HELP - Utility lines next to Stumps & the driveway!

[jenkinsph]

No point in making a mountain out of a mole hill. I would grind the stumps down a few inches and clean up the area as I saw fit. You may never have another phone line in your life, but if you do this line will work or they will pull in a new one. This is not the same as cutting a trunk line at the street that feeds many homes and businesses.

Same with the primary electric line, it should be 36" depth, it won't be 4" depth. All the power companies I have dealt with verify the depth of primary for liability reasons, pretty strict about this.

Now digging up the stumps would be a different matter, this could likely cause big problems with roots wrapped around the lines. Your new stump grinder is the ideal tool for this job.:thumbsup:

 

[rmk700]

I hear what you are saying, but it still stinks.

They hold all the cards, and it is my property...

They shold be able to assure me the line is 18" deep, (or 12" or even 6") and if it is not it is NOT MY FAULT, but I'm sure you are right.

I'm not trying to insult anyone, but I could not get away with this level of quality workmanship in my career field.

As I said in my first post on this thread. This stinks.

David

The reason why they can't give a set depth is because over the years the dirt elevation over the utility may have been altered for whatever reason. Example: somebody may have cut a ditch or lowered/raised a new road after the utility has already been installed.

I reccomend just spending some time and pothole down carefully with a shovel (yeah a shovel can even cut a small phone line) untll you locate it. Try to pothole close to where your going to grind because phone lines a notorious for going up and down in elevation. Also remember, they are legal if line is 2 feet each side of the paint mark. Whenever digging around utilities there really is no easy way around it if you don't want to hit them.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

The reason why they can't give a set depth is because over the years the dirt elevation over the utility may have been altered for whatever reason. Example: somebody may have cut a ditch or lowered/raised a new road after the utility has already been installed.

I reccomend just spending some time and pothole down carefully with a shovel (yeah a shovel can even cut a small phone line) untll you locate it. Try to pothole close to where your going to grind because phone lines a notorious for going up and down in elevation. Also remember, they are legal if line is 2 feet each side of the paint mark. Whenever digging around utilities there really is no easy way around it if you don't want to hit them.

rmk700,

I completely uinderstand they cannot give a standard depth because something may have changed. But they CAN give an approximate depth.

I get that.

I have MOREi ssue with each utility picked a different side of the driveway, and both cross over a couple times.

The painted line is about 6" off my driveway, I'm not digging a 4 foot trench to find the line. I'm not digging up my driveway.

Nothing on this property has been easy or smooth.It feels like everything is broken, or there is a reason why something won't work. Some days the frustration level is astonishing... 1 step forward, 10 steps back...

David

 

[Fixemall]

rmk700

I have MOREi ssue with each utility picked a different side of the driveway, and both cross over a couple times.

The painted line is about 6" off my driveway, I'm not digging a 4 foot trench to find the line. I'm not digging up my driveway.

Nothing on this property has been easy or smooth.It feels like everything is broken, or there is a reason why something won't work. Some days the frustration level is astonishing... 1 step forward, 10 steps back...

David

Hang in there! At least you don't have inspectors showing up looking pick your pockets for bribes...could always be worse.

 

[scoutcub]

Nothing on this property has been easy or smooth.It feels like everything is broken, or there is a reason why something won't work. Some days the frustration level is astonishing... 1 step forward, 10 steps back...

David

Man ain't that the truth.....
I know that feeling well. :confused2:

Keep plugging along there, my Captain.....it'll work out. :thumbsup:

 

[MossflowerWoods]

Hang in there! At least you don't have inspectors showing up looking pick your pockets for bribes...could always be worse.

THAT WILL BE NEXT!!!!!!

Man ain't that the truth.....
I know that feeling well. :confused2:

Keep plugging along there, my Captain.....it'll work out. :thumbsup:

Thanks Frank.

One way or another it will all come out in the end... I just need to make some progress...

David

 

[rmk700]

rmk700,

I completely uinderstand they cannot give a standard depth because something may have changed. But they CAN give an approximate depth.

I get that.

I have MOREi ssue with each utility picked a different side of the driveway, and both cross over a couple times.

The painted line is about 6" off my driveway, I'm not digging a 4 foot trench to find the line. I'm not digging up my driveway.

Nothing on this property has been easy or smooth.It feels like everything is broken, or there is a reason why something won't work. Some days the frustration level is astonishing... 1 step forward, 10 steps back...

David

I feel your pain as well and am on your side with the fustrations. I battle with utillies almost daily, in fact I operate heavy equipment for a living. Mostly trackhoes and backhoes. Just the other day I found a 4 inch gas line that was at least 12 ft. off the paint mark. I found it with a shovel while looking for a large phone line...got lucky and am still steaming mad at the locator's screw up.

so....letting you know, your not at all alone with utillity drama. (shakes head and flips table) lol. It's just the way it is.

 

[MossflowerWoods]

I feel your pain as well and am on your side with the fustrations. I battle with utillies almost daily, in fact I operate heavy equipment for a living. Mostly trackhoes and backhoes. Just the other day I found a 4 inch gas line that was at least 12 ft. off the paint mark. I found it with a shovel while looking for a large phone line...got lucky and am still steaming mad at the locator's screw up.

so....letting you know, your not at all alone with utillity drama. (shakes head and flips table) lol. It's just the way it is.

Thank you for the support sir!

That would have been VERY frustrating!
Be well,
David

 

[LBrown59]

Utilities should be responsible for the consequences of digging .
After all it's their line so it's they who should do the digging .

 

[Todd NE WY]

David,

You don't have to dig 4 feet. You only need to dig from the painted line out 2 feet in the direction of the stumps, if you don't find the wire you are in clear and if something is hit outside this area you are not responsible. I know this is very frustrating, I was wanting to put a 2 car garage in our backyard a few years ago, there was a 10' easement along the property line so I wanted the building right on the edge of it so I wasn't losing any more ground. Lo and behold both the electric that ran in the easement and the cable were right on the very edge when marked. Took some talking but I got the city to bring out one of their trucks that digs with the high pressure water and they positively located everything so we could did.

Hang in there after its over it will have been worth it.

Todd