SURVEY: Do you hire a private utility locator?

I have had clients request that, but they rarely want to pay extra for it. I generally add that as a separate line item if they request it. If they do not want to opt for the line item, I tell them that the best I will be able to do is the one call locate, and possibly the utility maps if the utility companies will release them. it is getting harder to get the utility companies to release them.

Good luck!

Funny, isn't it. Water companies won't send you the maps or return plans with mark-ups, but, they'll come out and mark them on the ground. Go figure.

This is called proprietary information and all facility owners don't release it unless you follow the right protocol . This was implemented after 9/11 and there is somewhat of a process to retrieve the Information, But it can be done 🙂 .

Our firm works primarily for commercial and industrial clients and we've found that 19 times out of 20, when we offer private utility location as an add alternate in our contract, the client is more than willing to pay extra for the service. Pretty much all of our topographic survey proposals these days include the add alternate for utility marking. We have a long-time relationship with a local utility location firm who provides excellent service quickly and at a reasonable price. If I have any questions about the markings, I can call him up and ask, and his schedule is far easier to coordinate with than the one-call marking. Given the choice, I, as the surveyor, would far rather work with a private locator than a public one.

That's good to hear! Can I inquire where your location may be?

central NC

The use of a SUE contractor is more and more becoming the norm here in Central Mississippi. We have a state law requiring us to call "Mississippi 811" at least 2 days before commencing work to have the utilities located.
In most cases, the utility companies can locate the main lines, but have no info on the subsurface service lines. Many only trace to the road right-of-way.
About 99% of the ALTA surveys I have done over the years are more engineering drawings than actual boundary surveys. Full blown topo with ALL utility data shown.
We also do a lot of Corps work on military bases and would never be able to show subsurface utilities without a SUE contractor.
The base "as built" plans and "maintained" site plans are generally drawn long before I was born and the "updates are about as old. (I'm 66, if that tells you anything.)
I can see SUE services really taking off in the future. I believe in the next 3 years you will not be able to do a site topo survey without a SUE contactor on call.

When I worked in the Portland, OR area we had a few clients that also wanted an engineering design survey to include on site utility locates. Last I checked there were two options.

One company that ran typical subsurface sensors and painted tone marks for utilities. Average cost, average results. I have seen two totally different sets of utility mapping on the same site as located by subcontractors for the same firm.

Many state contracts required on site utilities as well. Pot holing utilities was the norm and a company called Vac-x had the corner on that market. High cost, very accurate.

I would think there is good opportunity for a company that can bridge the price/quality gap between the two options I outlined above.

Do you hire a private utility locator?

Nope - do it all in house.

When I worked elsewhere, I used a SUE firm that was owned by a licensed surveyor...all I had to do was give them my control and the did the designation, located the utilities and delivered the utility drawing in my CAD standards.

Every job I do for topo/bound gets under ground utilities marked . We will spend around 15-20 thousand this year getting this service . I have a couple go to guys I use. I just pass it on to the client, they are more than happy to pay it . 811 does not do a good enough job and they are always crying about how much work they have to do even though they are supposed to do it. not worth the hassle.

> 811 does not do a good enough job and they are always crying about how much work they have to do even though they are supposed to do it. not worth the hassle.

When we hire guys with experience at a firm that does "one call" utility marking, we basically count on retraining them.

FWIW - I recently had to subcontract four utility designating firms on a big transportation project through downtown DC and the one that was also a "one call" contractor marked a 169Kv HPFF transmission line as 8" water :excruciating:

I have never worked for any one call contractors, but I am familiar with the "here is your truck and here is your two week crash course" training. Their main job is to protect while digging and get as many tickets done in a day. So you crank up the pipe horn and spray any color to protect whats below.:-O

We have used locators but its been for engineering type projects and even then not very often.

Its getting to be more of a problem where you call in for a locate when you are digging they won't locate on private ground. I installed some field tile near my house and knew there was a water line where I was digging. My house sits about 600 feet from the road and when I came home that night there was a big blue spray paint mark saying "WATER OK" at the end of my driveway. I can see us and contractors needing to call in for private locates more often.

> When I worked in the Portland, OR area we had a few clients that also wanted an engineering design survey to include on site utility locates. Last I checked there were two options.
>
> One company that ran typical subsurface sensors and painted tone marks for utilities. Average cost, average results. I have seen two totally different sets of utility mapping on the same site as located by subcontractors for the same firm.
>
> Many state contracts required on site utilities as well. Pot holing utilities was the norm and a company called Vac-x had the corner on that market. High cost, very accurate.
>
> I would think there is good opportunity for a company that can bridge the price/quality gap between the two options I outlined above.

:good:

James you raise a very good point. A utility location firm that does not have a professional will not have Professional Liability Insurance. The surveyor is taking on additional liability to provide these services to a Client. Just be aware that a nonprofessional locate company is not relieving a surveyor of any liability and in fact may be increasing it.

On a related subject, a former employer learned a $70K lesson about how the One Call System works. The utility companies are interested in meeting the letter of the Dig Law as cheaply as possible. They hire the One Call company primarily on price. The One Call company and the utility have a Mutual Defense clause in their contracts. So when the 1/2 Million dollar pan severs the gas line and is destroyed, the contractor sues the utility who can not sue the One Call Company that is clearly at fault. The utility company then sues the surveyor who had the misfortune of locating the gas line in the erroneous location provided by the One Call Company. The surveyor then sues the One Call company. The Judge acknowledges that the surveyor really was not at fault but that he can't let them out because the rightful party would be let off. You have to love our judicial system.

I suggest that surveyor should limit utility locations to surface evident utility features, become proficient in designation or hire a professional. In the interest of full disclosure, my firm provides both survey and SUE services.