Underground Services and Trenching

If you’re building, renovating, or setting up a new service to your home, bach or shed, chances are you’ll need trenching for underground cabling or pipework. Power, water, gas, fibre – it all needs to get from A to B safely, and cleanly.

That’s where we come in, with the gear, the experience, and a tidy approach that saves you time and stress. Davies Electrical Director, Tony Davies, talks us through the ins and outs.

Trenching is more than just digging a hole

When it comes to underground services, there are rules around depth, separation between utilities, and the kind of conduit or protection each service needs. Power can’t just sit next to water or gas, and fibre needs to be handled with care.

I make sure everything’s compliant with current NZ standards – from council setbacks to minimum burial depths – so you’re covered for inspections and future upgrades.

Safety first: I use a CAT4 cable avoidance tool

Before any excavation begins, I always scan the area using my CAT4 cable avoidance tool. This bit of kit helps me locate underground cables, power lines, phone cables, and pipelines, so we avoid any nasty surprises.

It’s a key part of working safely and gives you peace of mind that we’re not going to accidentally take out your power or hit something we shouldn’t.

I’ve got the machinery to do it right

Not every electrician brings their own machinery and gear, but I’ve invested in the right tools for the job.

I run a 1.8-tonne digger for general trenching and heavier work – perfect for lifestyle blocks, driveways, or tricky terrain. For tighter spaces or long narrow runs, I’ve got a C24X Ditch Witch walk-behind trencher that can knock out a clean, efficient trench without tearing up half your section.

This means less mess, faster turnaround, and no waiting around for another contractor to show up. I do it all myself – power trenching, conduit install, and backfill – so you get one point of contact and a job done right, first time.

Power, fibre, water and gas – all sorted with quality, detail and care

I regularly do underground installs for:

• Mains power to new builds, garages or pump sheds

• Fibre/data for rural internet or security systems

• Water pipe runs for tanks and troughs

• Gas line preps, in coordination with gas fitters

And if you’re going off-grid, I can trench in cables between solar panels, batteries and inverters – no problem.

Want a price?

Costs can vary depending on distance, terrain and how many services we’re running, but I’m always happy to pop out, take a look, and give you a proper quote. No guesswork, and no shortcuts.

If you need safe, tidy underground trenching and want a trusted electrician with the right machinery and safety tools to make it easy, give me a call.