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What a Weeping Tile or Drainage Dig Costs in New Brunswick

Mini $65 to $150 · standard $150 to $250 an hour

Machine time with operator, guides read in September 2026. We found no New Brunswick per-metre price for drainage work.

Reviewed 2026-09-28 · how we set these ranges

A drainage dig runs deep and close to the house, which makes it the job where trench safety and private lines matter most. Waterproofing the wall is a separate trade.

1 The pieces of the price

Machine time

By the hour, with operator

Mini $65 to $150 an hour · standard $150 to $250 an hour

Crushed stone or Granular A

Per cubic metre, plus delivery

Crushed stone $40 to $75/m³ · Granular A $35 to $55/m³ · delivery $75 to $200 a load

Rock, if it turns up

By the hour with a hydraulic breaker, or as a quoted extra

$200 to $300 an hour for a breaker (thin: one guide; large machines run higher)

Trucking the spoil

Per load or per truck hour

Too few published prices to average: ask for the load count and truck size in writing

2 What's under your yard

The things nobody can see until the bucket goes in, and what to do about each before it does.

Buried lines

Gas, power, cable and old private lines can sit anywhere in a yard. NB Power says its lines can be buried as little as one foot down.

Before the dig: The contractor must have utilities located before digging (WorkSafeNB). Ask to see both tickets: Info-Excavation (3 working days' notice, valid to the end date on the request) and NB Power (five business days, valid 60 days, NB Power lines only). Mark private lines yourself.
Water in the ground

We found no public data on groundwater or soil for any New Brunswick lot.

Before the dig: Ask the contractor what they will do if the hole takes on water, and whether keeping it dry is in the price.
A deep trench beside the house

A trench 1.2 m (about 4 ft) or deeper that workers enter must be shored, sloped or benched, or cut in solid rock; shoring must be engineer-certified. Spoil stays 1.2 m back from the edge.

Before the dig: Ask how the crew will meet that rule, and stay out of and back from the trench.
A brook, lake or wetland nearby

Any clearing, digging, fill or machine work within 30 metres of a watercourse or wetland needs a provincial WAWA permit first. The 30 metres is measured from the top of the bank, on the ground.

Before the dig: Measure before you book the machine. The landowner usually applies; a single alteration is $25.

3 Before the first bucket

Tick them off as you go. Nothing here is saved or sent anywhere.

Book both locates 5 business days ahead Info-Excavation needs 3 working days' notice and NB Power runs its own request with five business days' notice. Ask the contractor for both tickets.
Check the 30-metre rule Before anything is booked Within 30 metres of a watercourse or wetland, a WAWA permit comes first.
Ask where the water will be sent Before the quote We found no New Brunswick-wide rule on where weeping tile may discharge, so ask your municipality.
Ask for a WorkSafeNB clearance certificate Before you sign Coverage is mandatory for employers with three or more workers, and a customer can be held responsible for an unregistered business's premiums.
Keep the 10% holdback When you pay The Construction Remedies Act requires the owner to retain 10% of the contract price for 60 days after substantial performance; ask a lawyer about the details.

4 Rules by place for this job

Fredericton: A building permit comes before a new building, an addition or significant alterations; Engineering reviews water and sewer services and lot grading at that stage.
Saint John: A Water and Sewerage Permit Package is required for any new, renewal or repair water, sanitary or storm sewer installation.
Riverview: A permit may be required to tap into water and sewer mains; planning and permits run through Plan 360.
Anywhere else: We found no excavation-specific rule for Dieppe, Sussex, Miramichi or other towns: ask your municipality or Regional Service Commission before the machine arrives.

What the written quote should name

Which walls are dug and to what depth
The stone and pipe going back in
How the trench will be made safe
Where the drain discharges and whether the town approved it
Restoration of the ground and anything removed to reach the wall

More on the work itself: Drainage & Weeping Tile Digs

Questions people ask

Is the excavator responsible for trench safety?

Yes, WorkSafeNB's rules bind the employer on site. Your part is to stay out of the trench and back from the edge.

Can my weeping tile drain to the street?

We found no New Brunswick-wide rule; Saint John requires a permit for storm sewer installations, so ask your municipality.

Why is my basement wet only in spring?

We found no source that can answer that for a particular house; the cause has to be judged on site.

Want this done at your place?

Tell us what needs digging and we'll pass it to local New Brunswick excavation contractors for a written quote. We send it out to local contractors for you. Free, no pressure.

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Plan another job

Foundation dig$7,500 to $30,000 for a whole-house dig
Water or sewer trenchMini $65 to $150 · standard $150 to $250 an hour
Septic dig$3,000 to $12,000 for the excavation
Lot clearing and gradingMini $65 to $150 · standard $150 to $250 an hour
Driveway dig and base$1,500 to $5,000 for excavation and base
Rock breaking$200 to $300 an hour for a breaker
Backfill and haul-awayCrushed stone $40 to $75 per m³