Install Utilities Without Tearing Up Your Property

Directional drilling services for residential and light commercial properties in Big Lake, Minnesota.

You need to run a water line under your driveway or connect a sewer line beneath your landscaped front yard, but the thought of excavating across your property, tearing up pavement, and damaging mature trees feels overwhelming. In Big Lake, where established lawns and paved surfaces are common, directional drilling allows you to install underground utilities with minimal surface disruption, avoiding the costly restoration work that traditional trenching requires.


Directional drilling uses precision-guided equipment to bore horizontal pathways underground, creating space for water lines, sewer connections, electrical conduit, and communication lines without digging open trenches. This method works particularly well on Big Lake properties where driveways, sidewalks, roads, and landscaping make excavation impractical or expensive. Schroeder Construction Inc operates across Sherburne County and throughout Minnesota, bringing reliable equipment and experienced crews to residential and light commercial sites where utility upgrades need to happen without disrupting what is already in place.


If your project involves running utilities beneath existing hardscapes or preserved landscaping in Big Lake, request a site review to discuss your directional drilling needs before work begins.

How the Equipment Maintains Accuracy Below Ground

Directional drilling equipment uses guided boring heads that follow a planned underground path, maintaining depth and alignment as the drill moves horizontally beneath your property. In Big Lake, this method works well under driveways, sidewalks, and roadside crossings where digging from above would mean removing and replacing pavement, gravel, or concrete. The drill entry and exit points are small, reducing visible surface impact and keeping most of your property intact during the installation.


After the bore is complete, you will notice that your driveway, lawn, or sidewalk remains largely undisturbed, with only small access holes that are backfilled and graded once the utility line is in place. The underground conduit or pipe runs cleanly beneath obstacles, delivering the connection you need without requiring days of restoration or landscape replanting.


This method reduces the need for heavy excavation equipment, shortens project timelines, and limits the amount of soil, sod, or hardscape material that must be removed and replaced. Schroeder Construction Inc schedules the work to fit your timeline, maintains clean job sites throughout the process, and ensures that the installed utility lines meet local code requirements and remain accessible for future maintenance if needed. The next section addresses common questions homeowners and property managers have before scheduling this type of work.

Questions You Might Have Before Scheduling

Homeowners and builders often ask about the types of utilities that can be installed using directional drilling, how long the process takes, and whether the method works on properties with rocky soil or existing underground obstacles.

What types of utility lines can be installed using directional drilling?
You can install water lines, sewer connections, electrical conduit, and communication lines using this method. It works for any underground utility that needs to pass beneath driveways, sidewalks, roads, or landscaped areas without open trenching.
How long does a typical directional drilling project take?
Most residential installations are completed in one to two days, depending on the length of the bore and the type of utility being installed. Schroeder Construction Inc schedules the work to minimize disruption and coordinates with utility providers if connections are required.
What happens if there are existing utilities or obstacles underground?
Before drilling begins, the crew locates existing utilities using marking services and adjusts the bore path to avoid conflicts. The guided equipment allows for course corrections during drilling if an unexpected obstruction is encountered.
How much of my lawn or driveway will be disturbed?
Only the drill entry and exit points require small access holes, typically less than two feet in diameter. Your driveway, sidewalk, or landscaping remains intact between those points, reducing the need for surface repairs or replanting.
Why is directional drilling a better option than traditional trenching?
Directional drilling eliminates the need to excavate long stretches of pavement or soil, which reduces restoration costs, protects mature trees and landscaping, and shortens the overall project timeline. You avoid the expense and disruption of replacing driveways, sidewalks, or sod after the utility is installed.

Schroeder Construction Inc provides directional drilling services across Big Lake, North Metro, Medina, Blaine, and Coon Rapids, with crews available throughout Minnesota for utility installations that require precision and minimal surface impact. If you are planning a utility project and want to avoid the disruption of open trenching, get in touch to schedule a site review and discuss your project requirements.