STA 0+00 · BEGIN
Services / Underground Utilities
Utilities · Service 05
Underground Utilities and Directional Drilling
Underground utility work has to fit around what’s already in the ground and what’s being built on top of it. At V&H Construction, we install underground utilities for municipal utilities, public works departments, developers and general contractors: water and sewer mains, force mains and lift stations, line relocations and replacements, and horizontal directional drilling where an open cut isn’t practical. We work from Lehigh Acres across Southwest Florida.
Call (239) 841-6400 or invite V&H to bid to go over your utility plans.
STA 1+00 · SCOPE
Define the Underground Utilities Scope
Section A–A / alignment. Show where the line runs and what it crosses.
A short service extension and a long main replacement call for different crews and equipment. Show us the alignment, the depths and every crossing the line has to make.
01
Water mains and services
New water mains, service lines and connections to existing systems, following the utility owner’s standards in the contract documents.
02
Sewer and force mains
Sewer mains and pressurized force mains, with the connections shown on the plans.
03
Lift stations
Lift station construction as part of a sewer system or a development package.
04
Horizontal directional drilling
Trenchless crossings under roads, driveways, canals and other features where an open cut isn’t allowed or practical.
05
Utility relocation and replacement
Moving or replacing existing lines that conflict with new road, drainage or site work.
06
Pipe bursting and trenchless replacement
Replacing existing municipal lines in place by pipe bursting and other trenchless methods.
07
Excavation and trenching
Open-cut trenching, bedding and backfill for new lines, with shoring where depth or ground conditions call for it.
The utility drawings and the owner’s specifications set the actual requirements. Point us to the sheets that cover your part of the work.
STA 2+00 · INTERFACES
Section B–B · Adjoining work
Know What’s Already in the Ground
New lines cross existing water, sewer, gas, power and communication lines, and they often run under pavement, sidewalks and drainage. Include the utility plans, any locate or survey information you have, and the restoration requirements for the surfaces the work disturbs.
For the pavement and sidewalks above a utility job, see roadwork and concrete. Storm pipe is covered on our drainage page.
Backfill & cover
Pipe bedding
Typical section
Trench wall → pipe zone
STA 3+00 · DOCUMENTS
Crossings, Connections and Timing
List the crossings that need special handling, such as roads, canals or rail, and say whether the plans call for an open cut or a directional bore at each one. Note any connection that needs a shutdown or coordination with the utility owner.
Send the bid due date and the planned construction window separately. If pressure testing and disinfection are part of the work, include those specifications so the scope is complete from the start.
Send with the inquiry
01 Utility plans, profiles and details
02 Crossing locations and methods
03 Utility owner standards and specifications
04 Bid due date and construction window
STA 4+00 · QUESTIONS
Underground Utility Questions
01 When does directional drilling make more sense than an open cut? −
Directional drilling usually fits when a line has to cross a road, driveway, canal or other feature that can’t be dug up, or when restoring the surface would cost more than the bore. Soil conditions, pipe size and crossing length decide whether it’s practical, and the plans often specify the method.
02 Do you install both water and sewer lines? +
Yes. Water mains and service lines, sewer and force mains, and lift stations are all part of our utility work. Tell us which systems are in the package and who owns them.
03 What affects the cost of underground utility work? +
Pipe size and material, depth, length, the number of crossings and connections, soil and groundwater conditions, and surface restoration all shape the price. Plans with profiles and crossing details let us price the project instead of guessing per foot.
04 Can you relocate utilities ahead of a road or drainage project? +
Yes. We move and replace water and sewer lines that are in the way of new road, drainage or site improvements. Share the conflict locations and the utility owner’s requirements with the invitation.
05 Do you work in the right-of-way and on private sites? +
Both. We work on public utility projects in the road right-of-way and on private developments where the site’s water and sewer tie into public mains.
06 Do you handle emergency utility repairs? +
Yes. We take on emergency and after-hours repairs such as water main breaks. Call (239) 841-6400 and tell us where the failure is and what it’s affecting.
STA 5+00 · THE WORK
Illustration
A directional drill set up to bore beneath a road
Choosing between a bore and an open cut
Show us where each crossing is and what sits on the surface above it. That tells us whether a bore, an open cut or a mix of both suits the alignment.
STA 6+00 · SEND
Route A · Owners, GCs & developers
Send the Utility Package
Start with the site plan and the utility sheets. The full list of our civil construction services and the markets we work in are both on the site, and the contact page handles general questions. Call (239) 841-6400 or send the utility plans with the bid deadline.
Route B · Subcontractors & suppliers
Subcontractors
and suppliers
Subcontractors and suppliers looking to bid with us should start at the bid room.
Appendix · Utility terms
Terms on a Utility Sheet
Four terms that come up on most water and sewer plans.
Term 01
Force main
A pressurized sewer line that carries flow from a lift station instead of relying on gravity.
Term 02
Pilot bore
The first, small-diameter pass of a directional drill. It’s steered along the planned path before the hole is enlarged and the pipe is pulled back.
Term 03
Tapping sleeve
A fitting that lets a new line connect to a main while the main stays in service.
Term 04
Restoration
Putting back the pavement, sidewalk, sod or other surfaces disturbed by the work, as the plans specify.
Site index
Where to Go Next
Utility work often comes with site development and road restoration.
Services
Company
From the field
V&H Construction · Lehigh Acres, Florida · (239) 841-6400