Camera-Verified Before Digging
A camera inspection confirms the problem and its location before any ground gets broken.
Drain and Sewer Excavation in the Portland Metro Area
Robles Drain & Construction, LLC provides drain and sewer excavation across the Portland Metro area and the wider Portland/Vancouver area. Robles is a licensed, insured, family owned drain and sewer specialist with more than 15 years of experience, excavating failed lines with utility locating done first and full site restoration once the work is complete.
Excavation is the last option, not the first one. Robles films the line, marks the route, and confirms excavation is actually necessary before anything gets dug up, then handles the digging, the repair, and the restoration as one coordinated job.
15+
Years of Drain and Sewer Experience
Camera First
Before Any Ground Is Broken
5 Steps
Diagnosis Through Site Restoration
OR & WA
Licensed Excavating Contractor in Both States
The service
Drain & Sewer Excavation
Robles provides drain and sewer excavation throughout the Portland Metro area for failed lines that trenchless methods can't reach or repair.
On a yard someone has spent years building, excavation is the option nobody wants to reach for first. Robles films the line by camera before recommending it, confirms exactly where the problem sits, and only excavates when the condition of the pipe genuinely calls for it. When digging is the right call, the crew handles the excavation, the repair, and the restoration as one job, not three separate ones.
Utility Locating First
Every excavation starts with utility locating, so the crew knows what's underground before digging.
Licensed Excavating Contractor
Robles carries the excavating contractor license this work requires in Oregon and Washington.
Excavation done right protects what's around the trench as much as it fixes what's inside it.
One job
Dig, repair and restore, not three contractors
Private lines
Asked about before the locate
Restored
Site put back once work is complete
When it's needed
When Excavation Is Necessary in the Portland Metro Area
Robles recommends excavation across the Portland/Vancouver area only when a camera inspection confirms trenchless methods won't hold or won't reach the problem.
A severely collapsed section of pipe with no clear path for a trenchless liner
Multiple failure points close together along the same run
A line that has shifted or separated badly enough that realignment is needed, not just relining
Root intrusion severe enough that the pipe itself needs replacing, not just clearing
A new connection point that has to tie into an existing line at a specific depth or angle
Site conditions where trenchless equipment simply can't access the run
If a repair can be done without excavation, Robles will recommen that instead. Digging is a last resort, not a default.
Safe digging
Utility Locating and Safe Digging
Robles locates utilities before any excavation across the Portland Metro area, since knowing what's underground before digging is what keeps a project safe and on schedule.
Private lines matter too
A standard utility locate marks the utility company's own lines, gas, power, water, and communications, but it doesn't cover private lines a homeowner may have installed themselves, like irrigation or low-voltage lighting.
Robles asks about anything like that up front, since a private line in the first foot of soil is something only the property owner knows about. Combining the utility locate with the camera-confirmed location of the actual problem means the trench opens exactly where it needs to and nowhere else.
The process
Our Excavation Process
Robles follows the same process on every excavation job across the Portland Metro area, from a small residential repair to a larger commercial run.
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1
Camera Inspection and Diagnosis
The line is inspected by camera to confirm the problem and its exact location before excavation is recommended.
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2
Utility Locating
Underground utilities get located and marked, and the property owner is asked about any private lines not covered by the standard locate.
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3
Site Preparation
Anything worth protecting near the dig site, plants, structures, hardscaping, gets identified and moved or protected before the trench opens.
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4
Excavation and Repair
The trench opens at the confirmed location, the pipe gets repaired or replaced, and the work is inspected before backfilling.
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5
Site Restoration
The area gets restored as close to its original condition as possible once the work is complete.
Restoration
Site Restoration in the Portland/Vancouver Area
Robles restores the site after every excavation project throughout the Portland/Vancouver area, since finishing the pipe work is only part of the job.
A yard that looks like nobody was ever there
Portland's long growing season means most yards are genuinely planted, not just mowed grass, and what sits above a buried line often took years to establish. Robles plans excavation with that in mind, protecting or relocating what can be saved before the trench opens and restoring the disturbed area once backfilling is complete. The goal on every job is a yard, driveway, or landscaped area that looks like nobody was ever there, not just a patched-over trench.
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions About Drain and Sewer Excavation
How do I know if my sewer repair needs excavation or can be done trenchless?
Robles runs a camera inspection first to confirm the actual condition of the line. Trenchless methods work well for a line that's structurally sound enough to reline or replace in place. A severely collapsed, misaligned, or multiply-damaged section usually needs excavation instead. The camera footage is what determines which approach is realistic, not a default preference.
Will excavation damage my yard or landscaping?
Some disruption to the immediate work area is unavoidable, but Robles plans around what's worth protecting before the trench opens. Plants that can be relocated, hardscaping materials worth keeping, and structures in the way all get identified and handled deliberately rather than dug through. The site gets restored once the work is complete.
How do you know where underground utilities are before digging?
Robles has utility lines located and marked before any excavation begins. It's worth knowing that a standard utility locate covers utility company lines like gas, power, water, and communications, but not private lines a homeowner may have installed, like irrigation or landscape lighting. Robles asks about those directly since only the property owner would know they're there.
How long does a sewer excavation project take?
It depends on the scope, from a single localized repair to a longer run needing replacement. A straightforward residential excavation and repair is often completed in a day or two, while a more extensive project takes longer. Robles gives a realistic timeline once the camera inspection confirms the scope.
Do you handle both the digging and the pipe repair, or just the excavation?
Robles handles the full job: camera inspection, utility locating, excavation, the pipe repair or replacement itself, and site restoration. It's coordinated as one project rather than separate contractors handling different pieces.
What happens if you find something unexpected once digging starts?
Robles explains what was found and what it means before proceeding with anything beyond the original scope. Camera inspection and utility locating minimize surprises, but if something changes the plan once the trench is open, that gets communicated clearly rather than assumed.
Are you licensed to perform excavation work in both Oregon and Washington?
Yes. Robles carries the excavating contractor license this work requires in both Oregon and Washington, in addition to its drain and sewer credentials.
Do you offer any guarantee on excavation and repair work?
Yes. Excavation and repair work from Robles is backed by the company's service guarantee, with camera documentation from the initial diagnosis through the completed repair.
Need Excavation Work Done Right?
Robles Drain & Construction provides drain and sewer excavation across the Portland Metro area and the wider Portland/Vancouver area, backed by more than 15 years of experience and a camera-verified diagnosis before any digging starts.
Robles locates utilities, protects what's worth protecting, and restores the site once the work is done, so excavation is the last step, not an afterthought.
Camera inspection and utility locating before any ground is broken.
