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Pilotiko for excavation and earthwork contractors
An excavator promised to two lots on the same morning means a lost day for one customer and an angry call from the other.
Pilotiko helps a Quebec excavation and earthwork contractor book excavators, trucks and trench boxes without double-booking, put each job in the calendar of an operator with the right skills, keep the locate request from slipping through the cracks, and draft quotes that a person reviews before they're sent.
In short
- Excavators, trucks, compactors and trench boxes are bookable resources tied to each job.
- Skills such as excavator operator or experienced surface watcher can be required at assignment.
- You still file the Info-Excavation request, at least 4 business days ahead; Pilotiko helps you remember it.
- Your RBQ subclass 2.5 licence shows on your website; the quotes agent prepares drafts.
What sets the pace for a Quebec excavation company?
Frozen ground, spring thaw on the roads and rain: three constraints that move whole jobs and the machines that go with them.
In winter, frozen ground slows anything that isn't urgent. Digging is mostly for burst water services, clearing a service entrance or prepping an already-heated commercial site. It's also when foundations, drains and spring hook-ups get quoted.
Then comes the thaw. Every spring, Quebec's transport ministry lowers the loads allowed on heavy vehicles while roads recover their bearing capacity. In 2026, restrictions began on March 16 in zone 1, which covers southern Quebec from Gatineau to Rivière-du-Loup, and the dates can be moved up, suspended or pushed back depending on the weather [5]. For a company hauling an excavator on a float or fill in a ten-wheeler, that means trips to replan.
From May to November the season is in full swing: foundation drains, municipal service connections, pool digs, lot preparation for new homes and additions. Every heavy-rain day pushes the rest back, and the machine that was supposed to leave a lot on Thursday stays there until Monday.
| Period | Main work | What the office has to protect |
|---|---|---|
| December to February | Urgent service repairs, spring quotes | One machine and operator free for breaks |
| March to May | Thaw, first jobs as soon as the ground allows | Heavy hauls subject to load restrictions |
| June to September | Foundations, drains, hook-ups, pools | Job order and excavator availability |
| October and November | Work to close before frost, backfill, grading | Jobs at risk of staying open all winter |
What obligations apply before and during digging?
The Régie du bâtiment du Québec places this work under subclass 2.5, Contractor – Excavation and earthwork: digging, moving, compacting and grading soil or granular material. Its description includes trenching, laying and connecting water and sewer services to municipal mains, and renting machinery with an operator when the rental company is responsible for the work. Private roads are not covered [1].
Before digging, the RBQ asks contractors to file a locate request at least 4 business days before work starts; it stays valid until the end date on the request, up to 180 days [2]. Damage to underground infrastructure is paid for by the contractor and recorded in its licence file; if failures persist, sanctions range up to licence withdrawal [2].
The request is free through Info-Excavation, which notes that not every network owner is a member, so you may need to contact some directly [3]. When digging affects public safety or cuts essential services, Info-Excavation requires an urgent request by phone or through its app; the service runs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year [6].
During the work, the CNESST applies zero tolerance to unshored trenches: spoil placed more than 1.2 m from the top of the walls, vehicles and machines more than 3 m away unless shoring is reinforced, an experienced person posted at the surface whenever workers are in the trench, and engineer-sealed plans sent to the CNESST for any excavation deeper than 6 m [4].
| Requirement | Source | Effect on the calendar | What Pilotiko does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subclass 2.5 for excavation and municipal hook-ups | RBQ [1] | — | Licence shown on your hosted website |
| Locate request at least 4 business days ahead | RBQ [2], Info-Excavation [3] | A job can't be promised for tomorrow | An "Info-Excavation request" task in the Dispatch room, done by a person |
| Experienced person at the surface during trench work | CNESST [4] | At least two people on that kind of job | Skill required at assignment |
| Engineer's plans beyond 6 m deep | CNESST [4] | Lead time before work starts | Step written into the quote |
| Load restrictions during the thaw | MTMD [5] | Heavy hauls limited in spring | Float bookings visible week by week |
How does Pilotiko handle machines, operators and jobs?
With the Home services template, Dispatch takes breaks and urgent calls, Quotes holds foundations and drains to price, Vans and fleet becomes your yard of excavators, trucks and floats, and Warehouse tracks clear stone, culverts and membranes.
Each machine is a resource. A mini-excavator booked in Boucherville Monday to Wednesday won't show as free in Varennes on Tuesday, and the buffer between bookings leaves time to move it. Trench boxes and the compactor are booked the same way, so nobody finds out at 7 a.m. that the shoring is still on the other site.
For assignment, you record each person's skills: "excavator operator", "Class 1 truck", "experienced surface watcher". Pilotiko suggests whoever has the skill, the free hours and the most reasonable workload after the job. An assignment missing a required skill is refused unless a manager chooses to override it.
The quotes agent drafts from your services and rates: machine hours, truck trips, materials, backfill and site restoration. A person reviews, edits and sends. Nothing goes out on its own.
Is one excavator and a crew of two enough for May?
Which objections come up, and how do you answer them?
- "Why can't you start tomorrow?" The locate request has to come at least 4 business days before work [2]. Saying so in the quote avoids the phone argument.
- "My neighbour paid less for his drain." A quote that separates machine hours, hauling, stone and restoration compares line by line.
- "Why two workers for a small trench?" When someone is in the trench, the CNESST requires an experienced person at the surface [4].
- "You're leaving dirt on my lawn?" Spoil must stay more than 1.2 m from the edge [4]: plan the space and the restoration in the quote.
What isn't available yet?
How do you get started, and which trades follow your excavator?
First add your machines as resources, your services with their usual length and your staff with their skills. Then open online booking for estimate visits. A clear work order and a detailed quote cut down end-of-job disputes. To be found in your area, read the Quebec local SEO guide.
After you usually come plumbing for indoor connections, masonry for foundations and retaining walls, and landscaping to restore the lot. In winter, many excavation companies also do snow removal. Plans are on the pricing page.
Frequently asked questions
What RBQ licence do you need for excavation work?
Subclass 2.5, Contractor – Excavation and earthwork. It covers digging, compacting and grading, as well as connecting water and sewer services to municipal mains. Private roads are not covered.
How far ahead must you file an Info-Excavation request?
The RBQ asks for at least 4 business days before work starts. The request stays valid until the end date on it, up to 180 days. It's free.
What happens if you damage an underground line?
The contractor pays for repairs and the incident is recorded in its RBQ licence file. If failures persist, sanctions under the Building Act range from licence restrictions to withdrawal.
When does a trench need shoring?
The CNESST considers shoring the best way to prevent cave-ins. It is only waived in specific cases, such as solid rock, when no worker enters, or when walls with no slide risk are sloped under 45 degrees from less than 1.2 m above the bottom. Beyond 6 m deep, engineer-sealed plans must be sent to the CNESST before work begins.
Why do jobs slow down in spring?
During the thaw, the transport ministry lowers allowed loads on heavy vehicles. In 2026, restrictions started on March 16 in zone 1, and dates can change with the weather. Moving machines and fill has to account for it.
Can Pilotiko book an excavator the way it books an employee?
Yes. A machine is set up as a resource and booked with the job for its whole length. While it's booked, it won't show as available for another lot.
Sources
- Régie du bâtiment du Québec, Sous-catégorie 2.5 – Entrepreneur en excavation et terrassement (accessed on October 15, 2026).
- Régie du bâtiment du Québec, Travaux d'excavation (accessed on October 15, 2026).
- Info-Excavation, Locate request (accessed on October 15, 2026).
- CNESST, Trenches and excavations without shoring (accessed on October 15, 2026).
- Gouvernement du Québec (ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable), Période de dégel 2026 – Le 16 mars : début de la période de restrictions de charges des véhicules lourds dans la zone 1 (accessed on October 15, 2026).
- Info-Excavation, Demande urgente (accessed on October 15, 2026).
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