For general contractors & remodelers
Under-Slab Access for Remodel & GC Plumbing Changes
Moving a bathroom, relocating a kitchen island, or adding a laundry drain under an existing slab usually means new plumbing where there's no access. Breaking finished floors is expensive and slow. We tunnel the access so your plumber re-routes under the slab and your finishes stay put.
On a remodel, the schedule and the finishes are everything — and a saw cut through new tile to reach a drain line is the kind of surprise that blows both. We're the trade you call to open under-slab access cleanly: tell us where the new fixtures land and we'll tunnel to the runs your plumber needs. Same measure-first discipline we bring to foundation work, applied to your build sequence.
When you call us
The jobs that need a tunnel.
Relocating a bathroom or kitchen
New fixtures mean new drains where the slab has none. We tunnel the access so your plumber lays the lines without demoing the finished floor.
Adding a laundry or wet bar
A new drain and supply under an existing slab needs a path. We dig it to the fixture location.
Commercial plumbing layouts
A tenant build-out or restaurant kitchen needs floor drains and grease lines under the slab. We open the runs to plan.
Preserving expensive finishes
Polished concrete, imported tile, or wide-plank wood you don't want to cut. Tunneling from a controlled entry keeps the field intact.
Keeping the schedule
We sequence the dig into your build so the plumber, the inspector, and the backfill all land where they need to in the timeline.
What you get
How we work with you.
We work like a subcontractor who's read the plan, not a digger waiting for a call: we coordinate the access with your plumber's rough-in, keep the entry controlled and the dust down, and backfill and compact in lifts so whatever goes back on top — slab patch, new tile, new cabinets — sits on ground that won't settle. Because we understand foundations, we also flag it early if a planned dig runs near a grade beam or a bearing point that needs respect, so your structure stays sound while the plumbing changes.
SCOPE OF WORK
- Tunnels and trenches dug to your new fixture and drain locations
- Access coordinated with your plumber's rough-in and the inspection
- Controlled entry, dust managed, finishes protected
- Backfill and compaction in lifts for whatever's placed above
- Foundation-aware digging near grade beams and bearing points
How every bore is held
Velocity, precision, OSHA, quality control — and the standards behind them.
Tunneling is the slow, risky part of a plumbing or foundation job. We run it like a discipline, not a dig.
Velocity
Hand-tunneling is the slow part of a plumbing or foundation job. We staff the bore to the schedule, dig in clean shifts, and hand the plumber an open, ready trench so their billable hours aren't spent waiting on a shovel.
Precision
We dig to the plan — depth, width, and pitch shot before the first spade, then verified as we go. The pipe run, the pier location, or the engineer's access point lands where the drawing says it should, the first time.
OSHA safety
Tunneling and trenching carry real cave-in exposure. We work to OSHA Subpart P excavation practice — protective systems, safe access and egress, spoil set back from the edge, water and air managed, and daily competent-person inspection.
Quality control
Every bore is checked against the drawing: width to work in, clean floor and walls, true pitch, and a documented hand-off. Backfill is placed and compacted in lifts so the ground — and anything on it — settles right.
Standards & compliance
Texas 811 is called and lines are located before we dig. We sell the access, not the licensed pipe work — your plumber stays the plumber. Permits, locates, and clean documentation come standard.
Why a foundation crew digs a better tunnel
We come out of foundation repair, and we've dug alongside plumbers for years — so we know how to dig it.
We know how a sewer line under a slab actually runs, where the belly usually hides, and how much room a plumber needs to set a fitting, swing a saw, and lie comfortably to make a joint. We open the work area wider where the repair is, shore it, keep it dry, and light it — then get out of the way. The plumber shows up to a tunnel they can work in, not a hole they have to fight. That's the difference between a bore dug by people who've only moved dirt and one dug by a foundation crew who has watched the pipe work happen a hundred times.
- We open the work area wider where the repair is — room to set, slope, and joint
- Shored, dry, and lit so the plumber works in a tunnel, not a hole
- We dig it and back-fill it; your licensed plumber does the pipe work
From locate to backfill
How an under-slab tunnel runs.
Locate & plan
We call Texas 811, locate utilities, and shoot the depth, width, and pitch the repair needs before a spade hits the ground.
Open the entry
A compact entry pit goes in at the chosen point — usually outside the foundation — so the floors above stay whole.
Tunnel to the work
We hand-tunnel to the pipe run, pier location, or access point, widening the bore where the repair happens.
Shore & hand off
The bore is shored and inspected, then handed to your licensed plumber, foundation crew, or engineer — open, dry, and workable.
Backfill in lifts
Once the repair passes, we place backfill in compacted lifts so the slab, drive, or walk above settles correctly.
Clean & document
Spoil hauled, site restored, and the access and backfill documented for your file or warranty.
LICENSING & SAFE DIGGING
In Texas, plumbing repairs are regulated by the Texas State Board of Plumbing Examiners — Tradesman, Journeyman, Master, and Inspector licenses. Motmot sells under-slab tunneling and access excavation; we partner with your licensed plumber for the pipe repair itself. And before any dig, Texas 811 is contacted at least two business days ahead so gas, water, and utility lines are located first.
Industry FAQ
GCs & remodelers tunneling — questions answered.
From real jobs
What this access looks like on real jobs.
Tunneling for other industries
Plumbing companies
Under-slab tunneling for plumbers.
See plumbing companies tunneling →Foundation repair
Foundation repair tunneling.
See foundation repair tunneling →Structural engineers
Engineer-access excavation for under-slab evaluations.
See structural engineers tunneling →Property mgmt & multifamily
Low-disruption under-slab tunnel access for rental and multifamily properties.
See property mgmt & multifamily tunneling →Investors & flippers
Pre-sale and investor property tunneling for plumbing/foundation access.
See investors & flippers tunneling →Realtors & inspectors
Under-slab access for repair work before closing.
See realtors & inspectors tunneling →Restoration & insurance
Access excavation for slab leak and water-damage repairs.
See restoration & insurance tunneling →Commercial facilities
Commercial under-slab tunneling for plumbing and structural access.
See commercial facilities tunneling →Backfill & cleanup
Tunnel backfill and cleanup.
See backfill & cleanup tunneling →Need under-slab access? Tell us the run.
We'll scope the tunnel, dig it to plan, shore it, and back-fill it clean — so your licensed repair goes in smoothly and the floors above stay whole.
Now booking free inspections in Central Texas.