Invictus HYDROVAC
Hydrovac Excavation in Vancouver, BC
Safe digging around buried lines for commercial properties across Vancouver, from downtown lanes to the False Creek Flats.
Safe Digging in a City Packed With Buried Lines
Schedule a property assessment before surface failures become liability issues. Downtown Seattle properties on our preservation program get priority scheduling and proactive service throughout the year.
What Makes Digging in Vancouver Hard
Older blocks, tight lanes and constant redevelopment mean there's almost always something in the way.
Lanes in Mount Pleasant, Strathcona and Kitsilano carry overhead and buried services side by side, and older connections often aren't where the records say. Downtown and Yaletown sites have little room for a backhoe or a spoil pile, and redevelopment across the city keeps adding new lines next to old ones.
Vancouver property managers deal with:
- Utility records that don't match what's in the ground
- Tight lanes with no room for a backhoe or spoil pile
- Gas, hydro and fibre lines running shallow and close together
- Strict limits on work hours and street access downtown
- Redevelopment sites with new services next to old ones
We expose broken water, storm and irrigation lines for repair, dig for new signs, bollards, light poles and EV chargers, and open up around catch basins and drains without tearing up the lot around them. The truck can sit well back from the dig, so work fits in a lane or a single parking stall.
Why Vancouver Managers Call Us for Excavation
Twenty-eight years of commercial property work out of Port Coquitlam, and the only ISO 9001 and SN 9001 certified property services company in the Pacific Northwest.
Proven Track Record
Our crews work Vancouver lanes and loading bays every week, so they know how to set up without shutting down a business, and when to schedule early or late where access is tight.
Consistent Quality Standards
Every job starts from a BC 811 locate and follows WorkSafeBC excavation requirements. Excavated material leaves the site in the vacuum tank and goes to an authorized receiving facility.
Certified Operations
Invictus is the first and only company in the Pacific Northwest to hold ISO 9001 and SN 9001 certification for property services. Our crews are ASCA and SIMA trained and certified.
Equipment Built for Commercial Systems
Vacuum excavation units with the water pressure set for the soil and the lines around them. The hose reaches well past the truck, so we can dig without parking on the work area.
How Our Hydrovac Excavation Works
01.
Locate and Site Walk
We start from a BC 811 locate, walk the dig area with you, and plan where the truck sits so the lot and your tenants keep working.
02.
Water and Vacuum Digging
Pressurized water loosens the soil and the vacuum pulls it into the tank, so buried lines are exposed without being hit or damaged.
03.
Cleanup and Disposal
Excavated material leaves in the tank for an authorized facility, the hole is ready for your repair or install, and there is no spoil pile left on site.
Serving Commercial Properties Across Vancouver
We handle excavation across Downtown and Coal Harbour, Yaletown, the False Creek Flats, Mount Pleasant, Strathcona, Grandview-Woodland, Kitsilano, Marpole and the Port Lands.
Crews working Vancouver also run to Burnaby, New Westminster, North Vancouver and West Vancouver on the same routes.
What Our Clients Say
Book Before Your Dig Date
Most property jobs can be booked within a few days of your call. Booking ahead of a planned repair or install gives us time to arrange the locate, confirm access and work around your tenants.
Find the lines before the repair starts, not after someone hits one.
ISO-Certified Quality Standards
Invictus is the first and only property services company in the Pacific Northwest to achieve ISO 9001/SN 9001 certification. This internationally recognized quality certification ensures every Vancouver project receives standardized processes, documented procedures, and verified execution at every stage.
What ISO certification means for your Vancouver property:
Consistent results across every project
Quality management systems that prevent shortcuts
Regular audits ensure compliance with international standards
Continuous improvement protocols keep us industry-leading
Documented processes protect your investment
When Vancouver property managers need certainty, not surprises, they choose partners with proven quality systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is hydrovac excavation used for in Vancouver?
Any dig on a commercial property where buried lines could be in the way: exposing a broken water or irrigation line, digging holes for signs, bollards and light poles, trenching for new conduit or EV chargers, and working around catch basins and drains.
Do I still need a BC 811 locate?
Yes. Hydrovac makes digging safer, but it doesn't replace the locate request. Submit it with BC 811 before the job and we work from the marks on site.
Where does the excavated material go?
Into the vacuum tank and off site to an authorized receiving facility, so there's no spoil pile left on the property. Clean backfill can be brought in to close the hole when the work is done.
Can you work in a Vancouver lane without closing it?
Usually. The hose reaches well past the truck, so most lane jobs are worked from one side or a nearby stall, and we schedule off-hours where access is tight.
Plan Your Vancouver Excavation
Call 604.220.9475 or request a free site evaluation. We'll look at what needs to be dug on your property, what's likely in the ground, and quote the work.
