When Should You Call a Private Utility Locator

Util Locate Van at Job Site

When Should You Call a Private Utility Locator

If you are a contractor or a homeowner who needs to dig into the ground, you would need to locate underground utilities before you can start excavation. The primary inclination is to have a public utility locator to do the job. But most of the time, you will need additional help from a private utility locator.

Public utility providers — also called 811 services, offer free service to help identify and point the locations of public underground utilities on the site you have in mind.

While public utility locators are considered to be very valuable in locating public utilities so you wouldn’t hit them during your digging, the service does not cover locating private utilities. In this sense, they would not be able to give you the full picture of your location.

This is when you need to let a private utility locator take over in order to get an accurate and complete picture of utilities under the ground of the site you have in mind.

Public vs. Private Utilities

Public utilities are installed to provide service to an area. The public utility companies own and maintain these lines, even if they are located on private property. These utilities include power, electricity, and gas. However, 811 does not typically locate water and sewage.

Private utilities go beyond public utilities and service meters. These are often located on private properties. Private utilities are usually unmarked and located in both residential and commercial sites — these include gas line locator and electric feeders that run through parking lots, hospitals, fire stations, industrial areas, apartment complexes, and even private backyards.

These also apply to lines running to and from substations, refineries, and heavy industrial facilities. They are placed outside the jurisdiction of public utility locating companies since these are owned and maintained by property owners.

Some examples of private utilities that are buried are:

  • Gas lines
  • Water lines
  • Sewer line
  • Exterior drain lines
  • Fiber optics
  • Telephone
  • Internet cable
  • Exterior electrical lines

Why is a Public Utility Locator Not Enough?

About 65% of the utilities are privately owned and won’t be documented by public services. Although private utility locating can’t replace the services offered by 811, they should be contacted to follow after 811 puts a mark on public utilities within the specific area. Simply put, a private utility locating service can give a more reliable picture of your project location.

Also, maps and drawings for private utilities may be outdated or missing, or the owner may not even have an idea that the utility exists. This is where private utilities go beyond the scope of the public ones — this means that an additional service must be called on to make sure that it is safe to dig in an area.

What Happens When a Private Utility Line is Hit?

It’s dangerous to perform excavation work without locating private utilities first. When buried utilities are hit, workers can be injured or killed. This makes the location of buried utilities a safety priority. Also, the utility and the equipment used for digging can get damaged.

Repairing buried utilities can be time-consuming and very costly. When doing repairs, there is a need to dig up the entire length of the cable, conduit, or pipe. This comes with heavy fines that go along with the downtime.

Additionally, the damage can halt neighboring systems and result in issues such as area flooding and internet outages. It’s the contractor’s job to fix the damage of the buried utility and it has to be done quickly.

According to Robson Forensic, “The consequences of damaging underground utilities during excavation work range from inconvenience (service outages and costly repair work) to catastrophe (large-scale property damage and loss of life). Hitting a telephone conduit can disrupt service to a neighborhood while damaging a major fiber optic duct bank can affect an entire region of the country.”

So imagine the damage when an oil pipeline gets damaged. Robson Forensic added, “[It] can result in a spill that contaminates a large environmental area including sources of drinking water, and damaging a pressurized gas main can fuel an explosion and fire large enough to destroy an entire neighborhood.

Read more: Utility Potholing & Vacuum Excavation for Your Underground Work

How Does Private Utility Locating Work?

A private underground utility locator uses more than just hand detectors — utilizing electromagnetic and cable locator equipment that enables technicians to make adjustments to different kinds of line and cable conditions.

The equipment can also adjust according to soil conditions. It can provide depth readings up to more than 13 feet with up to 97% accuracy. Nothing less than state-of-the-art equipment is used in order to provide the best underground utility location.

The contractor or homeowner should contact a private utility locating service before the project is designed or the digging begins. It’s important to know the exact locations and depths of the utility lines while still in the early planning stages.

Can a Private Utility Locator Find “Everything” at All Times?

Just like every other service, nobody can guarantee anything 100%. In this case, the locator does not promise to find every single unknown line buried in the area of question. The site may have undergone several construction projects.

There may be old and abandoned cables, lines, underground pipes that nobody knows exist. These may be only discovered during excavation. There are many variables involved in locating, applicable to all kinds of sites.  

Read more: Professional Excavation Advice in Exposing Buried Utilities

How Do I Ask a Private Utility Locator For a Quote?

After getting your contact details, the private utility locator will need the following information in order to give you a good pricing estimate:

  • Location address
  • Type of service needed
  • Number of proposed area/s
  • The estimated size of the area (in square feet)
  • Your intended type of work for the site
  • Type of facility: residential, commercial, industrial, etc.
  • As builts, plot & site plans
  • Aerial pics, Google maps, old maps
  • Photos and details of any unusual features
  • Drawing marking the area/s of the intended location

Choose the Right Private Utility Locator Service

Do you need a prospective location checked out by a private utility locator? Util-Locate is the #1 utility locating service and underground utility locator of choice for all industry professionals and residents in Southern California.

We have been providing solutions to all professionals on some of the most challenging jobs throughout the area. Call us now for a quote and consultation.

Major Headache: Expenses Involved in a Utility Strike

Util Locate Van and Truck

 

There are a lot of costs tied up in any construction project, no matter the size. If you are managing or running a construction site, you already know how multi-layered the budget sheet can get, and often there is not much room for unplanned expenses. One of the most expensive accidents that can occur on a construction site is a utility strike, which tends to happen when a construction site is not properly excavated.

With our utility potholing, the risk of striking a utility line is effectively removed from the equation. The upfront cost of hiring our professional team and equipment is far,  far lower than the costs you will end up paying if a utility strike occurs. Not only does private utility locating offer visual confirmation of the locations of utility lines, but the process is efficient and convenient for all construction sites. Later in this article, we will explain the other benefits that come with choosing our underground utility locating services.

Keep reading to learn more about how utility strikes happen and the many expenses that are involved.

When Utility Line Strikes Happen

Utility strikes occur during the excavation process and typically happen when clunky or imprecise equipment and methods are used. Previously, backhoes were the most common way to quickly excavate a construction site. While backhoes are inexpensive to hire and easy to train crews to use, they are unwieldy and cannot be relied on for delicate work like utility locating. 

Backhoes are also very invasive and will result in a lot of disruption of the surface of your construction site. This can be expensive to set right again and also result in unexpected delays.

When the utility line is punctured or otherwise damaged, it results in a very serious disruption of that utility’s service to the surrounding area. Depending on the type of strike and the utility involved, fatalities can even occur. 

Common Expenses Involved with Utility Strikes

While no one can predict the exact amount you may end up paying for a utility strike, there are several common costs associated that you should be aware of. All of these are serious expenses that can end up derailing even the most well-organized project.

  • Repairs: previously, repair costs were the most worrisome expense construction managers and investors faced. However, now repairs can be done for a relatively affordable amount which will not typically disrupt or unsettle a construction project. Of course, the costs here are dependent on the amount of damage caused and an explosion from a struck gas line will result in serious costs. Still, for modern construction projects, the following expenses will be much steeper and of more concern.
  • Service Interruption Costs: when a utility line is struck, gas and electricity can be cut off for the surrounding area, including vital service centers such as hospitals. Customers of these utility companies can sue the construction project for loss of service or for preventing the utility company from fulfilling its contract to provide a certain level of service. When thousands of people are suing, costs add up quickly. The largest recent settlement involved a $100 million payout for loss of service caused by a utility strike. This is a clear example of just how expensive a utility strike can be. No construction project or investor is prepared to settle this kind of expense without causing massive delays and even restructuring.  
  • Delays: we are all aware of how important deadlines are for any construction site. They are what drive progress forward and ensure that costs are kept in line with expectations. With repairs and potential lawsuits from a utility strike, you could also face long delays and dried up funds. This may result in the entire project being held in limbo, which is not only expensive but also wastes time for everyone involved.

No one can predict how serious a utility strike will be, it could be a bit of damaged piping or copper, or it could be an explosion. In all cases, it is best to avoid the strike in the first place by choosing a safe and reliable method of utility potholing.

utility potholing

How to Avoid a Utility Strike

There are a number of ways you can avoid utility strikes altogether. The most important place to begin is by choosing private utility locating involving mapping services, RADAR technology, and utility potholing.

  • Utility Maps: we offer a wide collection of utility maps that show the general locations of many types of subsurface level structures, such as utility lines and cables. These are important for estimating the number of holes that should be dug and how deep they should be when obtaining visual confirmation of utility locations. 
  • RADAR and GPR Technology: another useful tool that should be used in combination with vacuum excavation are RADAR or GRP (Ground Penetrating Radar) technologies. Like maps, these will give our team a 3D image of the subsurface level of your construction site so that we can proceed efficiently and safely with the excavation process. 
  • Hydro Vacuum Excavation: the most reliable method of utility potholing is done through hydro vacuum excavation. Not only is it very safe, but it is also time and cost-efficient. Our team is highly trained and has years of experience locating utilities for construction projects of all scopes and sizes. Our method is also non-invasive, which means you can continue working on the site quickly after the utility location has been completed. 

Our utility locating services are designed to keep your costs down and your construction site safe for your crew and members of the public. To find out more, click here to learn about our vacuum excavation services.

Why Utility Potholing is the ONLY Non-Invasive Excavation Method

Why Utility Potholing is no-invasive-excavation-method

 

When you are at the helm of a construction project, there is a lot of pressure to keep to time constraints and strict budgets. One part of many construction projects that results in unforeseen delays and costs is work dealing with utility lines. Things can go wrong quickly when utilities are not excavated in a safe and efficient way. Utility strikes and excessive surface damage result in delays, repairs, and new budgetary demands that are difficult to keep up with.

That is why utility potholing is the most recommended way to excavate a construction site. There is a reason why vacuum excavation is now the most popular construction method used for locating utilities: not only does it offer reliable visual confirmation of utilities, but it also greatly reduces the risk of a utility strike. Utility potholing is hands down the ONLY truly non-invasive excavation method currently available.

How Other Methods Measure Up

More traditional methods of utility locating include backhoes and manual labor with shovels and trowels. While these methods can work, they come with a lot of downsides that should be borne in mind. 

Manual Excavation

Those on a tight budget often turn toward manual excavation due to the extremely cheap upfront costs. However, you will quickly learn just how slow and strenuous this method is, leaving you with exhausted workers and probable delays. Costs quickly add up in these situations and a lot of surface damage is caused in the process.

utility potholing

Backhoes

While a backhoe is much more efficient than excavating by hand, this comes with its own set of risks. For example, a backhoe lacks the precision of vacuum excavation, which means the risk of a utility strike is quite high. When a utility line is struck, it can affect the energy or water supply of the local community and your construction project will be hit with hefty fines to compensate those affected. Repairing utility lines can also be an expensive and time-consuming task that will drain your resources that should be focused elsewhere.

Both of these alternative methods also stir up a lot of earth, which makes them very invasive processes. Even if you manage to avoid damaging utility lines, you will end up spending a lot more time and money replacing the earth that was removed in order to begin working on the construction site again. 

Hydro Vacuum Excavation

You can avoid this problem by choosing hydro vacuum excavation instead. This method relies on vacuum excavator equipment which only removes a small patch of earth to reveal the utility lines below. You will find that this results in only the most minimal surface disruption, which can easily and quickly be returned to its original state.

You also will be avoiding utility strikes altogether, which means you won’t have to further excavate for emergency repairs. 

Adequate and Thorough Planning

When you choose to use vacuum excavation to locate your utilities, there are additional planning measures you can take to ensure your excavation work is as non-invasive as possible. 

Consider using one or more of the following tools or techniques:

  • Look at Utility Maps: Util-locate has an extensive collection of utility maps showing the locations of many subsurface level structures including: 
    • utility lines such as power and gas lines
    • pipes or underground cables
    • other objects that other maps or blueprints might not include. 

Using these maps is a great way to decide where to excavate your construction site. You will also be able to estimate how deep your excavation team will need to dig each pothole to attain visual verification of utility locations. 

  • GPR Technology:  Uses Radar technology to provide images of subsurface level structure indications. While this should be used in conjunction with vacuum excavation, it is useful to gather as much data as possible before excavating. GPR is a non-invasive tool that might minimize the amount of excavating required later on. 
  • Hire an Experienced Team: one of the most important things to do is hire a professional team of vacuum excavators. Not only will they understand how to use the excavation equipment properly and safely, but they will also do everything possible to minimize surface damage. While a professional team will require some upfront costs, it is the best option to ensure that utility lines are accurately located and the surface of your construction site remains undisturbed and undamaged. 

When used alongside vacuum excavation, these are the best ways to minimize all types of surface damage so that you can leave behind a small footprint on your construction site. This will keep your construction project moving forward rather than wasting time and money trying to remedy damage to the earth.

Safety on Your Construction Site

We know that safety should be the first priority on any construction site. As with all construction work, excavation can pose certain health and safety risks, especially when sewer and gas lines are involved. The team at Util-locate will always provide the safest utility potholing experience to keep your crew, site, and members of the public safe. 

It is also recommended that you provide your crew with regular safety training throughout the length of the construction project, not just before work begins. This will keep the site very safe and ensure that your crew is aware of new risks that might emerge later on. 

Our team has years of experience utility potholing, which means all of our equipment is used properly, efficiently, and safely. This ensures that utility lines are found efficiently and in a cost-effective, secure way. We will also make sure that the ground of your construction site is disturbed only where necessary so that you don’t have to worry about unexpected costs or delays.

Lessen the Surface Damage during Your Excavation Project—Here’s How!

potholing for utilities

When you are managing or working on a construction project, there are a lot of important factors to keep track of, such as budget, time constraints, and crew management. Modern construction sites have the advantage of using new equipment and methods that make work more efficient and less strenuous on your workers.

One common concern on many construction sites is the question of how to minimize surface damage when carrying out necessary work like utility excavation. Other methods of excavation involve imprecise equipment that has to tear through the ground to reach the utilities. This is why vacuum excavation is so important for any modern construction project. 

Our expert team has years of experience with utility potholing and ensures that only the most minimal surface disruption occurs. This creates a more seamless process from potholing to post-excavation work. You will not have to worry about restoring the ground to its original state, which will save you both time and money—precious resources on any construction site!

Keep reading to find out the various ways you can limit the surface damage while excavating your construction site.

Plan Ahead

The way you prepare for excavating your construction site can be the difference between disaster and success. To make sure you collect all the necessary information about your construction site and the terrain, you should do the following:

 

  • Check the maps: before you break ground on your construction site, you should consult approved utility maps, which Util-locate can provide to you alongside our other excavation services. These maps will show the location of subsurface objects such as pipes and cables as well as sewers, gas, and electrical lines, which you will need to avoid striking. 

Referring to utility maps will get your project off on the right foot because you will be better informed and more aware of where to excavate for visual confirmation. Utility maps are a simple way to reduce the amount of earth that needs to be disturbed so there is less surface damage overall.

 

  • Look at the surrounding area: the area around your construction site will inform you about how to proceed and will affect your budget. For instance, you will need to know where the nearest water supply and dumpsite is. A reliable water source is needed for the efficiency of hydro vacuum excavation and the proximity of a dumpsite will reduce the time spent driving unwanted soil away from your construction site.

utility potholing

  • Consider using RADAR first: as with utility maps, RADAR technology is an important part of pre-excavation preparation. Ground Penetrating RADAR (GPR) is a non-intrusive surveying technique, which is used to locate utilities, rebar, conduits, voids, and other features below the surface.

Why is this useful? Because it records subsurface data, which can inform our specialists about how deep your excavation holes will need to be. GPR is completely non-destructive, which means it will not cause any surface damage. 

GPR can be used on all types of surface because it can penetrate through soil, concrete, water, and many other types of terrain. It also detects more than just metallic objects like pipes, it can pick up on the location of other things like fiber-optic cables which are just as important to avoid during excavation.

 

  • Choose a reliable excavation method: the most important thing to do to minimize surface damage is to choose the least invasive excavation method. Most construction sites now opt for hydro vacuum excavation when utility potholing because it is not only the most reliable method, but it is also the safest and most accurate

Taken altogether, these features make vacuum excavation the best choice for anyone who wants less surface damage as well as efficient and precise utility locating

 

  • Hire a professional team: a team that is highly trained and experienced with vacuum excavation is the only way to make sure the excavation is carried out properly. A professional excavation team will create only the necessary surface disruption, which means you will spend far less time and money resurfacing the construction site after the excavation.

Choose the Least Invasive Methods

As briefly mentioned above, when it comes to utility potholing, the method you choose will affect how much the surface is damaged.

In the past, it was common to excavate by hand or with a backhoe, but both of these methods come with major downsides. Excavating with trowels and shovels is extremely time consuming and labor-intensive. While the initial cost may be cheap, its inefficiency and the number of workers needed to carry out the excavation means that the cost will add up exponentially over time. Backhoes are much more efficient, but the machines used for it are not accurate and utility strikes are much more likely to occur.

Remember: when you strike a utility line, the damage will always need to be repaired. This means even more excavation will be required, in addition to what are usually hefty fines and long delays.

To avoid these issues and unwanted costs, it is always recommended to use hydro vacuum excavation. Not only will you receive visual verification of utility line locations, but it can also be done quickly and safely. When the work is complete, only the small excavation holes will need to be covered over. 

 

Stay Safe

Overall, the safety of your crew is the most important thing. Safety measures and training should always be implemented to ensure that everyone on the construction site can stay safe and injury-free.

Utility strikes can result in the loss of water or energy resources within the local community, which is especially dangerous for buildings such as hospitals. This is why it is so important to choose a method that will keep everyone, including members of the public safe.

When carried out by a professional team, vacuum excavation is proven to be time and cost-efficient, as well as incredibly safe. What is an added bonus is its ability to lessen the surface damage incurred by the excavation process.

8 Most Common Construction Blunders

8 Most Common Construction Blunders

Every construction project requires meticulous planning, safety precautions, and a highly-trained crew. From holding regular safety briefings to choosing modern construction methods like utility potholing and vacuum excavation, there are a lot of ways you can ensure your construction site is well-managed, safe, and blunder-free. But when these methods are overlooked, construction mistakes and blunders are inevitable and can lead to huge consequences. 

To keep your crew safe and your construction project progressing smoothly, we’ve compiled a list of 8 of the most common construction blunders. In the spirit of ‘forewarned is forearmed’, this list will help you stay prepared for anything while managing your construction site. 

1. You Don’t Plan Enough

Of course, every construction project will require planning permission, permits, and an understanding of the layout of the construction site. However, this is only scratching the surface of everything that needs to be planned both before beginning the work and while the work is being carried out. 

You should have a solid execution plan that will explain the project strategy and timeline for everyone involved – including subcontracted teams. If you don’t have this type of plan, things will get complicated, and confusing, and can lead to delays, mistakes, and miscommunication. 

To avoid this blunder, make sure that your management team creates a clear execution plan and strategy. This should include practically everything: from construction resources and deadlines to the budget and safety training days. This plan will ensure that everyone involved in the construction project is informed and prepared.

 

2. No Visual Verification

One of the most important actions you need to take when beginning a construction project is locating any subsurface-level utility lines that might be running under the work site. A huge blunder you can make is to rely only on old maps of the site

While these maps indicate the general area of utility lines, they are not always 100% accurate and might not include all of the utilities. Not knowing exactly where the lines are located can lead to striking the utility lines. Fixing this is a costly and time-consuming process.

Utility potholing is the best way to ensure you do not strike a utility line because it enables you to visually verify the location of the lines. The most efficient and risk-free method of utility potholing is professional vacuum excavation. Hydro vacuum excavation involves the use of water pressure to dig holes throughout the construction site to reveal the exact location of the utilities. Once the locations are verified, construction work can continue without the risk of damaging important utility lines.

utility potholing

3. You Use the Wrong Method or Equipment

The equipment and techniques used on construction sites are always evolving, so it can be very tricky to keep up with the newest and best developments. However, it’s important to move with the times and utilize these new techniques. Many are designed to be safer, more efficient, and more affordable than older methods.

For instance, when excavating for utilities, construction sites used to rely on manual labor or clunky backhoes, which were prone to striking utility lines. Now, most construction projects opt for hydro vacuum excavation because it is the safest, quickest, and most cost-effective method. By neglecting to use newer methods, you are going to find that work takes longer and more accidents and injuries occur.

4. Ignoring Safety Measures

The first priority on any construction site is safety. Your crew and members of the public should always be kept safe. Don’t just rely on one training session before the work begins. Instead, the manager of a construction project should schedule regular safety training sessions to ensure that the crew remains aware of how to stay safe while on the job. 

 

5. Budget Failures

Construction projects of any size – large or small – need to stick to a tight budget. Unexpected costs can seriously harm the success of the project and even grind it to a halt. Utility strikes can cause widespread power or energy outages to surround communities, and you will be fined for the damage. 

Repairing the utility lines is also very expensive and will cause delays to your project. Don’t fail to factor mistakes and blunders into your budget; or even better, use safer methods like utility potholing to avoid the mistake in the first place.

 

6. You Don’t Hire Professionals

Some work, like vacuum excavation, needs to be subcontracted to professional teams that have expertise in specific areas. Renting specialized equipment won’t be useful if it is in the hands of an untrained crew. You will end up wasting time and money, and also risk damaging both the site and the equipment in the process.

Professional crews are more costly upfront, but they get the work done much quicker and will know how to operate the machinery safely.

 

7. You Didn’t Check the Surrounding Areas

You should always know about the area surrounding your construction site –  including water sources, population density, and where the nearest dumping sites are. This information will affect how deep you can excavate without causing flooding as well as safety measures that need to be in place to protect members of the public.

The proximity of dumping sites or your resource distributors will also affect your deadlines and budget. The closer these are, the less time your crew will have to spend driving to and from the site, which can end up saving you a lot of time and money.

8. You Lack Defined Project Deadlines

Your execution strategy should include a detailed list of deadlines. With clearly set out goals and deadlines, your team will always understand what is expected, making it easier for them to deliver what is needed. While it’s inevitable that some deadlines will be missed or pushed back, working toward a goal will keep the momentum up and the project moving forward.

5 Things to Expect from Professional Vacuum Excavation

hydro vacuum excavation

When managing a construction site, there’s a good chance that you will need to locate underground utility lines. A big decision to make is which construction method to use to locate these lines. From backhoes to utility potholing, there are a lot of utility locating services out there. 

By far, the most precise method is hydro vacuum excavation. This method is far less invasive than others and uses water pressure to clear away the earth from the utility lines. Not only is this process incredibly accurate, but it is also efficient and cost-effective.

What Can You Expect from Professional Vacuum Excavation?

1 – Efficiency

Time is money, and this is especially true on a construction site. Project timelines have to be met, and potholing utilities can help make this happen.

While some people opt to dig for utility lines by hand because it is a cheap option, it is so time-consuming and labor-intensive that it can actually be more costly in the long run.

Backhoes are another common method used and are certainly efficient. However, the wayward nature of a backhoe can make them difficult to use, which means a utility strike is more likely. When a utility line is struck, it can result in delays while repairs are being carried out.

These are just a few reasons why vacuum excavation is so time-efficient. With a highly-trained team, vacuum excavation takes less time without the risk of a utility line strike or other damage to the construction site. And because less earth is displaced during the process, you can continue other construction work nearby.

2 – Safety

The safety of your workers and the public is of the utmost importance for any construction project. You can expect that our experienced team will keep your construction site safe while carrying out the vacuum excavation.

While you could buy or rent the vacuum excavation equipment, if your team is not adequately trained, it can lead to damage to either the utility lines or the equipment itself. You might also be putting your team at risk, which should never happen.

A utility strike can also cause the surrounding community to lose power. That means important public facilities like hospitals, schools, and police departments won’t be able to function properly. Your construction site will be liable for this disruption and damage, which can mean hefty fines.

Instead of risking it, hire a trained team with years of experience who will quickly and safely excavate your utilities.

3 – Expertise

When you hire a team to carry out hydro vacuum excavation, you can expect them to be highly trained and fully qualified for this work. This is so important when you consider the many risks involved when locating utilities.

The Util-locate team uses a variety of methods and techniques to provide you with the most stress-free and efficient experience. Vacuum excavation is so accurate because it offers visual confirmation of where the utility lines are.

However, before this even happens, you can also take advantage of our utility mapping services. Detailed and accurate maps show everything that might be hiding under the surface: storm drains, gas, water, reclaim, communication, electrical, abandoned, and unknown lines or objects.

Once you have access to a utility map, you can also use Ground Penetration Radar (GPR). GPR uses pulses of energy to provide an impression of where utility lines are located.

Following these techniques, it is still recommended that you carry out vacuum excavation. Visual confirmation will ensure that you know exactly where the utility lines are and removes all risk of accidentally striking a utility line.

utility potholing
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4 – Precision 

One of the best things you can expect from vacuum excavation is a precise and thorough service. When potholing for utilities, accuracy is the primary and most important goal. You want to confirm exactly where the utility lines are located, and this is only possible through methods of excavation.

As we’ve already discussed, other forms of excavation like backhoes or manual excavation might reveal where the utilities are, but they can be costly and end up damaging the utility lines in the process.

An experienced team will offer you a variety of utility location services. That means accurate mapping, RADAR technology, and hydro vacuum excavation are made available for your construction project.

Hydro vacuum excavation is especially useful because of how it displaces the excavated earth. Typically the earth will be removed into a special container, making removal and disposal a simple and easy process.

5 – Cost-Efficiency

Of course, it is only natural to want to keep costs down so that your construction project can adhere to the projected budget. Vacuum excavation is a great way to prevent unexpected costs that could arise from a utility strike. 

There is a good chance that if you damage a utility line, you will either be fined by the local authority or have to pay for extensive and pricey repairs. Costs like this aren’t always factored into the budget for smaller construction projects and can cause serious financial burden and stress.

Utility potholing is also very efficient, which means an estimated timeline for the work is usually very accurate. You won’t have to worry about renting the equipment and hiring a team for longer than expected, saving you both time and money. What’s more, you can continue other construction jobs alongside the excavation so that more work gets done.

The Bottom Line

Potholing for utilities has been proven to be the most accurate method of utility locating. When hiring a professional team, you can expect the process to be straightforward and pain-free. The work will be done efficiently, accurately, and safely, which means your construction project will save both time and money by investing in vacuum excavation.