Trenching - worth trying for a novice?

[coldsteelva]

IF you are crossing an existing line.....hand dig anything within 2 feet. DONT trust what they tell you depth wise. Things on the surface can change, or the contractors doing the job might not have done it to spec.

Let it be located. Hand dig within 2'. If you hit it outside of that boundary.....its their problem. IF you hit it within, you will get a hefty repair bill

If you hit 400 amp service inside or outside of the boundary you are going to have a hefty hospital/funeral bill.

 

[4570Man]

If you hit 400 amp service inside or outside of the boundary you are going to have a hefty hospital/funeral bill.

The guy operating the trencher for the gas company said that he had cut a 7200 volt line. He said it welded the chain on the trencher to the bar, but he didn't get shocked.

 

[TemporaryKubotaOwnerMark]

What will happen in any particular case of cutting a power line will depend on a lot of variables. Some people have died from driving a drywall screw into 120 volts, and some people have walked away from encounters with thousands of volts. To think for even a second that it's not dangerous because you know of a case where it did not cause injury is just stupid.

The one thing that is guaranteed is that you will be better off not cutting a power line.

 

[POC]

I trenched in 2000' of 2" water line and 1500' of electric with a ride on trenched. I'd never been on one before. Of course it didn't have to be inspected or anything. It hasn't frozen or came apart, so I guess I did OK.

 

[LD1]

Any updates?

 

[Nic3456]

Any updates?

Nothing yet -except I decided to let my driveway guy do the trenching. His rates came in quite reasonable and he has more experience/time than I do. By the time I rented the equipment paid retail for pipes, etc I was looking at close to $2,000 and he's going to do it for around $3600.

 

[Midniteoyl]

Nothing yet -except I decided to let my driveway guy do the trenching. His rates came in quite reasonable and he has more experience/time than I do. By the time I rented the equipment paid retail for pipes, etc I was looking at close to $2,000 and he's going to do it for around $3600.

That sounds about right for piece of mind... and being able to watch from the porch

 

[LD1]

Is that all three utilities? GAs, water, and electric?

As per your quotes in the first post of this thread.....

Water would have cost you $3900 turn key
Gas at $1680 turn key
Electric at $560 and you still had to buy wire.

If you got everything done 100% for $3600, thats awesome.

What did you decide on the drive configuration?

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I got a brother lives up your way, north of sunbury.

 

[Nic3456]

Is that all three utilities? GAs, water, and electric?

As per your quotes in the first post of this thread.....

Water would have cost you $3900 turn key
Gas at $1680 turn key
Electric at $560 and you still had to buy wire.

If you got everything done 100% for $3600, thats awesome.

What did you decide on the drive configuration?

Yeah my 3rd guy came in a lot lower

For the driveway I think I'm going to go without the geofabric, except I might put some down around one section where I'm putting in a small culvert