Need to Make some money with my Tractor.

[jacobweaver32]

I'm with David... thanks for all the info. I never had any idea it could cost up to 50k if you hit something. But I get your drift with the fiber optic cable because you can't patch that stuff. I am really glad I read this thread as I said before I have a colvert to do in the front by the road and i could have made a big booboo!

My situation is ok because I built my house and sub-contracted out all the escavating (i.e. septic, well, elec., blah blah.)... I was around for all of the work so I have a pretty good idea where everything is. But, still need to be careful. I'll use 811 to get info on the rest.

I did have one comment/question though... about homeowners covering this type of damage... is this true? I am sure it varies from policy to policy but is the consensus that homeowners will cover damage to utilities (whether it is your own or owned by utility)? But its not covered if a contractor hits a line? Only homeowner??

Thanks guys as always

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm with David... thanks for all the info. I never had any idea it could cost up to 50k if you hit something. But I get your drift with the fiber optic cable because you can't patch that stuff. I am really glad I read this thread as I said before I have a colvert to do in the front by the road and i could have made a big booboo!

My situation is ok because I built my house and sub-contracted out all the escavating (i.e. septic, well, elec., blah blah.)... I was around for all of the work so I have a pretty good idea where everything is. But, still need to be careful. I'll use 811 to get info on the rest.

I did have one comment/question though... about homeowners covering this type of damage... is this true? I am sure it varies from policy to policy but is the consensus that homeowners will cover damage to utilities (whether it is your own or owned by utility)? But its not covered if a contractor hits a line? Only homeowner??

Thanks guys as always

From what I understand, you are responsible for the cost of the repair AND can be fined for whatever the commision in charge of that line feels appropriate for the inconvience to the customers on that line. I've heard horror stories of these fines being in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The person, or owner of the company, that cuts the line is responsible. Not the homeowner. It is the responsibility of the person digging to make sure you call first and wait until the area is marked.

I didn't know about 811, but have always called the letters, DIG TESS before digging. It's three days that they have to come out and mark the lines, then if you hit something not marked, it's not your fault.

There are commercials on TV about calling DIG TESS before doing home improvement projects and installing a fence on residential lots. Anytime you dig in the ground, they want you to call first.

Eddie

 

[patrick_g]

I would have commented earlier but my DSL service was down due to some yahoo digging up the fiber cable. My ISP alone (shared cable) had 585 customers out of service, any and or all of which have the right to sue the person who cut the cable.

In our state, OKLAHOMA, there is an 800 number to call before you dig (But there are still jokers who don't). You report where you want to dig and it is THEIR responsibility to notify all utilities, oil and gas pipeline operators etc. There is a short deadline to get out and flag the lines. After the deadline, you the digger are not responsible for damages to any line that was not marked or was marked wrong. This eliminates liability for the equipment guy and his customer and makes it the responsibility of the utilities and such to flag their lines.

TRAILER: Do not scrimp and try to get by with the least trailer you possibly can. This is for several reasons. You don't need to be unsafe, have increased likelihood of a breakdown or limit the number of implements you can haul. If you get some work and need multiple implements at the job site it will take lots of time if you have to make multiple trips to move them. This is especially true if yo have to take the tractor both ways each time to load and unload. Lets say the job is 50 miles away and you need 3 implements. That is 250 miles to get there with 3 implements (one at a time) and you have loaded and unloaded your tractor twice for each implement you transport.

For the tractor and 3 implements you will have made several trips and loaded and unloaded your tractor twice as many times as implements needed. Just getting everything to a site no more than 50 miles away will take a day. It will take another day to take it all home. Is it safe left on site or do you plan to stay in your van at the site to guard your stuff?

A job within 50 miles requiring 3 implements will have TWO DAYS of loading and unloading and driving back and forth if your trailer is too small to carry the tractor and multiple implements. If it can carry everything then you can go to the hob, unload and get in half a day productively. You will save a half day on the end of the job too. How many days can you toss away for free before you could have been better served with a larger trailer? What safeguards your first unloaded implement for the couple hours you are gone getting the second implement?

I am familiar with your area as I was a long time resident of San Diego and have been in your area many times. Drive times can be a killer. Sitting in the big parking lot (AKA freeway) for a long time going to and or coming from a job site will kill your productivity. About the only self defense is to made trips to and from early or late as there is not much of a lull in the traffic in the middle of the day and you don't want to be on the road after about 2PM on Friday until after 6-7 PM.

Best of luck and let us know how things progress

Pat

 

[LBrown59]

*I'll not debate this issue with you, but 811 was legislated at the federal level. I'm not an expert on this system, but it is designed and supposed to work across the continental USA.

For more information go to;
How 811 Works | Call 811 - Know what's below

One important point is that this system is only as good as its members, however, if a utility is not a member, then the courts take a dim view of them in regard to their protection of the public. As far as I know, virtually all pipelines, gas companies, and telephone companies are required to be members. I work for a pipeline, and we are required by law to be a member of the state one call system. There are possibly some small water systems who are not. I would call them directly and ask for a locate.
.

k

A couple of summers ago I made that call before putting in a culvert to eliminate the road ditch.
The call before you dig # did not include all of the utilities just the gas electric and phone companies.
I had to call the TV cable company and the Water company separately.
What I'm trying to caution about here is assuming that simply by calling the toll free number all buried lines are automatically covered and accounted for by that one call.
* There is nothing to debate.

 

[kbota]

A couple of summers ago I made that call before putting in a culvert to eliminate the road ditch.
The call before you dig # did not include all of the utilities just the gas electric and phone companies.
I had to call the TV cable company and the Water company separately.
What I'm trying to caution about here is assuming that simply by calling the toll free number all buried lines are automatically covered and accounted for by that one call.
* There is nothing to debate.

I think you just re-quoted me.....lol duh

 

[patrick_g]

The one call in Oklahoma removes liability from the contractor and land owner and or equipment operator. Great as far as it goes. You are not liable for damage to any utilities or whatever you hit while digging but you still need to be cautious and alert to hitting something that can be potentially dangerous.

We have unused buried lines of various sizes that were used for oil field stuff and there can be explosive fumes in these old lines which are frequently not flagged when you do the one call. You just never know when you will "find" a buried hot wire or gas pipe that may be "live" but unused for decades and not in "living memory" of current owners.

Pat

 

[Dougster]

For the tractor and 3 implements you will have made several trips and loaded and unloaded your tractor twice as many times as implements needed. Just getting everything to a site no more than 50 miles away will take a day. It will take another day to take it all home. Is it safe left on site or do you plan to stay in your van at the site to guard your stuff?
A job within 50 miles requiring 3 implements will have TWO DAYS of loading and unloading and driving back and forth if your trailer is too small to carry the tractor and multiple implements. If it can carry everything then you can go to the hob, unload and get in half a day productively. You will save a half day on the end of the job too. How many days can you toss away for free before you could have been better served with a larger trailer? What safeguards your first unloaded implement for the couple hours you are gone getting the second implement?

Great post Pat. This hits close to home. I have two trailers that I use... equipment and dump... both maxed out on GVWR for my truck towing capability... but I am only one person. Insurance issues make using a second person/second truck impossible. Any job that involves moving materials... and some that just require extra implements... always means at least two trips each way to a jobsite: one the night before and one the day of the work. The dump must always go first and come home last as I cannot afford to leave my tractor at a jobsite... WAY too much liability and theft/vandalism risk! Obviously, I needed to get a very good locking system (i.e., multiple components) for the dump trailer... and I chain it to a large tree whenever possible. All this needs to be included in your schedule, economics, risk analysis and mob/de-mob fees, if any.

Dougster

 

[patrick_g]

Dougster, As you know this is just SOME of the items that are often overlooked by a newbie with a tractor who wants to make it pay for itself. I didn't even want to get into all the liability and insurance issues just point out some logistics that tend to get glossed over, especially by someone wanting to make equipment pay and have to ROAD THE STUFF to the site, SANS TRAILER who may aspire to follow BAD advice and get the least expensive used trailer possible that can carry the rig.

Pat

 

[Dougster]

Dougster, As you know this is just SOME of the items that are often overlooked by a newbie with a tractor who wants to make it pay for itself. I didn't even want to get into all the liability and insurance issues just point out some logistics that tend to get glossed over, especially by someone wanting to make equipment pay and have to ROAD THE STUFF to the site, SANS TRAILER who may aspire to follow BAD advice and get the least expensive used trailer possible that can carry the rig.
Pat

Funny isn't it? From the time I was in junior high school, I wanted to be a plumber. In my youth, they were always the richest, most successful people we knew. But then they made me go to college so I could spend my life in an office shaped like... and about the same size as... a jail cell. Now I have escaped my jail cell only to get into ditch digging because I never became a plumber. Now we have met a plumber who wants to be a ditch digger.

Is the world screwed up or what???

Dougster

 

[john_bud]

The grass is always greener.... Until Dougster diggs it up!

jb