Partner · Surveying
Benchmark Surveys
Over 30 years’ experience in surveying, with capability in geospatial surveying, ground penetrating radar and electromagnetic utility location.
Visit Benchmark Surveys ↗
Exeter based · Working across the South West
Find it. Expose it. Record it. Reinstate it.
Vacuum excavation around buried services.
Operated excavation for utility exposure, trial holes and restricted-access work. With utility surveying and reinstatement available in-house, you can book excavation alone or the complete service.
Urgent location / excavation
Utility surveyingLocating and mapping buried services
Qualified surveyorsUtility location expertise
Vacuum excavationEquipment and operator supplied
Surface reinstatementBackfill, compaction and surfacing available
What's down there
Buried services are not always shown in the records.
KeyElectricityWaterGasCommunicationsNot on record
Our combined capability
Surveying, excavation and reinstatement together.
Vac Ease brings utility surveying, vacuum excavation and reinstatement together, with responsibility for the agreed work from start to finish.
Formed as a joint venture between Benchmark Surveys and D & P Reinforcements, we draw on each company’s over 30 years of experience in its specialist field.
Map · GPR + EML
Expose · 0.6d
How it works
Map. Expose. Record. Reinstate.
From locating buried services to the finished surface. Choose the complete service or the stages your project needs.
01 · Ground markings and survey information
See it in 3D
One company instead of four.
Watch a typical job from survey to finished surface. Press a stage to jump to it, or drag the model to look around.
Choosing your scope
Choose the service your site needs.
Vacuum excavation is available on its own. If you already have a survey or a reinstatement team, we quote for the stages you need.
MapExposeRecordReinstate
Excavation only
Operated vacuum excavation for sites with an existing utility survey. We expose the target services, with reinstatement handled by your team unless included in our scope.
Suitable for: sites requiring excavation around identified services.
Explore excavation only →
Survey + excavation
MapExposeRecordReinstate
Locate and expose
We survey the working area, expose the target services and record their positions. Your team handles the finish.
Suitable for: sites where utility positions need investigating before excavation.
Explore locate and expose →
Complete service
MapExposeRecordReinstate
Survey to surface
We locate, expose and record the services, then backfill and reinstate to your specification.
Suitable for: projects requiring utility exposure and a reinstated surface within the same programme.
Explore Survey to Surface →
Project fit
Specialist excavation around buried services.
Where vacuum excavation adds value
- Utility exposure in congested urban ground
- Deep trial pits in live rights of way
- Substation and energy site footprints
- Trackside civil works
- Digging within reach of HV cable or fibre
- Sites requiring surface reinstatement to specification
- Sites where the records are old or missing
For construction, infrastructure and utility projects
Restricted access · hose reach
Coverage and availability
South West coverage. Flexible working hours.
Exeter · 50.72° N, 3.53° W
Coverage
Exeter based. South West focused.
Based in Exeter, we cover Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and the wider South West. UK framework and specialist projects are available by arrangement, depending on scope and scale.
Exeter & East DevonPlymouth & South DevonCornwallSomerset & BristolDorsetUK frameworks by arrangement
24/7
Availability
Day works, night works and urgent call-outs.
Available 24/7 for planned works and urgent utility surveying or vacuum excavation. We work around the site’s agreed working hours and access restrictions. Urgent attendance depends on location, access and team availability.
Qualifications and accreditations
PAS 128
Utility survey standardISO
9001 · 14001 · 45001Our projects
Explore our work →From our recent sites.
Ducting & trenching
Large-area GPR
Trunk main exposed
Compaction
Site marking
Trial hole
Get a quotation
Tell us what your site needs.
Send the site location and a brief description of the work required for a quotation.
Request a quoteOr call James 07943 207973 · Aaron 07860 814541
Service
Vacuum Excavation
Operated suction excavation across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and the South West. Book excavation on its own, or include utility surveying and reinstatement.
What it is
Digging with air and suction instead of a bucket.
Vacuum excavation, also called suction excavation, breaks ground using compressed air or water and lifts the spoil straight into a tank through a wide hose. The method is selected for the ground conditions and the services being exposed.
Around cables, fibre routes and water mains, controlled exposure helps the team establish what is there. Vacuum excavation offers a targeted approach where a conventional bucket is unsuitable.
Water main · valve · meter exposed
When to use it
Where controlled excavation is needed.
Live services
Close to buried services
Where conventional excavation is unsuitable near live cables, water mains or other buried services.
Tight windows
Time-sensitive work
Where the work must be completed within restricted working hours or a road closure. We assess the excavation method against the ground conditions and available time.
Hose reach
Restricted access
The suction hose can reach excavation areas away from the unit. Suitable positioning and reach depend on the equipment and site access.
Applications
Typical applications.
Trial holes
Targeted exposure to confirm position, depth and condition before design or excavation.
Utility exposure
Opening up around live services in congested ground so work can proceed.
Trunk main access
Targeted excavation to expose a main, with reinstatement available within the agreed scope.
Substation footprints
Clearance work inside sensitive energy sites, to the asset owner's controls.
Trackside civils
Excavation and reinstatement in the rail environment.
Pole and post holes
Clean, accurate holes where services run close by.
Excavation around roots
Controlled soil removal around tree roots, subject to the agreed method and site requirements.
Chamber clearance
Emptying and cleaning chambers, gullies and voids.
The service
Equipment and operator, supplied together.
Every vacuum excavation booking includes the equipment and an operator. The work is planned around the available survey information, ground conditions and site access.
Our operators hold the relevant qualifications for the equipment they use. Equipment is not available for hire without an operator.
- Fleet
- Unit makes, models, reach, working depth, tank capacity and access widths.
- Operators
- CPCS / NPORS vacuum excavator tickets, CSCS, Street Works.
- Spoil
- Retained for approved backfill, or removed through an agreed disposal route.
- Reinstatement
- Backfill, compaction and surfacing to your specification.
Scope
Agree what is included.
Choose excavation on its own or include the supporting work below. Recording, spoil handling and the finish are agreed as part of the scope.
The quotation identifies the services included and the agreed handover requirements.
- Operated excavation
- Equipment and operator, with the work planned around available survey information, site conditions and access.
- Utility surveying
- Available before excavation where services need locating or existing information needs further investigation.
- Asset recording
- Recording of exposed services, with the information and format agreed for your project.
- Spoil handling
- Retention for approved backfill or removal through an agreed disposal route.
- Reinstatement
- Backfill, compaction and surface restoration where included, or handover to your own team.
Common questions
Vacuum excavation FAQs.
Can I hire the vacuum excavator without an operator?
No. Every booking includes a vacuum excavation unit and an operator.
Do I need a utility survey before you dig?
We can do both stages. If you already have a utility survey we'll work to it and verify as we go. If you don't, we can carry out the location work ourselves before excavation begins, with the survey findings available to inform the dig.
What happens to the spoil?
Depending on what's agreed, it's retained for approved backfill or taken away through an agreed disposal route. Spoil handling is agreed before work starts.
Can you reinstate the surface afterwards?
Yes. Backfill, compaction and reinstatement in tarmac, concrete or paving, to the design specification. Include reinstatement in our scope, or use your own team for the finish.
Is vacuum excavation right for every job?
No. Suitability depends on ground conditions, depth, access, buried services and site controls. Conventional plant is generally better suited to bulk earthworks and straightforward open-ground excavation.
Where do you work?
Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and the wider South West from our Exeter base. Framework and specialist projects elsewhere in the UK are considered on scope and scale.
How do I get a quote?
Send the site location and a description of the work required. We prepare a quotation based on the scope, access and working hours, and contact you if further details are needed.
Get a quotation
Request a vacuum excavation quote.
Send the site location and a brief description of the excavation required. Include proposed dates and reinstatement requirements where known.
Request a quoteOr call James 07943 207973 · Aaron 07860 814541
How we work
Survey to Surface
Utility surveying, vacuum excavation and reinstatement for work around buried services. Choose the complete service or the stages your project needs.
01 Map02 Expose03 Record04 Reinstate
Plan the excavation and the finish together.
Request a quoteWorking around buried services involves more than the excavation itself. Survey information guides the work, exposed services may need recording, and the ground needs reinstating to the agreed specification.
Vac Ease brings the surveying, excavation and civil engineering capabilities together, helping your team manage the work through each stage.
Interactive model
Four stages, one team.
The work, stage by stage
From the first survey to the finished surface.
Ground markings and survey information
01 · Map
Utility surveying
We review the available records and survey the working area using GPR and electromagnetic locating. Detected services are marked to inform the excavation.
Services exposed for inspection and recording
02 · Expose
Vacuum excavation
Controlled vacuum excavation removes ground around the target services, allowing their position and depth to be physically confirmed.
Recorded information for your project drawings
03 · Record
Asset recording
Where included in the scope, we record the positions and depths of exposed services before backfilling, for inclusion in the project drawings.
The agreed surface finish
04 · Reinstate
Ground and surface reinstatement
We backfill, compact and reinstate the surface in tarmac, concrete or paving to the agreed specification.
What you get
What you receive at each stage.
- Before the dig
- Ground markings and survey drawings in DWG and PDF, including recorded depths and quality levels.
- On site
- Agreed working arrangements, site documentation and responsibilities for the work.
- After exposure
- Recorded positions and details of the exposed services, issued for your project records.
- On completion
- The surface reinstated to the agreed specification, with completion information supplied as agreed for the project.
Flexible scope
Book the stages your project needs.
If you already have a utility survey or a contractor handling reinstatement, we can provide the remaining work. Pick your starting point to see where we fit.
Where we can help
Request a quote for this scope
Utility surveying and vacuum excavation
Survey information, service exposure, asset recording and reinstatement.
01 MAPSurvey
02 EXPOSEExcavate
03 RECORDAs-built
04 REINSTATEFinish
Get a quotation
Tell us what your site needs.
Send the site location and a brief description of the work so we can prepare your quotation.
Request a quoteOr call James 07943 207973 · Aaron 07860 814541
Capability
Utility Surveys & Mapping
Locate buried services and establish the ground information needed to plan your work. Our surveyors locate and map buried services, with vacuum excavation available where physical confirmation is needed.
Ground information for your project.
We review the available records and investigate the working area using ground penetrating radar and electromagnetic locating. Findings and limitations help your team plan the next stage.
Book a utility survey on its own, or combine it with excavation to expose and record the target services.
Electromagnetic locating
Recording before backfill
Surveying and excavation together
Confirming services below ground.
A utility survey identifies likely service routes. Where a position or depth needs physical confirmation, vacuum excavation exposes the service so it can be inspected and recorded.
Vac Ease can carry out both stages. The survey findings guide the excavation. Where asset recording is included, a surveyor records the exposed services before backfill for your drawings and subsequent work.
Request a quoteMethod
Complementary survey methods.
No single survey method detects every buried service. We combine record review, electromagnetic locating and ground penetrating radar, with targeted excavation where physical confirmation is needed.
Electromagnetic locating
Traces detectable signals
Electromagnetic locating helps trace detectable signals associated with buried services. Findings are considered alongside the records and other survey methods.
Detection depends on the service, available signal and site conditions.
Ground penetrating radar
Investigates below the surface
GPR provides another view of what may lie below the surface. Surveyors interpret the findings alongside the records and electromagnetic locating results.
Performance depends on ground conditions; heavy clay and made ground reduce what's readable.
Vacuum excavation
Confirms the exposed service
Where survey findings need physical confirmation, controlled vacuum excavation can expose the target service so its position can be recorded.
Utility surveying and operated excavation are both available within Vac Ease.
The people
Experienced survey interpretation.
The value of a utility survey is in the interpretation. Our surveying expertise helps distinguish useful findings from uncertainty and identify where further investigation is needed before excavation.
Our surveying team brings over 30 years of experience in utility location and mapping.
- Level 3
- The exact Level 3 qualification held, awarding body and team role.
- Level 5
- The exact Level 5 qualification held, awarding body and team role.
- Why it matters
- Specialist survey training supports the interpretation of findings and identification of limitations.
Survey deliverables
Clear markings. Usable drawings.
Our utility detection surveys follow PAS 128 Type B methodology. Recorded services are assigned a quality level reflecting the detection evidence and positional confidence, with limitations identified in the survey information.
0.9d
A marking such as 0.9d indicates a depth of 0.9 metres below the ground surface at that point. The survey records any limitations in the depth information.
- Ground markings
- Located service routes are marked on the ground using colour-coded paint, with service identification and depth annotations where established.
- CAD and PDF drawings
- Your utility survey is supplied as a DWG CAD file and a PDF for easy viewing and sharing.
- After excavation
- Where required, exposed services and newly identified utilities can be surveyed before backfill and added to the drawing, providing an updated record of what was found.
Marked on site
When you need one
When a utility survey is useful.
Before design
Identifying buried services helps inform layouts and routes before construction begins.
Before a permit to dig
Current survey information supports the site’s permit-to-dig process.
Before excavation
Utility survey findings help inform excavation planning alongside the site controls and available records.
When records don't match
Further investigation helps resolve differences between site findings and existing records.
After the work
Recording exposed services provides updated information for future work.
Already have a utility survey?
We can provide excavation using your existing utility survey, with any further investigation agreed before work starts.
Get a quotation
Request a utility survey.
Send the site location and survey requirements for a quotation. Vacuum excavation and reinstatement are also available.
Request a quoteOr call James 07943 207973 · Aaron 07860 814541
Capability
Ground & Surface Reinstatement
Backfill, compaction and surface reinstatement by our civils teams. Tarmac, concrete or paving, to your specification.
Plan the reinstatement with the excavation.
Planning the finish from the outset helps coordinate materials, traffic management and handover, reducing delays between excavation and reinstatement.
The surface specification and handover requirements are agreed before work starts.
- Spoil
- Retained for approved reuse, or removed through an agreed route.
- Backfill
- To the approved specification for the location and surface.
- Compaction
- Testing where the specification requires it.
- Surfaces
- Tarmac, concrete and paving reinstatement.
- Highways
- Street works and highway authority requirements.
- Handover
- Completion information for the reinstated scope.
The sequence
From backfill to finished surface.
Backfill and compaction provide the foundation for the finished surface. Each stage follows the agreed specification.
Compacting in layers
01
Backfill
Approved backfill, placed in layers to the specification for the location and finished surface.
02
Compact
Compacted in layers to the specification, with testing where required.
03
Surface
Tarmac, concrete or paving, matched to the existing surface and laid to the design specification.
04
Hand back
Site cleared, and completion information issued for the reinstated scope.
Surfaces
Surfaces we reinstate.
Highway authority and street works requirements are handled as part of the scope where the work sits in the public highway.
Approvals and permits held, who holds them, and the completion documents provided at handover.
Using your own reinstatement team?
Book excavation separately, with the handover requirements agreed for your reinstatement team.
Get a quotation
From utility survey to finished surface.
Request a quotation for the full service or the stages your project needs.
Request a quoteOr call James 07943 207973 · Aaron 07860 814541
Projects
Our Projects
Surveys, excavation and reinstatement delivered by the Vac Ease teams, with the experience of Benchmark Surveys and D & P Reinforcements behind them.
From site
Recent work.
Filter by stage. Select a photo to enlarge it.
Case studies
Featured projects.
Three approved jobs written up with the site requirement, work completed and result.
Get a quotation
Discuss your project requirements.
Send the site location and a description of the work required for a quotation.
Request a quoteOr call James 07943 207973 · Aaron 07860 814541
About
About Vac Ease
Vac Ease is a joint venture between Benchmark Surveys and D & P Reinforcements, bringing utility surveying, vacuum excavation and reinstatement together in one company.
Our story
Why we started it.
The joint venture grew from a practical gap between surveying and site delivery. Ground information needs to inform the excavation, and the finish needs planning before the hole is opened.
Benchmark Surveys and D & P Reinforcements bring the surveying and civil engineering experience behind that approach. One programme, one set of paperwork and one point of contact replace the hand-offs between separate contractors.
Don’t put a price on safety.
The joint venture
Two specialists. One company.
Partner · Civils
D & P Reinforcements
Over 30 years’ experience in groundworks and civil engineering, including reinforcement, surface restoration and site management.
Visit D & P Reinforcements ↗The people
The people behind the work.
Three specialist teams, one company. Our surveyors, operators and site teams hold the recognised qualifications and training required for their roles.
01 · Surveying
Benchmark Surveys
Over 30 years’ experience in geospatial surveying, ground penetrating radar and electromagnetic utility location.
Find out more ↗
02 · Vacuum excavation
Vac Ease
Operated vacuum excavation, with equipment and a qualified operator supplied together for every booking.
Find out more →
03 · Civil reinstatement
D & P Reinforcements
Over 30 years’ experience in groundworks and civil engineering, including reinforcement, surface restoration and site management.
Find out more ↗How we work
The standards we work to.
The survey scope, excavation method and finished surface are agreed around the requirements of your project.
Plan
Ground information and planning
Existing records are a starting point. Survey findings, site conditions and known constraints inform the excavation plan.
Survey
Survey scope and records
The survey methods, extent and deliverables are agreed for the project. Findings and limitations are recorded for the team using the information.
Finish
Reinstatement to specification
Backfill, compaction and the surface finish follow the agreed specification. Highway requirements and responsibilities are addressed within the scope where relevant.
Handover
Records and handover
Where asset recording is included, exposed positions are captured before backfill. Completion information is agreed for the work being delivered.
Qualifications and accreditations
PAS 128
Utility survey standardISO
9001 · 14001 · 45001Get a quotation
Talk to the team.
Send the site location and a brief description of the work required for a quotation.
Request a quoteOr call James 07943 207973 · Aaron 07860 814541
Contact
Tell us what your site needs.
Send your site details and the work required for a quotation.
Request a quote.
Provide your contact details, site location and a brief description of the work. Fields marked * are required.
Enquiry sent
Thanks, .
Your enquiry has gone to sales@vac-ease.co.uk. We will reply with a quotation or any questions. For anything urgent, call James on 07943 207973 or Aaron on 07860 814541.
After your enquiry
What happens next.
01
Review and quotation
We review your site details and send a quotation where the information is sufficient. If anything is missing, we ask for the details needed to price the work.
02
Site assessment, if needed
Where access or the scope needs a closer look, we arrange a site visit before confirming the work.
03
Confirm the work
Once the quotation is accepted, we agree the dates, site arrangements and information required before work starts.