Digging without breaking everything underground tips.

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J.P.

J.P.

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United States
Any tips for digging with a mini excavator?
The ground is hard red clay and I know there are water, sewer and gas lines running where I need to dig.

The located service has been called and located the area, but they would only locate up to the water and gas meters. So the area I needed didn't fall in their scope.

I have to dig between 2 buildings for 100ft and those lines T off in there somewhere.
 
J.P. said:
Any tips for digging with a mini excavator?
The ground is hard red clay and I know there are water, sewer and gas lines running where I need to dig.

The located service has been called and located the area, but they would only locate up to the water and gas meters. So the area I needed didn't fall in their scope.

I have to dig between 2 buildings for 100ft and those lines T off in there somewhere.
Click to expand...

See if your area has something like Ohio:

http://www.oups.org/Homeowners/ContractLocators

You may find this helpful:

http://www.oups.org/Portals/0/Documents/25206_Ohio Utilities_Excavator Manual_web.pdf

Full site:

http://www.oups.org/
 
ActionDave said:
Get a locator and find the lines where you need to dig. Get somebody out in front the bucket with a shovel.

Best option is to hire a good excavator and let him do his job.
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I completely agree.

Otherwise, hire someone to hand dig it for you.
 
We use a contractor that does directional boring. We can locate anything metallic and most of the plastic gas lines have a tracer wire. Plastic water lines can be tough. He vacuums down to verify locations. Worth every penny he costs. Plus they vibrate the backfill when done.
 
J.P. said:
The located service has been called and located the area, but they would only locate up to the water and gas meters. So the area I needed didn't fall in their scope.
Click to expand...

Shut the gas and water off, dig like hell and if you hit anything then have it repaired.
 
For work like that, I almost always preferred directional boring. You don't have any spoil that needs to be removed, there isn't any need to backfill and compact, and it doesn't damage landscaping. I had a union subcontractor that charged less than 15/ft and that included pulling back the poly line. They had the equipment to locate buried lines and knew how to avoid them. When you added all the costs and potential liability it was a no brainer. If you try to wear to many hats, none of them will fit.

Bob
 
All good well some sudi good suggestions... :)

All good well some sudi good suggestions... :)

You can go down to city hall or county seat and meet the old plat books. Depending on
area some or all of this might already be online.

Now your looking for GPS Dept of your municipality. Looking and finding what is on line is
a possible clue. Most GPS Dept. only show a land parcel or plat of the property and maybe the recorded bearing
and distances of said parcel. Most times its just a single line property IE a geological represtation of the property.

If you go to the deed room. You can search the records of both recorded properties and in most cases if new construction
the microfilm of site plans and site surveys done by Surrveyors for said properties.
You can usually pick up at least bench marks for utilities in between the two building.
They might print this out at minimum cost.

No matter what be sure to walk the interior of both sides of building on the shared driveway. Note sewer, gas, power lines or
anything from shared drive that enters building.
Note if manhole is in center of street to center or shared driveway! The sewer and other services might all befeed from the backside of the property.

Walk everything even if you hire out the work.
You can find out frost deeps of services for water and sewer from AHJ.

Good Luck!, sounds fun.
 
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