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Performing a wide variety of exterior home improvement tasks can present you with the opportunity to greatly increase your enjoyment of your property. However, if your project requires digging or grading your yard, it's vital that you're aware of the location of underground utilities. Without understanding the utility marking process, you could accidentally puncture a sewer or electrical line and end up in a very serious situation.

Below, you'll find a guide to the steps necessary in the utility locating and marking process. If this is your first time performing a major digging project, having this information is absolutely essential to completing your project successfully and securely.

Thorough Planning

And old maxim claims you should always measure twice and cut once, and this concept has broader application to many home improvement projects. Once you begin to dig, it can be almost impossible to return your yard to its previous state. As such, it's important that you have an exact plan of action.

Presenting a full outline of the areas you plan to dig to your utility company will guarantee that they can warn you about any possible intersections with utility lines. Once your plans are submitted, it's important that you stick to them rigidly unless you submit altered plans to the utility company and then wait for their go ahead.

Waiting For Marking

Once your plans are submitted to the utility company, a crew will come to your property to mark the locations of subterranean lines. These will serve as a rough guide during the digging process, but you should be sure to give yourself some degree of wiggle room.

It should also be noted that utility companies are typically dealing with multiple digging requests simultaneously. This means that you need to give yourself sufficient lead time ahead of your projected start date, and you also need to be patient and allow for time for the marking to be completed.

Digging Safely

As indicated above, you should feel confident in trusting the marked ground but still provide yourself with sufficient space on either side of your trench. This will not only guarantee that you avoid the marked utilities, but will also provide you with the opportunity to allow for a wide berth that allows the land to settle evenly. This means that your safety will not only have the benefit of protecting your property, but it will also contribute to making it more attractive once your project is complete. For further assistance, contact professionals, such as those from 1st Call Locating.