How moling works
Less excavation.
A considered route.
Impact moling creates a bore through suitable ground between access pits. It can offer an alternative to opening a continuous trench through gardens, paths and paved areas.
BELOW THE SURFACE
See impact moling in motion.
Two access pits. A planned bore. A route for a pipe or duct beneath the retained surface.
01 · Prepare the access pits
After assessing the route and existing services, prepare launch and reception pits.
Illustrative sequence: pipe installation methods vary with the equipment and site. Ordinary impact moling is not steerable; ground conditions, buried services and obstructions may require a changed route or additional excavation.
Four stages.
One planned installation.
The installation method and working areas need to reflect the actual site, rather than a one-size-fits-all depth or pit size.
Assess the route
Review access, ground conditions, existing services and the proposed installation.
Prepare access pits
Create the working areas needed at each end of the proposed bore.
Form the bore & install
Use the pneumatic mole to create a route for the specified pipe or duct.
Reinstate the excavated areas
Complete the agreed reinstatement of the access pits and disturbed surfaces.
No-dig does not mean no excavation
Working pits are needed. Additional excavation can be necessary to manage obstructions, service crossings or changing ground conditions. Reinstatement should form part of the agreed scope.
Impact moling is not directional drilling
Ordinary impact moling follows a planned bore and is not steered around obstacles. Steerable horizontal directional drilling is a different method. Moling is not automatically suitable for routes that need curves or tightly controlled drainage gradients.
The site decides what is possible
Access, soil, buried structures, existing utilities and the installation specification all affect suitability. A changed route, extra excavation or another method may be necessary. Moling does not eliminate the risk to underground services or tree roots.
YOUR QUESTIONS
Before you
break ground.
What is impact moling?
A pneumatic tool forms a bore through suitable ground between access pits. This creates a route for a pipe or duct without digging a continuous open trench.
Does no-dig mean there is no excavation?
No. Access pits are needed at the start and end of the route. Additional excavation may be necessary where ground conditions, services or obstructions require it.
Can you mole beneath a path, driveway or garden?
Potentially, yes. Moling can reduce the need to lift surfaces along the route, but suitability depends on access, the ground, the required installation and what is already underground.
What about existing services or obstructions?
Existing services and site constraints need assessment before work begins. Ordinary impact moling is not steerable around obstacles. A different route, additional excavation or an alternative method may be required.
What information is needed for a quotation?
A postcode, a description of what needs to be installed, the approximate route length and photographs or a plan. Include anything you know about access restrictions, existing services and the surfaces at each end.
What affects cost and project duration?
Route length, access, ground conditions, required depth, pipe or duct size, existing services and reinstatement all influence the work. A site-specific assessment is needed before confirming scope, price or timing.
LET’S TALK UNDERGROUND
Have a route in mind?
Tell us what needs to go underground and where. A postcode, approximate distance and a few photographs are a useful starting point.