Finding underground services when dismantling big trees ??

[Dave M]

A Cat and Genny won't pick up plastic Gas or Water pipes.

[hazzygawa]

I will look for the stop tap on the road, then try and find where it goes into house.

Will hire a cat scanner me thinks. Don't know about the sewers though.

 

The front lawn consists of a small patch of grass a large stump and this tree. Both to be stump ground and made level so they are not too worried about it. We will be lowering and tyre mat though.

 

Thanks for your help

[eggsarascal]

Looking at where the stop tap is and finding where the supply goes in to the house will not help you as the supply may not be direct (as the crow flies), the supply may go under the property or may go around, as for the sewer (it's a drain by the way) a cat and genny won't pick this up either as most drains are vitreous clay, concrete or pitch fibre. You need something to pick up the flow of water, either divineing rods or radiodetection gear.

[Jonny69]

These are some convoluted methods.

 

Why not just ask to see the deeds/plans?

 

Not 100% but works most of the time.

[Lyn Ed]

If your looking for sewers i used to use a method, lift the manhole cover and attach some electric fencing wire to the end of some drain rods, shove the rods up the drain then with a cat and genny attach the genny to the wire and trace it as you would a cable.

[chilli]

After being 'fined' for damaging an electricity supply cable, just 5 inches below ground!! I did a lot of research which I can't presently lay my hands on but, I'm pretty sure that all service providers are obliged to tell you where their service pipes/cables run if you are planning work that could, potentially damage them. Needs a few days lead time though.

[eggsarascal]

After being 'fined' for damaging an electricity supply cable, just 5 inches below ground!! I did a lot of research which I can't presently lay my hands on but, I'm pretty sure that all service providers are obliged to tell you where their service pipes/cables run if you are planning work that could, potentially damage them. Needs a few days lead time though.

 

What you say is correct about utillities companies providing plans of their assets the problem is they don't have plans of private supplys, ie after the water meter/stop tap is private (owned by the property) so your water company won't have any idea of were the supply goes from the meter/stop tap to the property, the same with drains they will have plans of the public sewer but no plans for private drains which the home owner is responsibe, upto and including the connection on to the public sewer (even if the public sewer is in the middle of the road), although domestic drains are about to become the responsibility of your local water company.

[JimM]

I think I would ask the customer to give me written guidance as to the services located under where I was going to work.

If they can't then you could always consider billing them for the search.