first closeboard job, no cable detector?

[tree-fancier123]

I've been asked to quote for a low 3' or 4' fence closeboard with capping round part of a front garden. No photo, but is right next to pavement on 80's estate, sort of place where many front gardens have been covered in block pavers to put the car on.

The construction doesn't bother me, but after I walked off saying would pop a quote through, got worrying about services underneath, no experience with scanners, and heard on here about stuff costing hundreds to fix.

If it's right next to pavement at front of house and I have no experience of services detection should l leave the job?

I've heard talk about digging trial holes. If it needs three posts along the front and three on the boundary with next door (not a big run of fencing) then is there a delicate way of digging down around the proposed six or so two foot deep holes?

If the hole for a 4" post is supposed to be around 12" sq then to position featherboard at pavement edge would mean edge of post holes goes right up to pavement edge, if nailing rails on pavement side of posts? I guess it would mean hiring a breaker to dig right up to pavement edge? No previous fence just radiused concrete edging to shingle front garden.

Edited April 29, 2015 by tree-fancier123

[dig-dug-dan]

If you are digging by hand, I really wouldnt worry. You would have to go some to bust a service. I never scan in that situation.

first clue, look for their gas meter and elec meter. Pipes are usually in a straight line to the road, and you shoild see a stop cock for gas and water.

phone should be over head.?

yes, you will need to hire a breaker to break out the haunching round the back of the path edge. You may well have to break down a good 12"

[tree-fancier123]

great, thanks for reply

[Cheesy pete]

one thing i always look for is virgin cables quite often there cables are not protected !

have a look for the box on the wall and try to find a triangle shape plastic duct in the footway this is where it comes into the garden and generally goes in a straight line i tend to dig it up deliberately just so i know where it is for the entire job and then just rebury

 

sometimes the cable is just where a post needs to go so rejigging how you do the fence can work or if there is some slack redirect it around the post

 

but knowing this before to start the job is a must as if you just come across it while your doing it can bring complications

[s.varty]

one thing i always look for is virgin cables quite often there cables are not protected !

also applies to most cable tv wires and they are never more than an inch or 2 below the surface, sometimes just laying under the leaves and moss.

[dig-dug-dan]

one thing i always look for is virgin cables quite often there cables are not protected !

also applies to most cable tv wires and they are never more than an inch or 2 below the surface, sometimes just laying under the leaves and moss.

 

The beauty of their poor cable laying is that if you break it, they have to repair it free I discovered recently!!

[Cheesy pete]

your correct but when it's the phone and tv the customer is going to be quite upset .......... best avoiding it as you could lose future work from them and there less likely to recommend you to others

[dig-dug-dan]

your correct but when it's the phone and tv the customer is going to be quite upset .......... best avoiding it as you could lose future work from them and there less likely to recommend you to others

 

I ripped one up once that was going right under a conifer stump. Spent half an hour repairing it before the customer got home, only to be told he is not on cable

[Matthew Storrs]

This is close to the bone to me! I went through a gas line this week with an auger on a digger- really didn't expect it as it was next to a big open ditch so I didn't think they'r run the cables through a ditch.

after that and what will be a very expensive repair bill we dug the holes by hand- came across two big mains electrics, and a sewer pipe- no damage done to these as dug by hand but very glad I didn't put the auger through the big armoured mains cable!!

Proceed with caution and don't go hacking at anything in the hole unless you know EXACTLY what it is!

[dig-dug-dan]

This is close to the bone to me! I went through a gas line this week with an auger on a digger- really didn't expect it as it was next to a big open ditch so I didn't think they'r run the cables through a ditch.

after that and what will be a very expensive repair bill we dug the holes by hand- came across two big mains electrics, and a sewer pipe- no damage done to these as dug by hand but very glad I didn't put the auger through the big armoured mains cable!!

Proceed with caution and don't go hacking at anything in the hole unless you know EXACTLY what it is!

 

That really is unlucky. Whats the repair bill cost on that gas main??