Getting power to a detached garage, a shed, a workshop or an EV charger at the end of the driveway almost always means a trench. The digging part is straightforward. What trips people up is the depth, which depends on how the wire is run, and the split between who digs and who wires. Here is how it works in New Jersey, and where our job ends and the electrician's begins.
Who does what: electrician vs excavator
Let us be clear up front. We dig the trench. A licensed electrician does the wiring. We do not install conductors, make connections or pull electrical permits.
A typical job goes like this:
- The electrician designs the circuit. They decide the size of the feeder or branch circuit, the wiring method (cable or conduit) and where it leaves the house and enters the garage, shed or charger location. That choice sets the trench depth.
- The electrician pulls the electrical permit from your town's construction office. New Jersey adopts the National Electrical Code as its electrical subcode, and the local electrical inspector enforces it.
- 811 markout. We will not dig without an 811 ticket, so the utilities get marked first.
- We dig the trench to the depth and route the electrician specifies.
- The electrician installs the conduit or cable, and the inspector usually looks at it before it is covered.
- We backfill, compact and restore the lawn.
Coordinating the two schedules is the main headache. The best jobs have the electrician and the excavator talk before anyone shows up.
How deep does electrical wire need to be buried?
The minimum depths come from Table 300.5 of the National Electrical Code. Depth is measured as "cover," from the top of the cable or conduit to finished grade, not from the bottom of the trench. For the general case, a lawn or yard not under a building or driveway, the common minimums are:
| Wiring method | Minimum cover |
|---|---|
| Direct burial cable (such as UF cable) | 24 inches |
| Rigid metal conduit or intermediate metal conduit | 6 inches |
| Nonmetallic raceway listed for direct burial, such as PVC conduit, without concrete encasement | 18 inches |
| Residential branch circuit, 120 volts or less, 20 amps or less, GFCI protected | 12 inches |
Different depths apply under driveways, under buildings, under streets and in other locations, and there are further rules for where the wire comes up out of the ground. The electrician and your inspector set the exact requirement for your job.
A few practical notes:
- The 12 inch option is narrow. It only applies to a residential branch circuit of 120 volts or less, 20 amps or less, with GFCI protection. A shed with a light and an outlet might qualify. An EV charger or a subpanel in a garage almost never does, because those circuits are typically 240 volts and larger.
- Deeper is often better than the minimum. Going past the minimum protects the line from future fence posts, garden beds and aeration.
- Conduit costs little extra and saves a lot later. A cable in conduit can be pulled out and replaced without digging again. While the trench is open, an extra empty conduit for internet or low-voltage lines is cheap insurance. We made the same argument for satellite cable on burying Starlink cable.
This is general information, not legal advice. Your electrician and local electrical inspector decide what applies to your installation.
811 and the lines that do not get marked
New Jersey requires a markout request before digging, and a homeowner digging in their own yard counts. We will not dig without an 811 ticket. The notice has to go in at least 3 and no more than 10 business days before digging (N.J.S.A. 48:2-82(a)). Skipping it is expensive. An excavator who violates the Underground Facility Protection Act faces civil penalties of $1,000 to $2,500 per violation per day, up to $25,000 for a related series of violations (N.J.S.A. 48:2-88(a)). Where the line is natural gas or hazardous liquid, the ceiling is $200,000 per violation per day and $2,000,000 for a related series (N.J.S.A. 48:2-86(c), as amended). Source for both: NJ Board of Public Utilities order of October 23, 2024, One Call settlements. How the process works and what the colored paint means is on our 811 markout guide.
The catch on these jobs: 811 marks lines owned by the member utilities. Lines you own yourself are usually not marked. Think of an existing feed to a shed, landscape lighting, irrigation lines, a pet fence wire, a propane line, or the line from your well. Before we dig, walk the route with us and tell us everything you know about what is already in the yard.
Routing the trench
A few things decide the best path:
- The shortest path is not always the cheapest. Going around a patio, a septic field or big tree roots can save more than it costs in extra length.
- Stay out of the septic area. Never trench through a disposal field.
- Crossing a driveway or walkway? You can cut and patch, or bore underneath it. For longer crossings, directional boring avoids opening the surface.
- Rock changes plans. In rocky North Jersey ground, a shallower rigid metal conduit option can sometimes avoid hammering. That is the electrician's call on wiring method.
Restoring the lawn
A trench across a lawn leaves a scar, but it does not have to last. We keep topsoil separate from subsoil when we dig, put it back in the right order, compact the backfill in lifts so it does not sink, and finish with topsoil and seed. A slight crown over the trench allows for a little settling. Expect a visible line until the grass fills in. We describe the whole approach on our post about yard restoration after underground work.
A small detail worth adding: warning tape placed in the trench above the line, so anyone who digs there in the future hits the tape before the wire. Ask your electrician whether they want it and at what depth.
What affects the cost
Trench length, depth, soil and rock, how many hard surfaces need crossing, access for equipment, and how much restoration the yard needs. A 24 inch trench for direct burial cable costs more to dig than an 18 inch trench for PVC conduit, but the wiring costs differ too, so compare the full job with your electrician.
Get the trench done right
If your electrician has spec'd the run and you need the trench dug, backfilled and the lawn put back, call us at 862-268-2510 or send the details through our free estimate form. Share the route, the depth your electrician needs and when they plan to wire it, and we will coordinate from there.
Common questions
Do I need an electrician to run power to a detached garage in NJ? Yes, the wiring should be done by a licensed electrician, who pulls the electrical permit from your town's construction office. An excavation contractor like JWSR digs the trench, backfills it and restores the lawn, but does not install or connect the wiring.
How deep does underground electrical wire need to be buried? Under National Electrical Code Table 300.5, for a general yard location the common minimum cover is 24 inches for direct burial cable, 18 inches for PVC conduit listed for direct burial, 6 inches for rigid or intermediate metal conduit, and 12 inches for a residential 120 volt, 20 amp or smaller GFCI-protected branch circuit. Cover is measured from the top of the cable or conduit to finished grade.
Can I bury an EV charger circuit 12 inches deep? Usually not. The 12 inch option only applies to residential branch circuits of 120 volts or less, 20 amps or less, with GFCI protection. EV charger circuits are typically 240 volts and larger, so a deeper wiring method is required. Your electrician decides.
Will 811 mark my existing shed wire or landscape lighting? Usually not. 811 marks lines owned by member utilities. Lines you own, such as an existing feed to a shed, landscape lighting, irrigation or a pet fence, are usually not marked, so walk the route and share what you know before digging.
Will you dig the trench without an 811 ticket? No. We will not dig without an 811 ticket. In New Jersey an excavator who skips it faces civil penalties of $1,000 to $2,500 per violation per day, up to $25,000 for a related series of violations (N.J.S.A. 48:2-88(a)), and more where gas or hazardous liquid lines are involved.
Will the trench ruin my lawn? It leaves a line for a while, but it does not need to be permanent. Keeping topsoil separate, compacting the backfill in lifts, and finishing with topsoil and seed lets the lawn fill back in.
Still not sure how this applies to your property? That is what a free on-site estimate is for. Call 862-268-2510 or tell us what is going on, and we will give you a straight answer, including when the answer is that you do not need us.
