one call and stump grinders

[ropensaddle]

How many of you call in locates for utilities, before grinding stumps?
It is a state law here and probably where you are as well! I went
round and round with them, asked them why if law states a line to
at a predetermined depth, would it not be the utilities problem if you
are grinding to a 4" maximum depth. No good answer was afforded,
and seemed to be because the utilities have more money!
The code should be enforced on the utility to meet spec
on their lines. They should not be able to dodge responsibility
by this one call law. Looks like more of the proverbial legislative
practice of catering to special interest!

 

[bendtrees]

We do it here on most stumps. We usually go 8" deep. I don't know if it is law or not. I have the number on my speed dial and they are usually easy to work with. So, I guess it is one of those red tape issues I swallow rather than fight. I suppose if if were more of a PITA, I might voice more opposition. You might be onto something with the law indemnifying the utilities from liability.

 

[ropensaddle]

We do it here on most stumps. We usually go 8" deep. I don't know if it is law or not. I have the number on my speed dial and they are usually easy to work with. So, I guess it is one of those red tape issues I swallow rather than fight. I suppose if if were more of a PITA, I might voice more opposition. You might be onto something with the law indemnifying the utilities from liability.

Well I call them but if the stump is within 18", they go to saying, it must
be hand dug. I try to explain the differance in digging dirt vrs wood and
get the; its law sir bit! I have ground a few anyway but went light, no
problems so far but just makes you sick to think of being fined over
someone else's incompetence.

 

[lxt]

Rope, I hear ya!! My Dad puts in signs for one of the real estate companies here in PA, he uses a power auger with a predetermined depth gauge stop at 18", he hit a Gas Line!!! $1200.00 later he wanted to know why the code wasnt followed.

the reply: sorry about your misfortune but the law says such & such & it is your responsibility to call first!!!

Code in my area states: no utilities shall share the same ditch, shall cross one another & must be a minimum 24" apart with a minimum depth of 24" other than water/sewage which must be 36", etc..etc..

funny he hit it around 14", 3-5yr home which fell under the code!! but its his fault because he did not CALL!!

A buddy of mine landscapes & while aereating a yard he hit a gas line, but he wasnt at fault because his machine is not considered a ground invasive unit..LOL that gas line wasnt but 3-5 inches below surface, so dont rototil your yard!!! total BS!!

 

[ropensaddle]

Rope, I hear ya!! My Dad puts in signs for one of the real estate companies here in PA, he uses a power auger with a predetermined depth gauge stop at 18", he hit a Gas Line!!! $1200.00 later he wanted to know why the code wasnt followed.

the reply: sorry about your misfortune but the law says such & such & it is your responsibility to call first!!!

Code in my area states: no utilities shall share the same ditch, shall cross one another & must be a minimum 24" apart with a minimum depth of 24" other than water/sewage which must be 36", etc..etc..

funny he hit it around 14", 3-5yr home which fell under the code!! but its his fault because he did not CALL!!

A buddy of mine landscapes & while aereating a yard he hit a gas line, but he wasnt at fault because his machine is not considered a ground invasive unit..LOL that gas line wasnt but 3-5 inches below surface, so dont rototil your yard!!! total BS!!

I would be more wary if going to 18", but four inches should be a no brainer. It should be to spec, but I do understand grades are changed, however the lines should be also changed to meet code!

 

[arbor pro]

Often, when a line shows up shallower than code, it is because the utility company put in the line prior to the final site work being completed on a new construction project. So, the utility puts in the gas line at 36" depth on the somewhat virgin ungraded site. Then, the building contractor or landscape contractor has the site regraded to conform to the site drainage plan and cuts 30" of soil out of a particular high area leaving the seamingly exposed under the new surface.

Sometimes, the contractor will notify the utility to come back and re-pull the line. Sometimes they don't and the next poor fool to dig in the area will be the guinnea pig who gets to pay for it.

I only know this because I've been there and done that. I used to own a landscape company and was always having to have utilities re-installed that the utility company swore they put in at code depth but the building contractor exposed during site work.

When in doubt, it's better to locate. I'll admit, often I don't. but, that's only in cases when i know the area is clear of utilities.

 

[D Mc]

We always do. And have found some really interesting and inventive line laying! As you mentioned, the grade can change; and homeowners evidently don't bother to locate when they plant the trees. We can't tell you how many times we have found lines dead centered under a 24" stump when located. And then there are always the lines where they meandered around the landscape willy, nilly.

One site had the 6" main gas line through the valley under a 24" birch stump and another side line, galvanized put in in the 1950s 18" below another stump. This after the homeowner had assured us that "nothing was under ground" (hence our trust issues).

It's a PITA but it covers your butt. We just stack up the stump jobs, call them in all at once and go for it.

We also tell people up front that the job is pending utility clearance. Cable and telephone are the worst. They have been found barely below the surface!

D and S Mc

 

[ropensaddle]

We always do. And have found some really interesting and inventive line laying! As you mentioned, the grade can change; and homeowners evidently don't bother to locate when they plant the trees. We can't tell you how many times we have found lines dead centered under a 24" stump when located. And then there are always the lines where they meandered around the landscape willy, nilly.

One site had the 6" main gas line through the valley under a 24" birch stump and another side line, galvanized put in in the 1950s 18" below another stump. This after the homeowner had assured us that "nothing was under ground" (hence our trust issues).

It's a PITA but it covers your butt. We just stack up the stump jobs, call them in all at once and go for it.

We also tell people up front that the job is pending utility clearance. Cable and telephone are the worst. They have been found barely below the surface!

D and S Mc

So you don't attempt to grind one if it is less than 18" from their paint?

 

[D Mc]

We wouldn't say that. What we do is use it as a bargaining chip for negotiating a different depth or declining to do altogether. If it requires significant hand digging to see if the line is too close, then that alters the price. We may just need to go less than the originally stated depth. It also depends on the utility. Gas and electricity are of more concern than cable and telephone (although they are likely closer to the surface).

But this is why we state up front "pending utility clearance" with the understanding that it could change the job and the price. Several times the home owner has volunteered to do the digging (thus allowing us the keep the original price).

So it all depends.....

D and S Mc

 

[ropensaddle]

We wouldn't say that. What we do is use it as a bargaining chip for negotiating a different depth or declining to do altogether. If it requires significant hand digging to see if the line is too close, then that alters the price. We may just need to go less than the originally stated depth. It also depends on the utility. Gas and electricity are of more concern than cable and telephone (although they are likely closer to the surface).

But this is why we state up front "pending utility clearance" with the understanding that it could change the job and the price. Several times the home owner has volunteered to do the digging (thus allowing us the keep the original price).

So it all depends.....

D and S Mc

Ok I see, you know you are still breaking the law right? I do it too,
it is hel? job makes you an outlaw

 

[D Mc]

Interesting. We were going by the assumption that if it was within 18" it required hand digging to expose the utility or to prove it wasn't within the work zone. And at that point grinding could commence.

You are saying, not so? If that's true, we never grind within 18"!

D and S Mc

 

[Dadatwins]

Most communication lines are very shallow in my area and I will call for locate on most locations. Water and gas usually not an issue. On locations where the communications line might be in my way, I have the homeowner request it be moved by the utility. Utility usually happy to comply, with no charge to the customer so I have not had a problem. With the newer fiber optic communication lines going in I would rather have the line moved that take the risk. Older cable lines I can splice easily but not this new stuff.

 

[ropensaddle]

Interesting. We were going by the assumption that if it was within 18" it required hand digging to expose the utility or to prove it wasn't within the work zone. And at that point grinding could commence.

You are saying, not so? If that's true, we never grind within 18"!

D and S Mc

That may be, I was told it must be hand dug and explained it was impossible to dig wood and heard, its the law! So maybe what you have been doing is the true law and would be more sensible. This woman really loves to use the phrase, its the law; maybe she has control issues

 

[ropensaddle]

She also tried to tell me, I would be breaking the law if I grind a stump
without calling them no matter where it is. I said, so; if I have A Stump
in my pasture, where I know no utilities exist, I am breaking the law?
She said yes, and I completely stopped listening and thought wtf!

 

[juststumps]

How many of you call in locates for utilities, before grinding stumps?
It is a state law here and probably where you are as well! I went
round and round with them, asked them why if law states a line to
at a predetermined depth, would it not be the utilities problem if you
are grinding to a 4" maximum depth. No good answer was afforded,
and seemed to be because the utilities have more money!
The code should be enforced on the utility to meet spec
on their lines. They should not be able to dodge responsibility
by this one call law. Looks like more of the proverbial legislative
practice of catering to special interest!

i call all the time ,, its free ,,and it covers your ass !!!

a lot of times a contractor puts the line in,, cut corners....

inspectors don't do thier job,,, in a 50 home development,,,they don't check every home....

landscape changes,,, some thing buried at 3 foot 20 years ago,, might be at 1 foot,, because of alterations to the landscape.....

in the days before cable tv,, in areas with under ground service,, the cable is just inchs below the surface,, same for telephone lines if they went bad,,,,if there is no chase to pull a new cable....

a utility co. will tell you where their line is,, but never how deep !!!!! they really don't know....

blame the home owner who planted the tree.... did one a few months ago,, was told to hand dig...owner planted tree to block view of the gas meter,, ...luckily he cut it down,, and left it 3 ft tall... dug around it,,cut roots,,, then winched it out of the ground.. they paid for that....