What a Test Hole Costs
Utility potholing is priced per hole, and in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties that figure sits between $500 and $700. Where a given hole lands in that band comes down to what is on top of it and how deep the utility sits.
Grass & Unpaved
Lower end of the range. No saw cutting, spoil goes straight back in, sod replaced.
Asphalt
Mid range. The surface is core cut, then patched back and compacted in kind.
Concrete
Upper end. Thicker, often reinforced, and the patch has to cure before the surface returns to service.
Mobilization
Quoted separately per trip. Grouping holes onto one mobilization is the single biggest saving available to you.
What Is Included in the Price
Every test hole we quote covers the whole cycle, not just the digging:
- Locating the utility first — electromagnetic and GPR — so we open the ground in the right place.
- Vacuum excavation with air or water, chosen for the ground conditions on the day.
- Measurement at the exposed utility: depth to top of pipe, outside diameter and material.
- Sub-inch GPS position tied to your project control.
- Photographs of the open hole with the utility visible, before anything is backfilled.
- A written record you can hand to a reviewer — ASCE 38-22 Quality Level A.
- Compacted backfill and surface restoration in kind.
Per Hole or Day Rate?
Per-hole pricing suits small, defined scopes — a bore path with three crossings, a conflict a designer needs resolved, a single tie-in. You pay for the answer you needed.
Once a project runs past a handful of locations, a day rate is usually cheaper. A crew gets through roughly six holes in a normal working day on one mobilization, so a corridor programme priced per hole starts paying the setup cost over and over. Send the plan set and we will quote whichever structure comes out lower for your scope.
What Drives the Number Up
The honest list, so nothing in a quote reads as a surprise:
Depth
Deeper holes take longer and need more spoil handling. Past about six feet the cost climbs noticeably.
Surface Thickness
Reinforced concrete and thick roadway base add cutting and restoration time at both ends.
Traffic Control
Lane closures, MOT plans and off-peak windows are a real line item on roadway work.
Access
Holes a truck cannot reach need portable equipment and longer hose runs.
Night & Weekend Work
Sometimes the only window a facility will give you, and priced accordingly.
Water Table
South Florida groundwater is shallow. Wet holes need more vacuum capacity and careful spoil handling.
Why This Is Cheaper Than the Alternative
A test hole is the only method that gives certified depth. A locator gives horizontal position and an estimated depth that drifts — useful for planning, not for designing a crossing around. If you guess and get it wrong, the bill is not measured in hundreds.
Emergency repair on a struck utility commonly runs into five or six figures before downtime, and Florida Statute 556 carries civil penalties of up to $50,000 per violation for failing to exercise reasonable care while excavating. Set against that, a few holes at $500 to $700 is cheap insurance on a number you actually need anyway.
Frequently Asked Questions About Potholing Cost
How much does utility potholing cost per hole?
In South Florida a vacuum-excavated test hole runs $500 to $700. Grass and unpaved ground sits at the lower end. Asphalt and concrete cost more because the surface has to be cut and then patched back. Mobilization is quoted separately, and multi-hole programs on one mobilization bring the per-hole figure down.
Why is potholing priced per hole instead of per hour?
Because a hole is the deliverable. You are buying a verified depth, diameter and material at a specific crossing, not a block of crew time. Per-hole pricing also means a hole that turns out deeper than expected does not turn into an open-ended bill.
What makes one test hole cost more than another?
Surface type is the biggest factor, then depth. A hole through eight inches of reinforced concrete at six feet deep is a different job from one in a grass verge at three feet. Traffic control, restricted access, night work and water table also move the number.
How many test holes does a project usually need?
It depends on how many real conflicts the design has. A short bore might need two or three at the crossings that matter. A corridor project can need dozens. We would rather talk through the plan set and tell you the smallest number that answers the question.
Is a day rate cheaper than per-hole pricing?
For larger programs, usually. A crew working a single mobilization gets through roughly six holes in a normal day, so once you are past a handful of locations a day rate is generally the better structure. We will quote whichever is cheaper for your scope.
Does the price include restoration?
Yes. Backfill is compacted and the surface is patched in kind — asphalt, concrete or sod. You are not left with an open hole or a cold patch that fails in a month.
How does potholing cost compare with hitting a line?
A handful of test holes costs less than the smallest utility strike. Emergency repair on a struck line commonly runs into five or six figures before you count downtime, and Florida Statute 556 carries civil penalties of up to $50,000 per violation for failing to exercise reasonable care.