Looking to hire hydro excavation services but aren't sure if it's worth the cost? Check out the many ways that this process could make your job site safer!

Want to learn about the history of hydro excavation? Read our blog to discover more! If you have any questions about hydro excavation, contact our team.

The construction industry has a lot of equipment and strategies it uses to get the work done. Some of the equipment has been around for ages, while others keep budding up to make work easier. One of the common pieces in the industry is a hydro excavator. A hydro excavator is a machine used to dig and retrieve items buried in the deep layers of the soil. This process is called hydro excavation. If all this sounds like jargon, read on to understand what hydro excavatin is and how it works. What is Hydro Excavation? Hydro excavation is the process of using pressurized water to soften soil when retrieving things from underground. Traditionally, people used excavators and other machinery to dig out utility pipes or things hidden in the soil. While these were effective, they would cause damage to the items being dug out. For this reason, crews are opting for the less damaging process of hydro excavation. As the name suggests, hydro excavation uses water to draw out items from underground. The workers use pressurized water and point it at the points they want to excavate. The water creates a muddy slurry which is easy to suck up the soil's deeper layers. This modern excavation formula has led to the growth of the excavation industry. According to the IBIS World, the excavators' contractor industry has grown exponentially in recent years. Between 2016 and 2012, the industry has seen 4.4% yearly growth, hitting $80.2 in 2021. How Hydro Excavation Is Used To Unearth Utility Pipes When a team needs to remove utility pipes from underground, they bring a hydro excavation truck to deliver the pressurized water. According to Dig Different, one hydro excavation truck can carry up to 11 cubic yards of dirt or 1350 gallons of water. While at work, the team releases the water onto the ground to form an easily vaccumable slurry. The slurry is then poured into the truck, as the teams remove the utility pipes. After the work is done, the slurry is redeposited on the same area to dry up. The hydro excavation equipment can be used for big projects and lighter ones. A big excavation project uses a positive displacement blower, while lighter projects use a fan system. Hydro excavation is the best and least damaging process of digging up things from the underground. Excavation contractors use the strategy to dig up utility pipes without damaging them. It is a welcome strategy to replace the heavy machinery excavation methods that damage items and cause pollution.

Hydro excavation is a modern digging method that utilizes water and a vacuum to burrow underground. This innovative form of digging relies on specialized machinery and well-trained employees to ensure the operation runs smoothly, making it essential to know how to find the best hydro excavation service for the job. Let's take a look. Read Online Reviews When a customer has a negative experience with a business, they're more likely to leave detailed feedback in an attempt to warn future customers. If a business has multiple bad reviews on its website or a low rating, that's a red flag. It's generally safe to avoid working with these companies in favor of ones that have positive reviews on their sites. Check for responses to reviews, too. When a company takes the time to respond to online reviews or make things right with a dissatisfied customer, make a mental note of that. It could be a sign that the employees will go above and beyond to do the same for you. Ask About Experience Companies that specialize in a hydro excavation service need to have the right experience. They should be certified and properly trained. More than anything, businesses should be able to provide you with examples of real-life projects that they've completed. Asking for references is a great way to ensure that the company you hire is experienced enough to get the job done correctly. Negotiate Price You should always look at the price when hiring a contractor. If a person offers a hydro excavation service at a severely discounted price, it may be that way for a reason. For example, they may have unreliable equipment or don't invest in training employees and business insurance. It's recommended that you avoid something if it seems too good to be true. At the same time, you also don't want to overpay for services. Companies that do manual excavation and a hydro excavation service often charge a higher price. Make sure that the company you hire is performing the job to your standards. After that, if the price is still much higher than competitors, it may be time to consider whether you're being overcharged and to start negotiating about it. Insurance Verification If a company makes a mistake on your property or one of its employees gets injured, liability insurance would cover it. According to the Canadian Common Ground Alliance, excavation projects that go wrong can cost millions of dollars in damage. Make sure that any company you work with has insurance to protect yourself from paying for their mistakes. When searching for a company that offers a hydro excavation service, it's essential to look for these things to guarantee that the job gets done right the first time. Contact Associated Hydro Excavating for more information or to get started with our services. We look forward to working with you.