Utility Excavation and Trenching in New York City
Most of our excavation is for one reason: something under the street has to be reached. A water service line, a sewer lateral, a tap at the city main. The digging is the visible part of the job and the smallest part of it.
- Site Preparation
- Trenching
- Grading and Leveling
- Foundation Excavation
- Demolition and Removal
- Trench Drains and Drainage
Before the shovel
Nothing opens until the paperwork does. A DOT permit to break the roadway or sidewalk, and a utility mark-out — four utilities come out and spray-paint the street in four colors, which looks like vandalism and is the law. Gas, electric, telecom and water all get located before anyone digs, because hitting one is a considerably worse day than the one you started with.
The dig
We open only what has to be opened. Targeted excavation over the defective section rather than the whole run — restoration is often the most expensive part of the job, and every extra foot of trench is a foot of sidewalk or roadway you pay to put back.
Putting it back
Backfill, compaction, and surface restoration to DOT standard. Concrete sidewalk, asphalt roadway, or both. The street passes inspection before the job closes.
Service You Can Trust
Credentials, guarantees and permits
What we can show you in writing before any work starts.
Is Lady Liberty licensed, bonded and insured?
Yes. Lady Liberty Contracting Corp is fully licensed, bonded and insured for water main and sewer work throughout New York City. Certificates of insurance and licence details are available on request before any work begins.
Who actually performs the work — is any of it subcontracted?
The work is carried out under a New York City Licensed Master Plumber on our own staff, not subcontracted to another firm. That matters on permitted work, because the DEP and DOT filings are pulled under the licence of the plumber responsible for the job.
Do you guarantee your work?
Yes. Every installation and repair carries a 10-year workmanship guarantee. If an issue arises that relates to our work, we come back and put it right.
Do you handle the DEP and DOT permits, or is that on me?
We handle them. Permit filing, inspections and sign-off are managed in-house as part of the job, including street-opening permits and the restoration that follows.
Do you offer financing or payment plans?
Yes. Water main and sewer replacements are large, unplanned expenses, and payment options are available. See financing and flexible payment options.
What kind of work do you take on — and what don’t you?
We work on the water and sewer lines that connect a property to the city main: service line repairs and replacements, sewer laterals, excavation, DEP and DOT permitted work, and the street and sidewalk restoration afterwards. That covers residential, commercial and municipal properties across all five boroughs. We do not take on interior plumbing — in-house leaks, fixtures, heating or boiler work.

