//  Outside Plant Services

Many exterior infrastructure installations originate at, or beyond the customer property line, and require the knowledge and experience to plan for the most efficient, least obtrusive, and most reasonable solution, to reach the demarcation point within the facility.

ELITE utilizes the latest technologies and equipment to ensure an efficient, economical and non-disruptive installation.

Horizontal Directional Drilling Services

Horizontal directional boring is a steerable trench-less method of installing underground pipes, conduits and cables, by using a surface launched drilling rig, with minimal impact on the surrounding area. Horizontal directional drilling minimizes environmental disruption, and is suitable for a variety of soil conditions and jobs. The conduits (ducts) can be installed under roads, driveways, sidewalks, concrete pads, flowerbeds, trees, shrubs, congested areas, environmentally sensitive areas, and areas where other methods are costlier.

Horizontal directional drilling provides less traffic disruption, lower cost, deeper and longer installations, shorter completion times, directional capabilities, and environmental safety.

How Horizontal Directional Drilling Works

Simplified, horizontal directional drilling is a two-stage process. The first stage attaches a drill head to the drill shaft and drills a pilot hole, below the surface of the designed path, from the beginning of the path, to the end of the path, with little, or no disturbance to the surface. The drill head enters the beginning of the path via a small entrance pit, and exist the end of the path at the exit pit.

The second stage removes the drill head from the drill shaft at the exit pit. A “back-reamer” is attached to the drill shaft. The new pipe (generally high density polyethylene or HDPE) is attached to the back reamer. The drill shaft is pulled back to the entrance pit while the attached back-reamer enlarges the hole ahead of the new pipe being installed, as the pipe is pulled in behind the back-reamer.

Open Trench Services

The “open-trench” method is just that … an open trench.

The trench is generally dug or excavated by the utilization of earth removal equipment, to the required depth (stipulated by governing municipalities, codes, and specifications), to proved a sub surface path to install the new infrastructure (conduit/duct).

Once the new entrance facility is installed, the earth is replaced, and the existing surface is restored (grade & seed, sod, asphalt patch, form & re-pour concrete, replace interlock base & stone, etc.) to match (or better) the condition prior to excavation.

Open trenching is the preferred method, when directional boring offers less advantage (due to price, distance, ground conditions, etc.).

HydroVac Services

Hydro-vacuum excavation is a non-mechanical process which combines pressurized water and a high-power vacuum to simultaneously excavate and evacuate soils.

The soil and water slurry are vacuumed via an 8″ diameter suction hose to a truck-mounted debris tank.

This process allows for quick, clean and precise excavation, which requires less back-fill, less labour, and less restoration than conventional excavation methods.

This method of excavation is preferred for short distances, tight locations, and locations where mechanical excavation could damage buried utilities.

Swing-Stage Installation Services

A swing stage is a two-point adjustable suspension scaffold (usually secured to the roof supports of the facility) that provides continuous access to the exterior wall of a facility, from ground level, to the rooftop.

Many of today’s installations require a variety of conduit and cable tray paths for electrical, HVAC, communication, control, etc., to the rooftops of low-rise and high-rise facilities. A swing-stage provides a safe and efficient means to install the required exterior pathways to any height.