TLT Construction Company, Inc.
Hill Country rock trenching for utility construction
Underground electric, fiber and civil construction for the Texas Hill Country, built around rock trenching crews that have worked limestone since 1979.
Boerne area · Kendall County · Bandera County · Western San Antonio
Our Boerne-area operating strategy
These are the areas TLT serves with Hill Country rock trenching and utility construction. Our strategy is simple: keep rock-capable crews and equipment positioned to serve the Boerne area and the communities around it, so utilities, co-ops, developers and electrical contractors get a contractor who is already set up for the ground they are building in.
Estimating, scheduling and dispatch run from our Marion, Texas office. From there we plan crew assignments, equipment and mobilization for each Hill Country project, and we aim to put a self-performing crew on your route instead of a chain of subcontractors.
Sending out the underground scope of an electrical job? See our underground work for electrical contractors page.
Hill Country communities we serve
We target the Hill Country markets surrounding Boerne. If your project is nearby but not listed, send us the location and we will confirm crews and schedule. See the full list of service areas by city and county, including Boerne, Bandera, San Antonio, New Braunfels and Medina County.
Boerne and Kendall County
- Boerne
- Kendall County
- Comfort
- Bergheim
Bandera County and the Medina Valley
- Bandera County
- Pipe Creek
- Lakehills
- Mico
- Medina Valley
San Antonio western edge
- Helotes
- Western San Antonio
- Surrounding markets
Why Hill Country utility construction is different
A route that looks routine on a plan set can behave very differently in limestone. Four conditions drive cost and schedule on most Hill Country jobs.
Hard limestone
Much of the Hill Country sits on shallow limestone. Ground that a standard trencher or backhoe digs in a day elsewhere can take far longer here, so production rates and schedules have to be built around rock, not soil.
Excavation depth
Cover requirements do not shrink because the ground is hard. Reaching depth in rock takes more passes, more spoil handling and tighter control of trench walls and open length.
Equipment wear
Limestone is abrasive on teeth, chains and hydraulics. Crews that plan for wear, keep spares on hand and maintain machines in house lose less time to downtime in the middle of a run.
Access and mobilization
Steep terrain, narrow rights-of-way and long moves between sites change how heavy equipment gets to the work. Mobilization is a real cost and schedule item, and it is better planned up front than discovered on site.
Together these factors can materially change production, equipment needs and schedule. The earlier an estimator sees your route, the more accurately we can price and plan for rock.
The equipment and experience TLT brings to Hill Country rock
TLT has built underground utilities since 1979 and runs its own rock trenching equipment. Here is how that answers each condition above.
Rock construction
Hard-ground and rock trenching run by our own operators.
- Vermeer T555 heavy crawler rock trencher
- Vermeer 8550 rock trencher
- Rock saws (in stock)
- Hydraulic hammer capability
- Hard limestone and depth
- Rock trenchers, including a Vermeer T555 heavy crawler and a Vermeer 8550, cut a clean trench through rock. Hydraulic hammer capability handles ledges and spots a trencher cannot reach.
- Utility crossings and tight work
- Vacuum excavation and potholing confirm existing utilities before cutting. Directional drilling takes the line under roads, drives and creeks when open trench is not practical.
- Cable, conduit and fiber
- The same contractor trenches, installs and restores. Reel trailers, wire-pulling equipment and fiber placing and splicing gear follow the trencher, so there are fewer handoffs.
- Access and restoration
- Backhoes, mini excavators and skid steers work where larger machines will not fit, then restore the right-of-way for landowners and owners.
Supporting machines include excavation, utility support, fiber equipment, so rock work, utility installation and restoration stay with one crew from start to finish.
Hill Country capabilities
Each service links to a page with scope details and what to include in your bid request.
Rock Trenching & Excavation
Trenching through rock and hard ground for cable and conduit.
See Rock Trenching & ExcavationDirectional Drilling & HDD
Steerable bores for conduit and cable, plus cased crossings.
See Directional Drilling & HDDVacuum Excavation & Potholing
Expose buried utilities safely before drilling or trenching.
See Vacuum Excavation & PotholingUnderground Electric Distribution
Underground cable, conduit and terminations for utilities and co-ops.
See Underground Electric DistributionUnderground Fiber Construction
Conduit and HDPE, handholes, vaults, cable placement, risers and repairs.
See Underground Fiber ConstructionCivil Construction & Restoration
Excavation, backfill, site work and restoration around the utility install.
See Civil Construction & RestorationHave plans? Get a bid.
Send your project details and plans through our Request a Bid form, or call the office if your bid date is close.