We will always have a marking service respond to your residence to mark utilities prior to installation. We typically have a good idea of whether the utilities will be in our work area but sometimes there is a wild card we are not anticipating.
What does this process look like and what do you need to do to prepare?
Now that you have decided to have a fence installed, the fence contractor should call GA811 or visit https://erequest.ga811.com/ (for Georgia residents) to schedule a utilities locate. Once you visit the site, you will drop down to the bottom of the page and select "Non-Emergency Locate Request". From there, you will follow the prompts and your utilities will be marked.
Who's responsibility is it to have the utilities marked?
I guess the easiest way to answer this is "Who is doing the actual digging?" If you are a homeowner wanting to tackle a fence project, or any other project requiring digging in the yard, then you would be responsible.
If you have hired a contractor, the contractor is responsible for contacting and having the utilities marked prior to installation of your project.
What does it cost to have your utilities marked?
Ga811 is free to use. There is no costs involved and is performed within 3 days typically. If you are digging on your property, call or fill out the form to have your utilities marked. It may be a slight inconvenience but the alternative repercussions and fines are not something you want to deal with.
What utilities are marked when they come out?
Ga811 will only mark the public utilities that are coming into your house. We explain it as anything that comes from the road into your house, but not anything that leaves your house.
Utilities that may be included are:
Electricity
Water
Gas
Communications
There may be some oddities that occur. An example may be your water line. The water line is only marked from the street to your meter. Many water meters are located near the street and therefore, the feeder lines that then run to your home are not marked.
What lines are not marked by the utility service?
As mentioned prior, any private utility is the responsibility of the homeowner to have marked. This includes anything coming from your house as well as anything on the home's side of the meter. Water meters can be located at the street in some instances, water lines on the home side of the meter will not be marked.
Other lines that may not be marked may include, but are not limited to:
Sprinkler systems
Low voltage lighting
Pool plumbing
Gas lines run to a grill
Power lines run to an exterior shed or garage
How long do the markings last after the utility service has arrived?
The markings will last typically until the next rain. Utility services, for this reason, will also place flags in line with the markings. Please do not remove these flags. Typically your contractor will remove these after they have completed the work and discard of them at a later date.
There are multiple colored markings and flags, do the colors mean anything?
Yes! Each utility has been assigned a specific color for them to use. Here are what the colors mean...
Blue = Water
Red = Electrical
Orange = Communications
Purple = Irrigation
Yellow = Gas
Green = Sewer
Pink = Survey Markings
White = Temporary Excavation
We will typically mark our work site with white or pink flags as they are not assigned to a utility and your survey companies will have a more substantial way of marking that is found at corners or changes of direction for your property line.
Don't forget to have your utilities marked!
Having your utilities marked is as simple as a phone call or submitting a form online and does not cost you or the contractor a dime. Do not bypass this critical step as the fines are steep and the potential for harm to you and those working in the area can be great.