PG&E APPROVED • OQ CERTIFIED CREWS
Utility Trenching in Santa Clara County
Gas, electrical, and joint trench excavation for homes, ADUs, and commercial sites from Palo Alto to Gilroy. We dig to PG&E spec, pull the encroachment permits, and put the surface back the way we found it.
South Bay Trenching
Built for Santa Clara County Projects
Most of the trenching demand in Santa Clara County right now comes from electrification: panel upgrades, EV chargers, all-electric remodels, and ADUs that need their own underground services. Each of those projects needs a trench cut to PG&E specification, conduit or pipe installed on proper bedding, and backfill that passes compaction testing.
The complication is that every city runs its own permit counter. An encroachment permit in San Jose is a different process than one in Los Gatos, Sunnyvale, or Gilroy, and all of them require USA North 811 markings before a bucket touches soil. We handle that paperwork as part of the job, the same utility trenching service we run across the Bay Area.
Our crews carry current PG&E Operator Qualification credentials for both gas and electrical tasks, which means we can work directly on trenches that connect to PG&E facilities instead of stopping at the property line and waiting for another contractor.
Scope of Work
What We Trench in Santa Clara County
Gas & Electrical Trenching
Open-cut trenches for new gas service lines at 18 to 24 inches of cover, and electrical conduit runs at 24 to 36. We install sand bedding and pipe protection, pothole by hand around existing utilities, and coordinate the PG&E inspection so the line can be energized or gassed up on schedule.
Joint Trench & Wet Utilities
Multi-utility joint trenches that carry gas, electric, and telecom in one excavation, sequenced to each utility's separation requirements. We also cut trenches for water lines and sewer laterals, so one contractor can carry a project's full underground scope.
County Coverage
Trenching Across Santa Clara County
Working in San Jose? See our San Jose services page. We also trench in San Mateo County and Alameda County.
Common Questions
Santa Clara County Trenching FAQ
Yes. Every city in the county runs its own encroachment and excavation permits, from San Jose Public Works to the smaller counters in Los Gatos and Saratoga. We pull the permits, schedule USA North 811 utility markings, and confirm PG&E clearances before the excavator arrives.
Yes. Our crew holds current Operator Qualification credentials for gas and electrical tasks, the certification PG&E requires for trenching that affects its facilities. That covers service line trenches, conduit runs, transformer pads, and joint trench packages.
Yes. Many South Bay upgrades need a new underground electrical run: conduit trenching from the street or a detached garage, duct banks for larger services, and coordination between your electrician and PG&E. We cut the trench to the required 24 to 36 inches of cover, install conduit bedding, and backfill with compaction testing.
It depends on four things: trench depth (gas typically needs 18 to 24 inches of cover, electrical 24 to 36), trench length, the surface we cut through (landscape, asphalt, or concrete), and your city permit requirements. After a site visit we give you a written estimate, free.
Most residential trenches are open and closed in one to three days. Commercial and joint trench projects run one to two weeks depending on permits and utility scheduling. We keep the trench plated and the site safe any time work pauses.
Planning a Trenching Project in Santa Clara County?
Send us the scope and we'll walk the site. Free written estimates. Or call (650) 532-4866.