Directional drilling offers a trenchless solution for installing new pipes and cables without the need for long, open trenches. In and around Guildford, CW Pipewise uses compact, fluid-assisted mini drilling rigs to guide new utilities accurately below ground, keeping disruption to roads, driveways and gardens to an absolute minimum.
If you require a new service connection, need to replace an ageing line, or have to pass beneath a road, driveway or other obstacle, our directional drilling service provides a tidy, well-controlled installation with far less mess, noise and downtime than traditional excavation.
Directional drilling – often referred to as horizontal directional drilling (HDD) – installs pipes and ducts along a carefully planned underground route. We create a small launch pit, drill a guided pilot bore along the chosen path, then draw the new pipe back through the bore into its final position.
Our modern mini HDD rigs are ideal for Guildford properties and busy streets, handling house connections and small-diameter utilities such as gas, water, electricity, fibre broadband and sewage pressure mains. The drill head can be steered to change depth, follow gentle curves and navigate safely through congested ground where other buried services are already present.
CW Pipewise uses compact, steerable mini drill rigs that are perfect for working in Guildford’s tighter, built-up streets and more sensitive locations. Our trenchless technology is ideal for:
Installing new house connections for gas, water, electricity, fibre optics (FTTH) and sewage pressure lines
Creating parallel bores that follow the line of roads, footpaths or waterways
Forming short undercrossings beneath streets, driveways, gardens, rail embankments or small streams
Because the rigs are so small, we can work from modest launch and reception pits – often no bigger than a typical pavement or garden excavation – instead of large trenches. This keeps the volume of spoil to a minimum, speeds up reinstatement and makes it possible to drill where conventional plant simply would not fit.
We also use carefully controlled drilling fluids (water, water–polymer or bentonite mixes) to support the bore, carry cuttings away and reduce friction during pipe pull-back, helping to ensure a smooth, stable installation even in challenging ground conditions around Guildford.
CW Pipewise directional drilling in Guildford is well suited to:
Creating new domestic or commercial utility connections
Replacing or increasing the capacity of existing small-diameter services
Installing pipes and cables beneath roads while avoiding full road closures
Passing under driveways, patios, landscaped gardens and mature trees
Routing services along footpaths or verges where open trenching would be highly disruptive
Laying lines in challenging ground, on gradients or in areas with dense existing buried services
Subject to local ground conditions, our equipment can complete short to medium length bores for service lines, including longitudinal runs of up to approximately 100 metres for suitable pipe sizes.
We assess the route, existing buried services and surface constraints, then design the bore path and choose the most suitable rig set-up.
Small pits are excavated at the start and finish points (or to an intermediate pit if required). These are carefully positioned to minimise impact and allow safe rig operation.
The mini HDD rig drills a steerable pilot bore along the planned route. A locating system monitors the drill head position and depth, so the operator can continuously adjust to follow the design line and avoid existing utilities.
For larger pipes, reamers are pulled through the pilot bore to open it up to the right diameter, using drilling fluid to carry spoil away and stabilise the hole.
The new pipe, duct or cable protection is attached to the drill string and pulled smoothly back through the bore into its final position.
Once installed, the new service is connected, tested and commissioned. The launch and reception pits are reinstated to a high standard, leaving the surface neat and tidy.
Fill out the form below for a free quote on our expert services and one of our team will get back to you promptly with all the details.
0208 087 1030
