Had my first "oops" this weekend.

[jimmysisson]

Does that 811 number work nationwide, and on private property, does anyone know? In Mass here, the Dig-Safe guys won't mark private property, you have to hire ($200 on up) a private marking service. They don't tell you how deep, and they don't tell you when they're showing up (within 72 hours) so you can ask about anything. As a builder, I'd love an improvement on that system.
Jim

 

[jsborn]

I am not sure when the 811 number will take effect but I do believe it will be nation wide.

About 811 & Common Ground Alliance | Call 811 - Know what's below

N80 you might not agree and i understand but read the link above it will soon if not already Nation wide and yes even when planting trees or putting in a mail box. Don't shoot me I am just pointing out the laws. We have had it here in Ga. for many years and it seems to work fine and yes they locate all utilities on private property. They don't locate private wire or pipe as far as I know.

 

[sandman2234]

I have a house with a detached garage that is two story. I wanted to be able to run a phone line into the garage, but insisted it have it's own box mounted on the garage. I have 5 lines accessible on this property, so I wanted to split two off going to to the garage. You would have thought I wanted to murder someone. Due to my last house having two boxes, I figured I could do one box per building. Finally required a call to the Public Service Commission to get it done. The nice guy they finally sent me dug the 32' by hand, only digging down about 6". I didn't argue too much, as I figured since I knew where it was, and could backfill it some, it wouldn't be too bad. That line isn't marked on my survey, nor is it on any type of easement.
David from jax

 

[donais]

i work for cox cable here in san diego, we dont direct bury all goes in conduit, and the cust has to put it in 18" .we supply the wire, most of the time we replace it for free. to temp fix your problem get some fittings from hdepot and an f81(barrel) cut 1/4" of stinger and 1/4" outer shield leave the braid, slide the fittings on and hook them all together.
crimp if you have a crimper if not just dont move the cable to much till they can fix it

 

[GDITheman]

If you didn't call the people who come out and mark utilities before you excavated, then you are liable. It's way too simple to have them mark out the utilities to avoid these things. You are also lucky it wasn't a natural gas line. I know a gas line should be buried much deeper than an inch, but you don't know. That's the point to all of this. You don't know, therefore you need to have utilities marked. Could the cable company make you repair it? Possibly they could try, but they obviously didn't not install it to code. You and the cable company could argue that issue.

MARK UTILITIES BEFORE YOU DIG!

 

[AlanB]

I will throw mine in here. Rented baby backhoe in my back yard, clearing the debris from the ditch in my yard. Dug maybe 3" down and pulled out a big mainline for the telephone pedastal serving the neighborhood...

Oooooppppssss...

Call the phone company, (along with about 100 other folks I think) and the repair guy shows up and commences to ranting and raving at me about how I would have to pay thousands because I did not call one call....

(and yes, I should have, but did not feel like I was "digging")

So the guy is going on, and threatening etc. etc.... I call my old man, 35 + year's telephone company guy, inside and outside plant.

And I follow his suggestion...

Walked outside with the camera in one hand and tape measure in the other, started taking pictures of the guy fixing the cables, then asked him to hold the tape measure,,, because I would be holding the camera....... To take the picture....

Somehow, the whole tone of the conversation changed..... It was those dang contractors who had failed to bury that cable properly in the first place, and they were going to have to find out what jokers had done that and get with the inspectors etc. etc.............

I still chuckle thinking about that guys face when I was snapping pictures...

 

[n8wrl]

Kinda the opposite problem - back in MI we had cable installed in the winter, so they laid the cable on the ground from the pole to the house promsing to come back and bury it in the spring. They didn't come. I called and called. Finally, I called and said "either come tomorrow with a digger or the next day with a splicer - I'm mowing."

They came.

-Brian

 

[Jibber]

When you say cable/internet/phone.. do you use broadband cable for your phone? Or, do you have regular phone service.

In other words.. did you disturb one cable or two?

If it's just your cable (TV/phone/internet) you probably don't have RG-6.. they quit using that a few years ago.. It's now RG11.. designed for long (more than 75 yards) broadband runs. If you haven't taken out a significant stretch of the cable you may just need a splice. Of course, to do it right requires the right tools. I do think Radio Shack or Lowe's or Home depot would have a cheap crimper device.. and probably cable splices. But if I were you I would look up a dedicated cable supplier.. there are dozens online.. just search RG11 (that should at least get you in the ballpark of suppliers). You may not actually need the cable.. but the same suppliers should have the splices.

If you're not handy with that kind of thing.. find someone who is. Do it right on a buried cable or you'll suffer in the long run.. especially with broadband.

 

[LoneCowboy]

Things (utilities, and it's ALWAYS the cheap *&^% cable company) that are only 1 to 3 inches down, DESERVE to get dug up.
I wouldn't call if I was rototilling or aerating my lawn, why should I? It's a bad install and does not meet their standards.
I've gotten my fair share that are that shallow and never been charged for it.
But if you are really digging (you know, more than a foot) than sure, you should call.

 

[dieselfuelonly]

Well, the guys came out here and fixed it. Because I requested that they dig a new trench and bury it properly, in classic Time Warner GIT-R-DONE service they repaired the cable and left it sitting ABOVE the ground along where I was digging. What a joke.

At least I have my stuff back.

To the person that asked, it was just one cable, I have VoIP phone service, and the cable I cut also supplies internet and cable TV.