Through a 36-inch gate. Under everything else.
Our compact Vermeer D8x12 drill fits through a standard side-yard gate and sets up in a planter strip. We bore power, water, gas and sewer lines under driveways, landscaping, walls and parking lots, without trenching through them.
- CSLB #838568 · A, B, HAZ
- PG&E OQ Certified
- 20+ Years Underground
- Bay Area Based
Vermeer D8x12 by the numbers
Small enough for a side yard, strong enough for real service lines. When a job needs a longer bore or bigger pipe, we bring a larger rig from our fleet.
- Width
- 35.5in Fits a 36-inch gate
- Weight
- 6,600lb Rubber tracks, easy on turf
- Thrust / pullback
- 7,850lb Service-line class
- Spindle torque
- 1,200ft-lb Steady in mixed soil
- Rod on board
- 180ft Extra rod staged as needed
- Sound at operator
- 85dB(A) Built for neighborhoods
Your yard stays your yard
Most homeowners call us because a trench would go straight through something they paid for: a driveway, pavers, a lawn, a mature tree, a pool deck. We bore under it instead.
ADU utilities
Power, water, sewer and gas from the main house to the new unit.
PG&E service upgrades
New or upgraded underground electric and gas services, built to the PG&E construction sketch.
EV chargers & detached garages
Conduit from the panel to the garage, shop or charger location.
Water & sewer lines
Meter-to-house water services and sewer laterals under hardscape.
Pools, spas & outdoor kitchens
Gas and electric feeds to equipment pads without lifting the deck.
Small rig, open business
On commercial sites the tight spot is usually a planter strip, a gap between buildings or a parking lot that has to stay open. A compact drill fits there without closing the site.
Occupied buildings & campuses
Set up in landscape strips and bore under walkways, curbs and drive aisles.
Schools & public works
Quiet setups on school grounds. DIR registered for prevailing wage jobs.
EV charging & solar
Conduit to charger islands and carports. See our solar, BESS & EV page.
Telecom & fiber
Short service bores and laterals to equipment and buildings.
Retail & gas stations
Bores across lots and under concrete aprons while the business stays open.
What you don't have to replace
| Open trench | Tight-access bore | |
|---|---|---|
| Driveway & pavers | Saw cut, remove, re-pour or re-lay | Left in place |
| Lawn & landscaping | Dug up along the whole route | Entry and exit pits only |
| Tree roots | Cut through at the trench line | Bored under the root zone |
| Access | Excavator needs room to swing | Rig fits through a 36-inch gate |
| Restoration | Full-length backfill, compaction and patch | Backfill and restore the pits |
The D8x12 on the job
Four steps, two small holes
Locate
We call USA 811 and pothole any crossings so the bore path is clear before the drill starts.
Set up
The D8x12 walks in on rubber tracks. We dig a small entry pit and a small exit pit.
Bore & pull
Pilot bore, ream and pull back your pipe or conduit under everything in between.
Restore
Backfill and compact the pits and clean up. The route in between was never dug up.
Before you call
How narrow can my access be?
The D8x12 is 35.5 inches wide, so a standard 36-inch gate is usually enough. If the gate is narrower, we can often remove a fence panel and put it back. Send us a photo and we'll tell you.
Will you damage my driveway or landscaping?
The bore goes under them. We only dig the entry and exit pits, and we backfill and compact those when we're done.
Do you install the wire?
No. Apex installs the conduit and pipe. Your electrician pulls the wire and makes the connections.
What about private lines like sprinklers or septic?
We call USA 811, which marks public utilities. Private lines such as irrigation, low-voltage lighting and septic leach fields aren't marked by 811, so we need the owner to show us where they are.
What if you hit rock?
We price for normal drillable soil. Rock, cobble or other buried obstructions are handled as a change order, and we'll talk with you before going further.
What if my job is too big for the small drill?
We match the rig to the bore. Our fleet runs from the D8x12 up to 60,000 lb class rock drills for long runs and larger pipe.
Tell us what's in the way
Send a few photos of the route and the access point (gate, side yard or planter strip). We'll tell you whether the compact drill fits and send you a price.