Check a proposed route
You are planning a new duct or pipe route and need to investigate a crossing before the main works. Share the proposed investigation points and the questions your designer needs answered.
Explore trial holes ↗J LASHMAR & SON / OUR SERVICES
The right approach. Below ground.
Suction excavation support for utilities, drainage and groundworks. Serving the South East, with nationwide work available by arrangement. Explore our services, then talk to our team about the requirements of your site.
01◎
Trial holes
Understand the ground before the main works. Targeted excavation to investigate buried services and site conditions.
Explore this service ↗02⌁
Utility exposure
Expose existing services for inspection, repairs and connections, with work planned around your site requirements.
Explore this service ↗03↳
Drainage & connections
Excavation support around drainage runs, connection points and areas where careful access matters.
Explore this service ↗04▱
Groundworks support
Localised material removal for civil engineering and groundworks projects.
Explore this service ↗Suction excavation can reduce reliance on mechanical digging around buried services. Site assessment, service information and safe working methods remain essential.
UNDERSTANDING THE METHOD
What is suction excavation?
A targeted way to remove material and reveal what lies beneath the surface.
Suction excavation, also called vacuum excavation or vac-ex, uses a strong airflow to draw loosened material through a hose into a collection tank. Ground is loosened using a method suited to the material and the services nearby, then removed progressively from the work area.
It is often considered where a project needs a small, defined excavation around existing infrastructure. Removing material in stages can help expose an asset for a closer look before the next part of the job begins.
Where it fits into your project
A trial hole might help establish whether a proposed route meets an existing service. Utility exposure may provide access for a specialist contractor to inspect an asset. Drainage or groundworks teams may need a local excavation before they can carry out their own work. The first question is what you need to achieve, rather than simply how much ground needs removing.
Our team will discuss the excavation footprint, access and material handling with you so the requested work is clearly defined.
Discuss your site with our team ↗MATCH THE SERVICE TO THE TASK
Start with the job you need to do.
These example briefs show how excavation can support the next stage of a project.
Access an existing asset
Your utility contractor needs a defined section exposed for inspection or planned work. Identify the asset, the required working area and who needs to attend once it is accessible.
Explore utility exposure ↗Prepare for a connection
Your drainage or groundworks team needs an area excavated before the next trade can start. Explain the intended connection, site constraints and how the handover will be coordinated.
Explore drainage support ↗BEFORE YOU BOOK
A useful brief.
A clearer quotation.
A few site details help us understand the job and explain the proposed charges.
Tell us about the work area
Include the site postcode, photos, the purpose of the excavation and approximate length, width and depth. Tell us about the surface, known ground conditions and any previous excavation in the area.
Explain access and arrangements
Let us know where a truck could stand, how the work area is reached and whether there are delivery windows, pedestrian routes or other trades to coordinate with. Please identify who will arrange site permissions, traffic management, opening the surface and reinstatement where required.
Agree what the quotation includes
We discuss the working period, travel, diesel and tipping or disposal arrangements before confirming the booking. If you need several visits or work outside our usual area, tell us at the enquiry stage so the quotation reflects the programme.
Send your project details ↗COMMON QUESTIONS
Know what to expect.
Is suction excavation the same as vacuum excavation?
The terms are commonly used for the same general approach: drawing loosened material away through a suction hose. The equipment and ground-loosening method depend on the task and site conditions.
Does it replace a utility survey?
No. Excavation and locating services are different tasks. Available records and survey information help plan the work; exposure can then help establish what is present at a particular point. HSE guidance sets out the importance of planning, locating and identifying services, and suitable excavation methods.
Read HSE guidance on underground services ↗What affects the cost of a suction excavation job?
The work period, site location, access, expected material and excavation size all help define the quotation. Our team will explain the agreed working time and any travel, fuel, tipping or additional charges, together with the VAT treatment. Agree the inclusions in writing so you can compare quotations on the same basis.
Does the truck have to stand beside the excavation?
Tell us the distance between the proposed truck position and the work area, including changes in level, corners and any obstructions. Hose access and vehicle access are separate considerations; the team will review the layout before confirming what is suitable.
What if the site requirements change?
Contact our team with the revised location, dimensions, material or working hours. A change in scope may affect the planned visit and quotation, so agree the revised arrangements before additional work proceeds.
Can you quote from photographs?
Photographs are a helpful starting point, particularly for access and the proposed truck position. We may need drawings, dimensions or further site information before agreeing the scope and price.
Is there a fixed digging speed or maximum depth?
Output and reach depend on the ground, excavation layout, access and equipment used. Share your required dimensions and programme with our team so suitability can be reviewed for your particular site.
What happens to the excavated material?
Material handling and tipping or disposal arrangements form part of the agreed scope. Tell us about the expected material and any existing site information before booking, including who will provide a tipping location if that is proposed.
Do you take on work outside the South East?
Yes. We welcome enquiries across Sussex, Surrey and Kent, with national work available by arrangement. Send the location, expected duration and programme so travel and the wider booking arrangements can be discussed.
LET’S GET YOUR PROJECT MOVING
A better start.
From the ground up.
Request your booking ↗Have a question? Email our team