Serving Missoula and all of Montana
Directional drilling contractors in Missoula, MT
Horizontal directional drilling, auger boring and pipe boring in Missoula: conduit, fiber, water, sewer and gas lines put under roads, driveways and landscaping without an open trench.
Most of the underground lines being installed in Missoula today never see an open trench. Directional drilling runs a steered pilot bore between two pits, reams it to size and pulls the pipe or conduit back through in one pass. For a crossing under a Montana highway, a railroad or a river, it is usually the only method the permit will allow.
Open territory · Missoula, MT
Drilling contractors covering Missoula
No single contractor is listed for Montana yet. Call the national line or use the form and the request is routed to a directional drilling contractor working the Missoula area. Estimates are free.
(855) 804-1434What is in the ground in Missoula
Glacial till and alluvium along the Yellowstone and Missouri with cobbles and boulders; the western valleys are gravel over bedrock, and the eastern plains are clay and shale.
Rural water, fiber to small towns and utility work in Billings, Missoula and Bozeman, with a season bounded by frost. Locate requests in Montana go through Montana 811; crossings of state routes are permitted by MDT.
How a bore in Missoula is done
On a typical Missoula job the crew sets up an entry pit on one side of the obstruction and an exit pit on the other, calls in the Montana 811 ticket, and drills a pilot hole that is tracked by a walkover locator above ground. Drilling fluid, usually a bentonite and water mix, carries cuttings out, lubricates the pipe and holds the hole open in sand or soft soil. The hole is reamed to size and the product is pulled in.
Hiring a drilling contractor in Missoula
A good Missoula drilling contractor is easy to pick out from a quote. The length, pipe size and material are stated, the crossing permits are listed, locates and traffic control are either included or called out, and the mobilization fee, if there is one, is written down. A quote with only a price and a date leaves every one of those as a surprise.
Estimates are free. Call now: (855) 804-1434.
Drilling and boring services in Missoula
Each page explains one method or utility type: what gets installed, how deep, what the permit requires and what moves the price.
Directional Drilling
Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) for new underground utilities: steered bores under roads, driveways, parking lots, creeks and landscaping with no open trench.
Directional Drilling explained →
Horizontal Boring
Horizontal boring for conduit, casing and carrier pipe where digging across a surface is not an option.
Horizontal Boring explained →
Auger Boring
Steel-cased auger bores for road, rail and railroad crossings that need a straight, on-grade casing.
Auger Boring explained →
Pipe Boring
Boring and pulling in HDPE or steel product pipe from a few inches up to large-diameter casings.
Pipe Boring explained →
Fiber Optic Drilling
Directional drilling for fiber and communications duct: long bores, multiple ducts in one pull, tight easements.
Fiber Optic Drilling explained →
Electrical Conduit Drilling
Bores for primary and secondary power conduit, lighting circuits and site electrical feeds.
Electrical Conduit Drilling explained →
Utility Drilling
Multi-utility installs for developers and utilities: power, gas, water, sewer and telecom on one site plan.
Utility Drilling explained →
Sewer Line Drilling
Directional drilling and boring for new gravity-adjusted force mains, laterals and sewer crossings.
Sewer Line Drilling explained →
Water Main Drilling
HDD installation of new water mains and service lines, including creek and road crossings.
Water Main Drilling explained →
Gas Line Drilling
Bores for new natural gas mains and services, coordinated with the utility and its operator-qualification rules.
Gas Line Drilling explained →
Questions we hear in Missoula
Can directional drilling install a sewer line in Missoula?+
Yes, with planning. Gravity sewer needs a consistent slope that HDD can hold on shorter bores with careful steering; force mains and pressure sewer have no slope requirement and are routine. Many Missoula sewer crossings are done by auger boring with a steel casing when exact grade is critical.
Do I need a permit to bore under a street in Missoula?+
Yes. Work in a public right-of-way needs a permit from the city or county, and a crossing of a state route needs a Montana DOT encroachment or utility permit. Railroad crossings have their own agreement. Your contractor should file these; make sure the quote says who does.
How long does a bore take in Missoula?+
A single residential or small commercial crossing of a few hundred feet is usually a one- or two-day job including setup, pilot bore, reaming and pullback. Longer or larger bores, rock, and permit-driven traffic control stretch that out. Restoration is limited to the two pits.
How do I get a directional drilling estimate in Missoula?+
Call (855) 804-1434 or use the form on this page and the request is routed to a drilling contractor covering Missoula; estimates are free. Have the length of the run, what is going in the ground and what it crosses ready, and a site walk will usually confirm the price.
More Montana cities
Every listed city in Montana has its own page; the Montana page covers the state's ground, permits and contractor.