Trenchless Underground Utility Services
Stateline Directional Drilling offers four ways to get conduit and pipe underground: directional drilling, missile boring, GPR locating before you dig, and trenching where a cut is the better fit.
Services
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GPR Utility Locating
GPR utility locating uses ground penetrating radar to map buried lines, including private ones that 811 member utilities don't mark, such as irrigation, site lighting and private water or electric.
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Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD)
Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) installs conduit and pipe along a steered, tracked path underground, so roads, driveways, slabs and waterways stay intact.
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Missile Boring
Missile boring drives a compressed-air piercing tool through the soil in a straight line, pulling small conduit or pipe under a driveway, sidewalk or walkway without cutting it.
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Trenching
Utility trenching opens a narrow cut to place conduit or pipe at a set depth, then backfills it.
How the methods compare
Bore length and what is on the surface usually decide the method; this table shows the trade-offs.
| Method | Run length | Product diameter | Surface impact | Relative cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GPR Utility Locating | n/a (survey) | n/a | None | Per area |
| Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) | Long, steerable | Small to large | Two pits | Higher setup |
| Missile Boring | Short, straight | Small | Two small pits | Lowest |
| Trenching | Any | Any | Full open cut | Low, plus restoration |
How to choose a method
Start with what is on the surface. If the run crosses a road, a finished driveway, a slab or water, a trenchless method avoids cutting and restoring it, and road owners often require one. If the run is across open ground with nothing to restore, a trench is usually simplest.
Then look at length and whether the path is straight. A short, straight shot of small conduit under a driveway or walk is the classic missile bore: two small pits and a pneumatic tool. Anything long, curved, deep, or close to other utilities needs a steerable directional drill, because the head can be tracked and corrected every rod.
Finally, find out what is already in the ground before choosing anything. In Florida, the 811 ticket covers only member utilities; private lines such as irrigation, lighting and private services need a separate locate. A GPR sweep along the planned path is the cheapest insurance on any bore or trench.
Get a bore quoted
Send the footage, product size and crossing, and we will reply with a quote or the questions we need answered.