RESOURCES - PROJECT PREPARATION AND LAYOUT

            Green              Storm or sewer

            Pink                Survey

Before starting any digging project, you must obtain a locate number and safe digging time from the One Call system. You can get this number from your project contact person in advance. The One-Call system will then inform all utility providers in the vicinity about your intentions, and they will mark their respective utilities within the designated area. If you arrive at the site and find no utility marks, it could indicate that the project was not correctly located. In such cases, it is crucial to contact the One Call system to ensure that the site was accurately located.

During the fence line layout process, you may come across utility locate marks. It is best to attempt to install the fence without disturbing the 36" boundary or moving the fence line. However, if this is not feasible, proceed cautiously by gently probing the area and hand digging a few inches before continuing the probe. Repeat this process until you reach the proper depth of the utility. In cases where the utility is an electrical or gas line, it is highly recommended that you avoid digging around these utilities altogether and move the fence boundaries as needed.

It is essential to understand that digging around buried utilities involves significant risks. There have been instances where people have lost their lives while using hand diggers to excavate around electrical service lines. Similarly, others have suffered permanent disabilities and disfigurement due to accidents involving buried utilities.

What is a private utility?

Private utilities consist of services provided by a private contractor and can be installed during the initial construction of a facility or at any point later on when facility upgrades are made. Private utilities encompass services such as electricity, gas, cable, telephone, sewer, and water. With regards to electricity, the private utility commences at the transformer for the facility and typically runs to the rough-in location of the building. The transformer, a recognizable big green box, is usually placed in front of commercial properties or on the street side. Note that this only pertains to the initial private electrical utility. For other utilities, it's necessary to conduct further investigation to determine where the private utility begins.

What is an example of a private utility?

The prevalent private utility is lighting power for the facility, encompassing the parking lot lighting. Additionally, other utilities such as electricity, gas, and cable may be routed from the primary building to a secondary on-site building. Gas is typically utilized for outdoor grills and entry accent torches. It's also common for providing phone and internet services to remote buildings.

What is a private locate?

Private locate is the process of finding private utilities and is not performed by the One Call System. The reason is the One Call System lacks records of such utilities. The original as-builts that specify the utilities are typically only held by the facility owner (and possibly the building contractor). In contrast to public or One Call locates, there are no rules or guidelines governing private locates. Private locates can be marked in any manner agreed upon by the locator and the contractor who will undertake future work. To prevent confusion with other construction site communications like survey stakes and post hole locations, it's advisable to request that the locates be painted and flagged.

Who performs private locates?

Private locates can be carried out using as-builts, memory, or by an electrician who can tap into the electrical service. However, the means of locating them should be agreed upon by the locator and the individual responsible for installing the fence.

What is the accuracy of private locates?

No established regulation exists when it comes to governing accuracy, which implies that the location of the utility may vary from being precisely on top of it to being off mark.

Who assures that private locates are completed?

Prior to commencing work, the contractor responsible for future work should formally request in writing that all private utilities be located. They should also seek written notification confirming the completion of the locates and review them before commencing work.

What is included in the request for private utility locates?  

The request must specify the start date for the work and mandate that utilities be located a minimum of twenty-four hours before the work begins or with sufficient time to review the locates. The request should also demand that the locates be painted and flagged in line with One Call System standards, utilizing a color-coded identification system and an 18” variance from either side of the mark. The request should clarify that the contractor is not accountable for damages to non-located or inaccurately located utilities during construction. Moreover, the request should mandate that the owner or owner’s representative notifies the contractor in writing about the presence and location of private utilities.

What happens if a private utility is damaged? 

Adhere to the existing One-Call Notification procedure for all cases involving damaged utilities. Doing so guarantees that said utilities are not public and will thus decrease potential liabilities in the future.

How do I run string line in preparation to begin setting posts? 

The string line should depict the exterior of your fence, not the center of it. In fact, the string line will probably indicate the position of the fabric that's installed on the exterior of your posts.

1. Install stakes at all corner, end, and changes in grade, and at intervals not exceeding 200 feet. Ensure that the stakes are installed true and no more than 6 inches above grade. Use stakes that are at least 18 inches long to ensure proper burial and to prevent them from moving during installation. Install stakes away from the post holes to prevent them from being disturbed during digging.
2. Use the string line on the outside of the fence to run where the fabric or wood pickets will be installed. Create a triangle with the string at corner locations and continue to the next run without cutting the string.
3. Run the string through gate openings to ensure proper alignment from one side to the other.
4. Keep the post ¼ inch away from the string to avoid pushing it out of alignment.