Replies

1. 
   bobs715 | Mar 13, 2007 03:09am | #1

   Just mark in white where you're going to dig with areas marking the area, call, and they'll come out and mark what ever is there. Real simple.

2. 
   TomW | Mar 13, 2007 03:09am | #2

   1-800-digsafe. Pretty sure it's free. Wish we had done it on my septic install. e got really lucky on that one. The excavation contractor got drunk that afternoon that's for sure. Definitely learned my lesson.

3. 
   Catskinner | Mar 13, 2007 03:14am | #3

   In every state in the continental US there is a toll free phone number to call and the utility owners will come to your site within 48 hours and locate all of the utilities on the public side of the interface at no charge.

   If you can't find the number in your phone book call a local utility and they will be happy to give you the number.

   Soon there will be a nationwide phone number (like 811) to call, but I don't think that's up and running yet.

   All of the utilities after the customer interface(i.e. gas meter, electric meter, phone pedestal, water meter) are the responsibility of the homeowner. Typially you can find a private locate service to mark the utilities for a modest fee.

   It is illegal in some states to dig at all without having the area spotted for utilities, some states have less restrictive laws, like in some states you can dig up to certain depth but no deeper. But in any case, it's a free call, a free service, and if you hit a live public utility and live to tell about it the fine can be severe, so better safe than sorry.

   A word of caution -- those paint marks are notoriously inaccurate sometimes. I do not get any closer than 2' from the paint with a machine for any reason. Anything closer is handwork. Again, better safe than sorry. I could tell you some tales . . .

   Does that answer your question well enough?
1. 
   BillHartmann | Mar 13, 2007 05:05am | #4

   They only locate for contracting companies.My city (water, sewer, and electric for the sewer pumps) does not participate.And in other threads I have heard that in some areas cable companies don't.Also it is best if you are there at the time.I specified the NE corner of the house to the road.I found him wondering around the SE corner..
   .
   A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

1. 
   ANDYSZ2 | Mar 13, 2007 05:51am | #5

   Last summer I hit a fifty line telephone cable 4x on one fence job.

   They had come out and sprayed But didn't spot the 50 line cable.

   You have 14 days in my area don't go past or you pay.

   They have 48hrs. to 72 hrs to spray for you to be liable. They're lawer informed me if you dig and damage  before  spray you own it, whether they sprayed in time or not.

   If they spray in the wrong part of the property and you dig you own it.Make sure they know where you are digging  and they checked that part.

   Even if the phone company personnel agree it is the locator's fault. The locating contractor will use any circumstance to get out of their responsibility.

   You can negotiate the amount you pay but not neccesarily with the phone company but with the lawyers when you don't pay the original billing.

   I hit this line 4x because the line ran thru previous fence post's concrete in almost every hole.The line was only 8" deep and was an airline that should have never been used underground.The feeder line was wove between the boards on the existing shadowbox fence( they paid for that cut as no one marked and it wasn't underground).

   Find the phone guys that work that area get their cell phone number and call them first before you report a break. They have some discretionary powers and are much more  likely to make allowances than the mother company.

   That job cost me big time and the homeowners promised to help me out, but 5 months later they refused to return my calls.There goes the warranty.

   ANDYSZ2

    WHY DO I HAVE TO EXPLAIN TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY THAT BEING A SOLE PROPRIETOR IS A REAL JOB?

   REMODELER/PUNCHOUT SPECIALIST

    

1. 
   TomW | Mar 13, 2007 06:08am | #6

   Only fifty lines. We hit a 900 pair phone cable. Luckily it had been replaced by fiber optic a couple years earlier. The contractors kept a pretty good poker face while waiting for the phone co to show up but oy were they ever relieved when told, Merry Christmas, cover it up.

2. 
   CAGIV | Mar 13, 2007 09:22am | #7

   I believe Kansas will mark for homeowners.  At least there is option to push for homeowners when you call the #.... I've never pushed it, maybe it just tells them to hire a professional ;)

1. 
   joeh | Mar 13, 2007 02:03pm | #9

   Here, Utah, it's "Blue Stakes" - they advertise on the radio regularly with a nice warning it's your azz if you don't call.

   Joe H

2. 
   BillHartmann | Mar 13, 2007 02:45pm | #10

   "I believe Kansas will mark for homeowners. At least there is option to push for homeowners when you call the #.... I've never pushed it, maybe it just tells them to hire a professional ;)"I think that every state does.A HO can cut a cable just as well as a pro, probably more like as many would not even have the concept of where the utilities might be.Many of the ads I see show a HO planting a tree. But I didn't pay any attention to which state that they are far..
   .
   A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.

3. 
   maverick | Mar 13, 2007 04:28pm | #11

   connecticut marks for anybody who calls. I'm a contractor but I dont contract out excavation and I do own a backhoe. read that I dont insure for excavation. once in a while I'll dig a trench or a hole for a neighbor but only after they get it marked. Its a sizable fine if you dont

4. 
   Shacko | Mar 16, 2007 07:19pm | #18

   Bill: Where I live [Maryland] they will mark the line for anyone. They mark the line where it exists, not where you are working, this is free. If you don't have them mark the line and hit it you eat the damage, info. only. Have a good one.

4. 
   tashler | Mar 13, 2007 11:33am | #8

   Lou,

   I'm kind of delirious right now, but I believe here in NJ the number is 1-800-272-1000.

   They'll want to know a bunch of stuff, including nearest cross street.

   Have them do the whole yard. It's free and easier than describing the one little area you know you need.

   Hope this helps.

   Glenn

   Now I gotta go back to bed. This pneumonia is killing me.

5. 
   nickjandrews | Mar 15, 2007 01:08am | #12

   I have dealt with One Call in twelve states, and all are a PITA as far as the actual locators. We cut Sprint's fiber in Wyoming along the UPRR twice because of bad locates. They weren't happy, neither was the FAA, who uses that line! Once the marks were twelve feet off, the other time they did not show a jog in the line. The irony is, we were installing a 12-duct bank for fiber lines. I think they were upset because I called in 300 miles of the railroad all at once...

   We had a subcontractor in Salt Lake that burned up a brand new CAT 426 backhoe by hitting an unmarked gas line. Operator was very lucky to survive.

   Here in NM, I had a contractor that hit Qwest's lines 40 times (including drops) on a gas line job because of bad locates. ALL were the locator's fault.

   Make the call or FAX it in, and when you get the locate ticket back, check it thoroughly for errors, which are very common.

   Nick Andrews

   "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."- Benjamin Franklin, Historical Review of Pennsylvania, 1759

1. 
   BungalowJeff | Mar 16, 2007 02:21pm | #13

   Definitely keep an eye out when they mark. I had a waterline marked, and despite explaining to the guy about minimum radii and the exposed rock, he still sprayed a line that couldn't be connected to the street valve with a drunken parabola....that's not a mistake, it's rustic

2. 
   Catskinner | Mar 16, 2007 02:31pm | #14

   Yep, good advice. I know someone who hit the Trans-Canada pipeline that way.On a far less serious note, I took out phone to a small subdivision as well.Also note to OP: those marks don't tell you anything about depth. Never assume.

6. 
   Dave45 | Mar 16, 2007 04:36pm | #15

   Lou -

   You should be able to get a phone number from any utility truck.  Around here, they all have a sign on the truck that says "Call Before You Dig" and gives a number.  When you call, they should be able to give you the procedure for your area.

   From my own experiences during ten years of designing & building telecommunications conduit systems, I offer these cautions:

   • Not all underground utilities belong to the system.  One mid-sized fiber company I knew of didn't want to be bothered, so they didn't join the system.  Yes, we "found" one of their cables once...............with a backhoe!! - lol
   • Utility records are generally pretty poor and often non-existent for private property.  Our local phone company never did as-built drawings and they were  10 years behind on updating their records for the design drawings.
   • Phone, power, and cable TV are often "field-run" on private property and their actual location is seldom shown on the records.  You probably have utility easements within X ft. of your property lines so you should be very careful working in the easements.  Your tax assesors office should be able to tell you where your easements are.
   • Many utilities sub-contract their locate work and these folks are overworked, underpaid, and are trying to work with poor records.  On many occasions, I've seen them say "Well, it must be about there.", slap some paint on the ground and drive away. 
   • Even if the markings are correct, be suspicious of the depth of the cable(s).  We once found an AT&T fiber optic cable just under the pavement.  It was supposed to be at least 24" deep!
1. 
   bobo66 | Mar 16, 2007 05:21pm | #16

   In NY they locate for anyone,it is free and it is mandatory in NYC and on Long Island before any digging.

7. 
   rwjiudice | Mar 16, 2007 06:41pm | #17

    

   Posted previously by me. Lesson??? Always call !!!! But, when digging closer than 2-3ft to a paint mark, HAND DIGGING IS REQUIRED! The paint marks are "approximate" at best....

    I hired a pro outfit to put in a fence for the pool..... Nice, black aluminum, looks like wrought iron without the hassle of rust etc.....

   3 years later, my power went out. Power co came out, ran a temp cable over the ground to my meter for a quick fix. I came home from work the next day, temp cable gone, power fixed.

   A month later, PCo sent me a letter asking me who put in the fence, since they 'nicked' the underground PCable and it was a 'billable" repair. What I do????? OF COURSE I IGNORED IT. Threw the letter away!!!!

   3 weeks later, I got a bill from the PCo for $1200 for repair.  WHOA!!! I immediately called the number on the bill. I told them who installed the fence and they said 'no problem, they'd bill the fence co".  The PCo guy chuckled and said hardly anyone calls in response to their first request for info but those who don't ALWAYS call when they get the bill!!!!