At a glance
| Machine | Depth | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Bobcat E50z mini excavator | ~3.5 m | Tight space, against walls, low pavement damage |
| Komatsu WB93R-5E0 backhoe | ~5.7 m (extendable dipper) | Medium trench that also needs loading and backfilling |
| Komatsu PC200-10M0 CE excavator | 6.5 m | Deep or long trench, sewers, high volume |
| SIMAQ SQ60 PRO rammer | Inside the trench | Backfill in lifts next to the pipe |
The measurements that pick the machine
- Depth: the finished trench depth, plus the margin the machine needs. It's the measurement that rules out the most.
- Width: set by the pipe or duct and the room needed to work beside it; the bucket must be that width or narrower.
- Space and access: can the machine swing without hitting walls, posts or traffic? Can the lowboy reach the work face?
- Length and volume: how many metres a day you need to open and whether the spoil leaves the site or stays for backfill.
- What's around: existing pipes, cables and neighbouring foundations change the pace and the machine.
Narrow trench in tight space: mini excavator
The Bobcat E50z weighs about 5 t, has around 50 HP and digs to about 3.5 m. Zero tail swing means the rear stays within the track width as it turns: it can dig right against a wall or in one lane without invading the next, and its weight leaves little damage on pavement. It's the machine for service connections, yard drainage and trenches in occupied developments.
Medium trench plus loading: backhoe
The backhoe digs at the back and loads at the front, so the same machine opens the trench, loads the surplus and then puts the backfill back. The Komatsu WB93R-5E0 has about 99 HP, 4×4 drive, an extendable dipper reaching about 5.7 m deep and a front bucket of around 1.0 m³. The Bobcat B760 is also 4×4, with an extendable dipper on 4 of its 5 units. Since it travels on tyres, it moves between fronts on the same site without a lowboy.
Deep or long trench: 20 t excavator
For sewers, main lines or kilometres of trench, the Komatsu PC200-10M0 CE excavator wins on depth (6.5 m), bucket size (1.0 m³) and stability: it opens more metres per hour and loads the truck from the edge. Ask for the bucket to match your trench width. Because it runs on tracks, it arrives and leaves on a lowboy: confirm access when you quote.
Before opening a street or sidewalk
- Cut the asphalt or concrete with the floor saw: a straight cut leaves a clean repair and avoids lifting more than needed.
- Locate existing utilities with the drawings and each utility company before the bucket goes in.
- Sign the detour: on a road with traffic, the variable message board warns from a distance; at night, the light tower lights the work face.
Safety inside the trench
- Slope or shoring is set by soil type and depth: your engineer sets it according to your country's code. Nobody goes into a trench without that protection.
- Keep the spoil away from the edge, so its weight doesn't push on the wall.
- Nobody in the trench while the machine works above or next to it.
- Keep an accessible way out along the trench, not just at one end.
Backfilling and compacting
A poorly compacted trench sinks months later, right over the pipe. Backfill in lifts and compact each one before the next. Inside the trench and next to the pipe, the SIMAQ SQ60 PRO rammer does the work: 34 × 29 cm shoe, 680 blows per minute and 13.7 kN impact force, with 29 units in the fleet. If the trench is wider than a 680 mm drum, the 0.8 t walk-behind double-drum roller compacts the last lifts and the surface.
Common mistakes
- Picking the machine out of habit instead of by the depth on the drawing.
- Using a bucket wider than the trench: more spoil comes out and more has to go back in.
- Opening the street without cutting the pavement or locating existing utilities.
- Backfilling all at once and compacting only the top: the trench sinks later.
- Leaving the spoil at the edge of the trench.
Frequently asked questions
Which machine is best for a drainage trench in a yard?
The Bobcat E50z mini excavator: it digs to about 3.5 m, swings without its tail leaving the track width and leaves little damage on the ground. To compact the backfill, the SQ60 PRO rammer.
How deep does a backhoe dig?
The fleet's Komatsu WB93R-5E0 reaches about 5.7 m with its extendable dipper. For more depth, the Komatsu PC200-10M0 CE excavator reaches 6.5 m. Usable depth depends on trench width and soil.
What do you compact trench backfill with?
With a rammer (jumping jack), in lifts, inside the trench and next to the pipe. If the trench is wider than a 680 mm drum, the 0.8 t walk-behind roller handles the last lifts and the surface.
Can I rent the excavator with an operator for trenching?
Yes: the excavator and the backhoes rent with or without a certified operator. In trenches near existing utilities, operator skill matters a lot.
What do I need to open a trench in the street?
Besides the permit your municipality requires, cutting the pavement with the floor saw, locating existing utilities, signing the detour — the message board helps on roads with traffic — and the digging machine for the depth.
Equipment in this guide
Add them to your quote with the + button and send them together, with dates, in a single request.
- Komatsu WB93R-5E0 Backhoe Loader
Digs in the back, loads in the front: two machines in one rental.
Get a quote 
Bobcat B760 Backhoe Loader4×4 backhoe with extendable dipper for deep trench and agile loading.
Get a quote
Komatsu PC200-10M0 CE ExcavatorThe 20-tonne excavator that carries the heavy stage of the job.
Get a quote
SIMAQ SQRDWB L34 Double-Drum Roller (0.8 t)Walk-behind double vibrating drum for base and asphalt.
Get a quote
