The average cost to dig a trench is $950 per 100 linear feet, but prices can range from $400 to $1,200 depending on the purpose of your project, such as a drainage system or laying gas pipes.
You should budget anywhere from $5 to $12 per linear foot to dig a trench. Many home improvement projects, such as reviving a dried out lawn with a sprinkler system or installing new drainage pipes for your yard, require you to dig a trench. The average cost of a trench sits between $400 and $1,200 per 100 linear feet, but what you’ll actually pay depends on what project you’ll be tackling.
Calculations based on the average size of a home trench, which is about 100 linear feet. Calculations rounded to the nearest whole number.
| Conduit materials | 1-inch PVC conduit fittings for 100 linear feet | $50–$300 |
| Trench digging labor | 100 linear feet | $575 |
| Equipment | 100 linear feet | $300–$500 |
| Permits | 1 trench digging permit | $500–$2,000 |
| Fill dirt finishing | 1 truckload | $150–$450 |
| Total | $1,575–$3,825 | |
| Total per Linear Foot | $15.75–$38.25 |
Follow these guidelines for calculating trenching pricing:
Determine linear footage: Start by calculating the total linear feet of the trenching area. You’ll use this figure to calculate the total cost.
Get multiple labor quotes: Shop around to various trenching companies to determine the best deal per linear foot or per job.
Research permit costs: Trenching permit costs vary widely based on location. Contact your local utility agency to determine the permit price in your area.
Don’t forget about dirt: If you plan to fill in the new trench, determine how much dirt you’ll need to purchase and whether to buy by the cubic foot or truckload.
You should budget $5 to $12 per linear foot for your trench-digging project. For larger projects with lengthy digging, obstructions, or difficult soil, your trench cost can increase to $13 to $24 per linear foot.
Most projects will quote you the trenching cost per 100 linear feet. As an example, say you’ve hired a local landscaping expert to solve a drainage problem. They say it’ll cost $800 per 100 linear feet, and the job needs 300 linear feet of trenching. The cost to dig a trench in this scenario is around $2,400.
Beyond linear footage, you’re also going to want to think about size, conduit materials, equipment, labor, prep, foundation, fill dirt finishing, and possible permits. The cost to actually dig a trench is relatively inexpensive, but the real money comes into play when you’re done trenching and need to start installing pipes, wiring, or anything else your project requires.
Depending on the length and depth of the trench, you could pay anywhere from $5 to $1,200 or more. Here are the average costs for digging a trench of a specific size:
| Trench Length | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| 1 ft. | $5–$12 |
| 2 ft. | $10–$24 |
| 3 ft. | $15–$36 |
| 5 ft. | $25–$60 |
| 10 ft. | $50–$120 |
| 15 ft. | $75–$180 |
| 25 ft. | $125–$300 |
| 50 ft. | $250–$600 |
| 100 ft. | $500–$1,200 |
Underground conduits house electrical wires, natural gas lines, water lines, sewer lines, and other utilities. These conduits help to protect the wiring from moisture and damage. Here’s what you can expect to pay for conduit materials:
| Conduit Material | Average Price per Linear Foot |
|---|---|
| 1-Inch PVC Conduit Fittings | $0.50–$3 |
| Non-Metallic ½-Inch PVC Pipe | $4.25–$8.25 |
| Polyethylene (PEX) Piping | $0.40–$4 |
| 4-Inch PVC Piping | $1–$9 |
| Copper Piping | $2–$12 |
| 2-Inch Black Steel Pipe | $7–$15 |
Labor costs around $5.75 per linear foot. So if your home project requires a trench that is 200 linear feet, then you’re looking at spending around $1,150 in labor costs. But this often means that all the hard work is taken care of for you, so you get to sit back and relax.
Additionally, the average cost of excavation is $3,200, or $120 to $150 per hour—but your total labor costs will depend on soil type, leveling needs, accessibility, grading, and the size of the area. Working with soft, loose soil on level landscapes will cost less than trenching rocky, hilly yards.
Your costs will increase if your yard has obstructions that block the digging of the trench. You may need to hire a professional to take care of these issues before beginning your project:
Tree removal: $200–$2,000
Tree stump removal: $175–$550
Yard leveling: $1,017–$3,296
Yard cleanup: $190–$1,000
Equipment costs around $3 to $5 per linear foot, on top of labor costs. If you own your equipment or if you hire a local backyard landscaping company that does, then you might be able to get this price down. Otherwise, renting equipment tends to jack up the price.
You’ll need to get into contact with the city or county when it comes to pulling permits. While you might not need a permit to dig a trench yourself, you’ll likely need a permit to install a utility like water or sewage. Permits typically cost around $500 to $2,000, depending on your city.
The majority of trench projects require trenches that are less than five feet deep. However, if your project requires digging a trench that’s deeper than five feet, you’ll need to factor in the extra cost of adding shoring or protective barriers—with steel beams or wood planks—to prevent the trench from collapsing on workers.
Once your trench digging project is complete, you’ll want to add fill dirt. Fill dirt simply fills in the trench hole. You can expect to pay between $5 to $15 per cubic yard or $150 to $450 per truckload. For larger trench projects, you should budget more. For example, fill dirt for construction projects costs $10 to $30 per cubic yard, and septic fill dirt runs $12 to $30 per ton.
The true cost to dig a trench comes from the price of the project you’re working on after you’ve dug the trench. Installing wires, pipes, and other materials requires permits and specialized equipment, so you might be in contact with your city more than ever before.
Keep in mind that many utility companies or specialists will insist that they dig the trench themselves, so these prices include the cost of digging the trench plus the installation of the project. Here’s what you can expect to pay per trench project:
| Trench Project | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Drainage System | $2,111–$6,775 |
| Underground Electrical | $600–$2,100 |
| Water Lines | $800–$3,000 |
| Sewage System | $1,439–$5,724 |
| Gas Pipes | $300–$800 |
| HVAC System | $5,000–$12,500 |
| New Foundation | $5,100–$19,400 |
| Retaining Wall | $3,200–$9,201 |
| Basement Waterproofing | $2,335–$7,685 |
The trenching costs for a drainage system sit around $2,111 to $6,775, depending on if you do the trenching yourself. Those with yard drainage issues like excess flooding and soggy yards can opt to install a drainage system to help save their yard.
Installing underground electrical can help you out during natural disasters, as they tend to be more shielded from the elements than above-ground wires. You may also need electrical trenching for a hot tub installation, whole-home generator installation, or a new electrical panel. Electrical trenching costs around $600 to $2,100.
Looking to upgrade your water lines or add a new addition like a bathroom? Other water line installation projects include swimming pool installation, sprinkler system installation, and well digging. Installing new water pipes will run you from around $800 to $3,000, including the cost of the trench.
A sewage system project costs around $1,439 to $5,724. This project typically costs more than some other common projects because the city needs to hook you up to their system without causing problems to other people’s sewage systems. You need to ensure that your new pipes don’t cause your neighbor’s pipes to back up and cause a sewage flood, so installing sewage pipes requires careful construction.
Want to finally take the leap into cooking with a gas stove, but need the pipes laid first? Hooking up new gas lines will cost around $300 to $800 to install.
Not all HVAC systems are in the walls of the house. Some are buried underneath and around the house to keep the ducts from being exposed to harsh weather. A new HVAC system will cost around $5,000 to $12,500, depending on the type of material used for the ductwork.
Adding foundation to the property can range anywhere from $5,100 to $19,400. If you only need a section added or replaced, you’ll be on the lower end of that cost. But if your entire foundation needs replacing, expect to pay the higher end.
You can expect to spend between $3,200 and $9,201 to build a retaining wall. Retaining walls help prevent erosion and flooding and add structural support to your home’s foundation. Depending on the length, depth, and materials used, you could pay anywhere from $60 to $70 per linear foot.
You’ll pay anywhere from $2,335 to $7,685 for basement waterproofing. Typically, most of your waterproofing payment will go toward installing a sump pump drainage system, which moves water out of your home through a trench conduit.
However, if your contractor can’t access basement walls from the interior of your home, they will need to do a deep outdoor trench excavation, which can cost $120 to $220 per linear foot.
Digging a trench yourself is a fairly easy process if you don’t mind getting dirty and can dig effectively. A micro-trencher rental will cost around $125 per day, but if you have your own, then you’ll save money there.
Other items you want on hand are:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Sheets of plywood | $20 per sheet |
| Shovels and spades | $12–$100 |
| Diaphragm hand pump | $90 |
| Flagging Tape | $5 |
As for the installation of utilities, you should definitely leave that to the utility company or to any pros that you hire.
As stated above, if you dig a trench yourself, you’ll save on labor costs. However, we recommend hiring an excavation company near you. Professional excavators have the tools, knowledge, and experience to ensure correct trench digging. Excavation pros also know how to deal with obstructions, tough soil, and water—and how to use heavy machinery properly.
Although you can’t change the cost per linear foot, there are ways you can save while digging a trench, including:
Get at least 3 quotes from local excavation companies.
Take care of all the prep work before the trenching begins.
Handle clean up yourself.
Dig the trench yourself and save the utility installation for the professionals.
Schedule your trenching project during the warm season when snow, ice, and water won’t be a problem.
Matt Marandola contributed to this piece.
On average, you’re looking at about 12 hours to dig 100 linear feet. Your actual work time will come down to how many twists and turns there are when digging—such as rocky soil, tree roots, obstructions, and whether the ground is frozen.
Trenches are typically 12 inches to 24 inches deep and 8 inches wide. However, your city or county may have specific ordinances that clarify the dimensions needed for the project. For instance, a water pipe may need to be 24 inches deep, but a drainage pipe may need to be 36 inches deep.
You may need to lay sod on the areas you dug up once you get the okay from the contractor. It will take about 30 to 45 days for the sod to take root.
