Digging around marked utils

[queen of spades]

I have a small backyard grading job scheduled. We're leveling it out, taking 4-5' of dirt from one side and spreading to the other.

Before doing anything I had the customer contact 811. The cable company was the only one who marked, they left an orange stripe through the middle of the backyard.

So what's proper procedure from here out (other than using extreme care & not digging on top of or close to that cable line). Do we have Comcast come out and relocate the line first, or dig around it and let them mess with it afterwards?

[Junior M]

I'll tell you what we've done in situations like this, not sure if its right or not. We've just dug down, found it, and either moved the line to the left or right or put it down deeper, and on the job you've described, it sounds like it would need to be put down deeper, way deep though.. It might be wise to contact the cable company and see what they say...

[NateV]

Normally around here back yards dont have much in them.. Except maybe a storm sewer that usually will run near the property line.

[dozerman21]

That orange stripe could also be a telephone line. Chances are whatever it is, it's probably just the small service line to the house, cable or telephone.

They don't bury those deep at all, especially the cable lines. A lot of times the just bury them 1" below the dirt, or even under the sod on a new construction. I'm sure it will be in your way if you're regrading the yard. You'll probably need to locate yourself to see how deep it is then go from there. If it's not too deep where you can yank it out, do that then bury it after you're finished, or just have the homeowner deal with Comcast or the telephone company.

[Dirtman2007]

I'd dig down with a shovel and find the line. If it's deep enough (95% chance it will not be) you can work over it. If not it'll probably just get dug up and then they can run a new service line.

[JB1]

if its like around here you could disconnect at house and pull it up across the yard, they don't bury them deep.

[J. Peterson Grading]

You are the contractor. Why didn't you contact 811? Don't ever let the home owner make that call.

But you are looking at a cable tv line or a phone line. I wouldn't worry to much. But to let you know. Its not going to be verry deep. If its in the sod line you'll be lucky.

J.

[AWJ Services]

The law states that you the contractor has to call unless the homeowner agrees to allow you to work under there location which means the homeowner is equally liable for damages.

Find the line and determine what it is.
You must also find out where the other utilities are.
Then call the cable/phone company and ask for a temporary line to be installed until the grading is done and they can then do a permanent install.

[Scag48]

AWJ makes a good point, since you didn't call in the locate, you will be held 100% liable for all damages if they occur. From here, call it in yourself, keep all the paperwork clean, find the line, have a temp service run, finish the job then the phone company will come back out and re-install the underground line.

[Dirt Digger2]

you should have called....but no sense in dwelling on that

if i was you i would cut the damn cable...sounds like you can get the job done in a day, so you can fix it before the owner gets home...obviously don't try and do it, but if you do oh well

they sell cable splice kits at home depot...for the aggravation those little things cause its worth it to buy one...it is much easier to get it out of there then worry about hitting it all day

cable is the only utility that i don't care if i hit

and if theres no other markings chances are they aren't back there

[RockSet N' Grade]

J Peterson is on to something here. Here is the deal. If you are the contractor on the job you are responsible for calling your local dig alert company and giving your name and receiving the job #. If you do not, and you happen to hit "something" your a@@ is bacon in the eyes of the law. It does not matter if the Happy Home Owner calls or not, in fact, that is a hindrence because your local dig alert company will fax or email you with an "all clear" from the other utilities so it is on record. Once you have gone through the proper procedure and are sure there is only one line........pot hole it in several places to determine depth, alert homeowner that they may have to replace line at their expense and get it in writing/signed, determine from potholing whether you can do your excavation work and bury line deeper or if the line will need to be replaced or lengthened, disconnect at house and cut it yourself at the edge of the yard where they can come and splice a new line from that point on.

[RockSet N' Grade]

Trust me on what I say on that one. I know from experience. A few of my bills until I learned my lesson: $25,000 for a phone line, $350 for a gas line, $350 for a phone line, $400 bills for "assorted" backcharges from homeowners who had me by the short hairs and stuck it to me to get their cables repaired for $125. Do it right, get it signed on paper and make sure you keep records. The liability doesn't seem like a big deal until you hit it and then your world can turn upside down. Another small point, if you hit a line (like I did last year) that was unmarked......stop immediately and take pictures, call the appropriate utility and have them come and fix it and give you something in writing. You can go broke in the blink of an eye when it comes to this stuff AND can be charged for lost income from the utility being down, lost product ( freezers not working because you hit the line ), and any punitive compensation that the judge decides to add on to that little ditty to discourage others to do it "properly" and follow the law. I know of what I speak on this one..........

[John K]

Rockset,

25k for a phone line? What happens when you hit fiber optic?

[AWJ Services]

I will add that everything posted is correct, but you are allowed to work under someone elses location.
For example RSG was doing a large project and he had 5 sub contractors coming in to work on the property in a 2 week period all digging in the ground.He can call in one location and have all of his subs work under his location but several things happen.
He is now responsible along with the offending sub for any damages that occur.He also is responsible for maintaining the marks so they are visible through out the construction process.
He is also responsible to require the subs to use proper care around the utilities.

So never tell anyone you called in the location for them.

[Gravel Rat]

If it is telephone or cable vision the homeowner is will have to bite the bullet and have the service line moved or buried deeper.

If it is just a phone line for one house and not a residential neighbourhood then I wouldn't worry about it. If its a fiber optic line then you would worry.

[grassmanvt]

Trust me on what I say on that one. I know from experience. A few of my bills until I learned my lesson: $25,000 for a phone line, $350 for a gas line, $350 for a phone line, $400 bills for "assorted" backcharges from homeowners who had me by the short hairs and stuck it to me to get their cables repaired for $125. Do it right, get it signed on paper and make sure you keep records. The liability doesn't seem like a big deal until you hit it and then your world can turn upside down. Another small point, if you hit a line (like I did last year) that was unmarked......stop immediately and take pictures, call the appropriate utility and have them come and fix it and give you something in writing. You can go broke in the blink of an eye when it comes to this stuff AND can be charged for lost income from the utility being down, lost product ( freezers not working because you hit the line ), and any punitive compensation that the judge decides to add on to that little ditty to discourage others to do it "properly" and follow the law. I know of what I speak on this one..........

Good advice. I'm always worried about covering my tail for this kind of stuff and have been laughed at before for waiting to get lines marked or getting an all clear from utilities. On one job the locater guy even snickered about it because the lines were above ground from the pole. Hey, it would be my luck on one of these weird old added on later houses around here that that line would be dead headed and another one would be underground that I would for sure "find". Either way, better to try to do things the right way or as close to right as you know how. Out of curiosity, was it a fiber optic line you had hit? I've never heard of such an outrageous fine for a regular phone line.

[AWJ Services]

You as a contractor can back charge the locators for lost time from improperly marked utilities and by law they have to pay it.

[blackangus86]

I will chime in here since i work for a telephone company. If it is just a drop for the house and not a main cable, It will not be very deep and you should be able to pull it up and rebury. Alot of time when someone has to do some digging we will come in and reroute our cable to fit the needs. You dont want to break a main copper telephone line as this will cost you some money. If its a fiber optic line, I myself, would leave that one to comcast. You do not want to break those lines. There is alot more into fixing one of them lines then there is copper.

[YellowDogSVC]

you should have called....but no sense in dwelling on that

if i was you i would cut the damn cable...sounds like you can get the job done in a day, so you can fix it before the owner gets home...obviously don't try and do it, but if you do oh well

they sell cable splice kits at home depot...for the aggravation those little things cause its worth it to buy one...it is much easier to get it out of there then worry about hitting it all day

cable is the only utility that i don't care if i hit

and if theres no other markings chances are they aren't back there

Some people will be irate if they have no cable, phone, or internet if it's all in one line! I like the idea of the splice kit