first thing monday and fill it in. I would thing be trenching 30 inches away or more for the electric line and then go rent a deeper trencher for half a day. This way - you would get most of the hole dug out with your trencher so time and money is not all lost. Getting a deeper trencher will allow you to comply with the electric requirements deepness but stil lsaving money in the process. Take rental back before half day is up. Then go ahead and glue up the electric conduit pipe and get it inspected so you can fill it in before the week is over and go home and recooperate. Even if you took a week off unpaid, I would venture a guess that its cheaper then paying out 11 grand worth of work you can do in a week or two.