# Underground obstacles



## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

You need to hand dig when near those other utilities.


----------



## Signal1 (Feb 10, 2016)

MikeFL said:


> You need to hand dig when near those other utilities.


And charge accordingly!

Whether you're the one doing the digging or not, those obstacles will slow you down.


----------



## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

mikefl said:


> you need to hire a big, ugly gorilla to hand dig when near those other utilities.


fify


----------



## drsparky (Nov 13, 2008)

Years ago was digging a trench at a small race track in Florida and started pulling up medal, it was an old race car they buried next to the track.


----------



## Navyguy (Mar 15, 2010)

This is the answer






Cheers
John


----------



## nrp3 (Jan 24, 2009)

Certainly safer around other utilities.


----------



## emtnut (Mar 1, 2015)

Navyguy said:


> This is the answer
> 
> Cheers
> John


Whenever we did emergency jobs without locates, we always used the HydroVac.

For a 100 unit condo complex, if it is spread over a large area, definitely would consider it. Expensive, but really a time saver.


----------



## Navyguy (Mar 15, 2010)

emtnut said:


> For a 100 unit condo complex, if it is spread over a large area, definitely would consider it. Expensive, but really a time saver.


Yeah it is a tough call; If you were just doing typical duct trenches, you could go in there with a ditchwitch and be in and out pretty quick. In this case if you are constantly having to stop to hand dig, you cannot make up any time. Hand digging is slow, so depending on how much you have to do and the type of soil, by the time you get to one end the other end is all collapsed anyway.

Cheers
John


----------



## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

If it's a recent development and all those utilities are in the same place, it should be (might be) fresh clean fill you're working in.


----------



## catsparky1 (Sep 24, 2013)

call a backhoe guy and have him dig . If he is good you won't hand dig very much and if he hits something its on him . He can dig for a few days and you can do the job in a few hours . No worries that's how to do it . 

Try digging in the streets of San Francisco or any other big old city . Thats just not fun . Now new condo place gravy . 

I ran a hoe for a few years and if you know how to dig in dirty ground its not that bad but still sucks .


----------



## LARMGUY (Aug 22, 2010)

Navyguy said:


> This is the answer
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIhWNVzvZ4E
> 
> ...


Does it poke the dirt back in the ground as fast as it sucks it out?


----------



## Cow (Jan 16, 2008)

Use a mini or trencher where possible, hand dig everything else.

Over here, we have labor staffing agencies, that will give you a guy, I think for around $15/hr or so. You just have to supply the tools, shovel, pick, etc.

As many as you want. We've used them before, last time we did it we had 4-5 guys on shovels. Hand dug ditches go pretty quick at that rate. And you can spend your time doing something else...


----------



## HertzHound (Jan 22, 2019)

When you get a backhoe guy make sure he comes with a laborer. You shouldn’t have to hand dig at all. 

As far as if he hits something, it’s on him. I wouldn’t count on it. If someone gets hurt, everyone is going down. Probably go after the condo complex also. The more the merrier.


----------



## HertzHound (Jan 22, 2019)

Cow said:


> Over here, we have labor staffing agencies, that will give you a guy, I think for around $15/hr or so. You just have to supply the tools, shovel, pick, etc.


We have that here also. But it’s probably $40 an hour with full benefits on top of that. Still cheaper than an electrician. 

They love to work for electrical contractors. And most speak our language. You don’t have to press 1 before telling them what you need to have done.


----------



## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

WronGun said:


> We are starting a roadway lighting project for a 100 townhouse unit community. Everything is underground. Literally , no matter which way we turn. Electric , telecom , and gas has been marked by dig safe.
> 
> Some spots are avoidable , but others aren’t. What do you do in situations like this ?! I’m only going 18” down, but I truly don’t know the depth of the existing lines.
> 
> ...


We have 160 houses on five roads in my neighborhood. AT&T came in and did mostly directional boring under driveways on one side of the street and DB under the street to feed the houses on the opposite side. 
We have underground existing Comcast and URD with pad mounted transformers feeding 8 houses each.
They stayed on the opposite side of the electrical distribution.

I would have a directional bore contractor come out and have a look. We had a project to add entrance lighting to a private development, we found a sprinkler contractor that installed $12 per foot under the sod, $17 per foot under asphalt. It was a good job for us.


----------



## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

Navyguy said:


> This is the answer
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fIhWNVzvZ4E
> 
> ...


For us, they are slow, expensive and only as a last resort. No way can that be used for trench work.
I suspect the OP has to run parallel or right on top of existing utilities. 
I'm still going with the directional bore. You can just pick elevation under the gas and electric and above the sewer.


----------



## Southeast Power (Jan 18, 2009)

I looked at Sunbelts inventory and they have a unit that comes with a pressure cleaner looking rig and vacuum.

I might have to find an excuse to try it out:






https://www.sunbeltrentals.com/equi...505/500-600cfm-500g-spoil-w-80-250-fresh-h2o/


----------



## Navyguy (Mar 15, 2010)

LARMGUY said:


> Does it poke the dirt back in the ground as fast as it sucks it out?


I wish it did. Generally you have to use clean backfill / sand to fill anyway, so you are bringing that in anyway. Or when used for light standards you are filling with concrete so it does not matter.

Cheers
John


----------



## Navyguy (Mar 15, 2010)

Southeast Power said:


> For us, they are slow, expensive and only as a last resort. No way can that be used for trench work.
> I suspect the OP has to run parallel or right on top of existing utilities.
> I'm still going with the directional bore. You can use pick elevation under the gas and electric and above the sewer.


I agree, it is definitely situational; not suitable for every job.

Cheers
John


----------



## CoolWill (Jan 5, 2019)

Scratch down 6" and cover the pipe with concrete.


----------



## Forge Boyz (Nov 7, 2014)

CoolWill said:


> Scratch down 6" and cover the pipe with concrete.


Or just use rigid.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk


----------



## Lone Crapshooter (Nov 8, 2008)

Stop messing around with amatures.
Call Badger Daylighting

LC


----------



## Incognito (Apr 14, 2019)

Hydrovac is the best way, but expensive. About $300 an hour. Great for digging around other utilities or in the winter. 

Plus there is no dirt left to fill with so you need to buy fill. You should be putting sand around the conductors anyway but you will also need clean fill to top it up. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## emtnut (Mar 1, 2015)

Southeast Power said:


> For us, they are slow, expensive and only as a last resort. No way can that be used for trench work.


Agreed. You would use a trencher or backhoe to excavate everything you can, but then call in the hydrovac for the parts that are close to other utilities.


----------

