Case Study: Wiri Industrial Yard, a 3 m Trench Reinstated the Next Day for $1,075
Summary: a business in Wiri had a 3.0 × 0.4 m service trench across its yard entrance with the gravel already put back by the owner. Enquiry on Thursday 20 August 2026, fixed price of $1,075 + GST on Friday morning, deposit paid the same day, hot-mix patch laid on Saturday 22 August, balance paid that afternoon.
The problem
Forklifts and delivery trucks were crossing a loose gravel strip at the entrance every day, and rain was forecast. The owner wanted it sealed before the gravel washed out and the trench edges started breaking up.
How it was quoted
Two photos, one from each end of the trench. The first read of the area double-counted it, because the same trench photographed from opposite ends looks like two. Corrected on review to 1.2 m² and priced at the small-job minimum. That minimum exists because a crew, a compactor and a hot-mix delivery cost the same to send to a 1 m² job as to a 10 m² job; it is why a tiny trench is not a $200 fix. The trench reinstatement cost guide explains the pricing.
The work
Backfill compacted and checked, then cut back to sound asphalt on both sides of the trench.
Hot-mix laid and compacted, edges sealed against water.
The crew patched wider than the quoted 1.2 m² to key into solid asphalt, at no variation: the fixed price held.
After photo sent on completion; paid-in-full invoice issued the same day.
Result
Enquiry to finished trench in under 48 hours, $1,075 + GST, no callout, no variation. Two lessons for owners: one photo along the trench with a tape in shot gives a cleaner estimate than two from opposite ends, and for small jobs the price is set by the visit, not the square metres.
Questions this job answers
Is there a minimum charge for a small asphalt repair?
Yes. A Quick Fix cold-mix patch starts at $350 + GST and a permanent hot-mix repair at $700 + GST; a trench with edge sealing on a commercial site sits around $1,075 + GST. Crew, compactor and hot-mix delivery are fixed costs whatever the area.
Can you do weekend work?
Yes. This job was done on a Saturday inside normal rates. Out-of-hours and overnight work on commercial sites is priced as a separate line on the quote.
What photos give the most accurate quote?
One wide shot along the length of the damage with a tape or a known object for scale, plus a close-up of the worst point. Photos from both ends of the same trench can be read as two trenches.
Job details are real and rounded; the customer is identified by suburb and property type only. Prices are in NZD excluding GST. Your fixed price is set from your photos and confirmed in writing before any work is booked.
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