With close to 40 years of experience, Caldow Builders provides clean, accurate, and non-destructive Hydro excavation services across Shannon and the wider Horowhenua District. Our skilled local team and modern equipment handle all excavation jobs — from delicate service locating to trenching in rural paddocks or roadside easements.
At Caldow Builders, we provide trusted Hydrovac services across Shannon, a small town in Horowhenua with a population of around 1,300 (2018 census). Located at 40.6208° S, 175.4121° E, Shannon sits between Foxton and Levin and is known for its farmland, older homes, and light industrial areas.
With aging pipes, rural driveways, and roadside utility lines, traditional digging in Shannon can be risky and slow. Civil works, council upgrades, and private projects often need safer ways to expose buried services without damage.
Whether it’s exposing power cables along Vance Street, supporting drainage upgrades near the Shannon Domain, or trenching for farm irrigation on Mangaore Road, our Hydrovac team is ready to help. We use pressurised water and suction to dig safely without harming underground assets — ideal for tight access areas, buried services, and council-mandated works.
Trust Caldow Builders to deliver safe, clean, and efficient hydro excavation for projects big or small in Shannon and the wider Horowhenua region.
Get driving directions from Shannon to our office.
Shannon is known for its open farmland, lifestyle blocks, and a compact town centre. Many projects here involve private land, long driveways, or access lanes with limited space for machinery. We’ve worked in this environment for decades, and our Hydrovac setups are designed to handle it all — from back paddocks to roadside drainage lines.
Our depot is nearby in Foxton, which means fast mobilisation to Shannon and surrounding areas. Whether your job is booked in advance or needs urgent support, our local presence makes it easy to respond quickly and keep things moving.
Hydrovac is the safest method for working near buried assets like water mains, telecom lines, and stormwater pipes. Our crew uses water and vacuum suction to uncover services without digging blindly. It’s low-risk and low-mess — ideal for Shannon’s older properties and sensitive land zones.
We’re a family-run business that takes pride in doing honest work and doing it right the first time. Our clients in Shannon trust us because we show up, get it done properly, and never cut corners. It’s why we’ve become the go-to team for Hydrovac in the area.
Many of Shannon’s older streets, especially around Ballance Street and Vogel Street, have shallow or undocumented power, water, and phone lines. Digging with machinery in these areas can easily damage vital services. Hydrovac safely exposes what’s underground using water and suction, avoiding direct contact. It’s ideal for trenching, utility exposure, and pre-construction checks in town or near lifestyle properties just outside the main settlement.
Standard excavation methods often leave behind wide, messy holes — especially along rural driveways or council berms in areas like Vance Street or along SH57. This can increase the time and cost of restoring the site. Hydrovac offers a more controlled approach, removing only the soil needed and keeping the surrounding area clean. It’s perfect for jobs where you need to maintain tidy access or avoid disturbing existing infrastructure.
Shannon’s surrounding farmland and lifestyle blocks often have soft soil or paddocks that heavy machinery can’t safely access — particularly during wetter seasons. Our Hydrovac units are built for reach and flexibility, using extended hoses to dig from stable ground. Whether it’s accessing a rear boundary, digging near a fenceline, or trenching along a wet rural easement, we can handle sites where traditional gear can’t go.
When working near roads, drains, or public spaces in Shannon, the Horowhenua District Council requires projects to follow local safety and environmental standards. Hydrovac makes compliance easy by reducing ground disturbance, managing runoff, and controlling spoil. We support both private and council works across the district, delivering compliant excavation from town centre jobs to rural boundary digs.
If your project in Shannon needs fast, clean, and council-compliant excavation, Hydrovac is the right choice — and Caldow Builders is the team to trust.
If your job is on public land in Shannon, like a roadside or near council-owned drains, you may need a permit from the Horowhenua District Council. This includes areas near stormwater systems, berms, and public walkways. For private properties or farmland, permits are usually not required. Our team will check the location and tell you if approval is needed before we start. We can also help with the application if it applies to your job. This helps make sure the work follows all council rules.
We work locally and often service Shannon, so we can usually respond within 24 to 48 hours. In some cases, we can offer same-day support if a truck is available. We have a fleet of Hydrovac trucks based nearby and are ready to move quickly when needed. This means less waiting and fewer project delays. Our team is used to working on both booked and urgent jobs across rural Horowhenua. Contact us and we will give you the earliest available time.
You should use Hydrovac when you are working near pipes, cables, or other buried services. Many older properties in Shannon do not have full records of where these lines are located. Hydrovac is safer because it uncovers the services without contact, using water and suction. It is also better if your site has soft ground, tight access, or needs a clean finish. If accuracy or service protection is important, Hydrovac is the better option.
Our crew arrives with a Hydrovac truck and reviews your site first. We then use water to loosen the ground and a vacuum to remove the soil. This allows us to dig without damaging anything underground. Jobs in Shannon usually take a few hours depending on the site and size. After the job, we leave the area clean and ready for the next step in your project. You do not need to handle any cleanup or extra equipment.
Yes. On rural land in Shannon, many water pipes or power cables are shallow or not clearly marked. Waiting too long to dig safely can lead to hitting these services with machines or tools. This can cause expensive repairs and put your project at risk. Hydrovac helps find and expose these lines before digging continues. Doing this early protects your land and avoids serious damage or delays. It also helps prevent service interruptions to nearby properties.
Need help with a safe and precise excavation job? Contact our friendly team in Shannon today. Call, email, or submit the quick form — we’ll get back to you fast with a quote or expert advice tailored to your site and project needs.
Caldow Builders is a family-owned construction and contracting company based in Foxton. We’ve been working across the North Island for over 40 years, handling everything from commercial construction and civil projects to rural builds, hydrovac work, and heavy transport.
