Customer Spotlight - Cost Savings

EasyDig spoke with repeat customer, the City of Saskatoon, on their use of EasyDig Trench Cage. The discussion highlights the major cost savings by using EasyDig versus traditional excavation and shoring methods for small trenches.

TYLER HILLIS, CITY OF SASKATOON: While it is hard to give exact cost savings as each job is different, I can say the following: In the past a curb stop replacement would have been completed by a 7-9 person crew with over $2M of support equipment and take around 5 hours. Due to saturation and sluffing while excavating we would often end up with a 6x8 or larger hole, sometimes undermining driveways or sidewalks, adding to the remediation expenses. 

      When using your product we are able cut the crew size and support equipment down to less than half, (a hydrovac and operator, as well as two labourers. A supervisor may be required if the water main needs to be shut down and flushed upon completion.) The design of the shoring eliminates all sluffing while sinking it meaning you are left with a 50" circle to remediate.  An average replacement takes 3 hours start to finish(no frost, 5hr in 5' frost). Since the hole size is consistent, the backfill required is consistent, this makes planning these jobs easy.

We use the system in conjunction with a CO2 line freeze kit to eliminate the need to shut down the water main, issue DWA's(drinking water advisories) and flush, this saves us an additional $1000 per use. We have been able to complete 3 replacements in a 10 hour day, one more than we would be able to do with a full crew. We have only failed 1 replacement due to boulders.

We have purchased a Milwaukee electric pole saw to cut roots out of the way on the way down eliminating failures due to roots. We have also used this system to install repair clamps in back lanes we could not get an excavator into as well as two hydrant replacements that would typically have had thousands of dollars of remediation expenses due to retaining walls or other nearby infrastructure.

We save enough using this system that we cover the initial purchase cost every 4-5 uses, which is potentially only 2-3 days of use. 

We are still trying new things and expanding on the uses of this system. 

EasyDig would like to thank Tyler Hillis at the City of Saskatoon for sharing their experience with us.