Utility company tore up my yard...

[aualtima3.5]

My yard is jacked up. Background: Contractor for unnamed telecom company comes in, and without notice begins working in my yard. I ask, they say "running fiber optic cable, should be minimal yard impact, just two holes." I leave for work. Come back, and see the utility (water) company for water is here, and there is a huge hole in my yard. They had to fix the water main break the contractor for the telecom made.

Here is the problem: The utility (water) company has went very far back into my yard, like 20+ fee with a back hoe and left track in it. I was googling up easements and found out they would be listed on the deed? Looked at it and only says "applicable easements" - Assuming these are what the county would dictate in something like in "Subdivision Regulations," which I found for my county. It reads something like a ten foot easement from the street. I never liked reading this stuff, it's worded weird and I am a mechanical, not civil engineer

Any advice? Life advice? I am very tired and know these are first world problem but I just feel like tossing in the towel. My job is very strenuous, my house outside of this utility project is not so great right now, and being so young (27) I am just losing positive outlook for the future.

Sorry for the bummer post.

 

[spasm3]

Take pictures, contact the company and show them the pics. Give them a chance to fix it. If they don't, small claims court.

 

[mrsilv04]

Welcome to the joys of home ownership.

We've had to deal with the fiber optic clowns as well, installing cable using federal money. They're sloppy, they don't care, and they've torn up so many yards and so many houses here that the local paper put pictures on the front page.

I'd start with the water company, since they were the ones in your yard with a backhoe.

 

[JTK]

Wow.. the fines are so huge in my area if ruin something by not following the "call before you dig", one or two of those mishaps would put you out of business in a hurry.

From what I've experienced with util. companies that had to dig on my property is they'll fix what they tore up and replant grass seed if needed.

 

[bmod305]

Relax-give them some time to fix the yard. Around here, the utility company doesn't fix the yard; another company comes days later to fix the yard. Give it some time. If you want power, water, and sewer etc, utilities companies have to fix and update the system. Accidents are part of life.

Dave

 

[jimbrewer]

Complain to your utility commission. Take pictures. These days those guys are low-buck contractors, not really 'public service' types, you know what I mean?

When a neighbor signed up for cable, the contractor simply ran the wire across the vacant lot between us ignoring all utility easements. As soon as someone builds there and makes a driveway, it will be cut.

Pay particular attention in your photography to the "call before you dig" markings. The parameters of where the contractor should dig are marked with white spray paint or some places hot pink spray paint. If he was digging outside of the marked area, that is another thing to call him on. If there are no markings out there at all, he was just blatantly digging willy-nilly. You are lucky he didn't dig up the natural gas pipeline. (In fact, he may have damaged it catastrophically for all you know). I would REALLY make an issue of that.

 

[simple_gifts]

Originally Posted By: bmod305
Relax-give them some time to fix the yard. Around here, the utility company doesn't fix the yard; another company comes days later to fix the yard. Give it some time. If you want power, water, and sewer etc, utilities companies have to fix and update the system. Accidents are part of life.

Dave


+1. Take pictures, but make sure the offenders have an opportunity to rectify the situation. We had an incident where the water co truck was turning around in the driveway and the following truck thought he was going let him pass the end of the driveway. The truck turning around, pull out in front of the following truck who decided to careen across a water logged front lawn and mow down some lilacs.

They sent a check to cover the damage.

It was fun jumping out of bed, looking out the window, to see the guy dismounting the cab of the 6 wheeler only about 10 feet from the house...

 

[aualtima3.5]

Originally Posted By: jimbrewer
Complain to your utility commission. Take pictures. These days those guys are low-buck contractors, not really 'public service' types, you know what I mean?

When a neighbor signed up for cable, the contractor simply ran the wire across the vacant lot between us ignoring all utility easements. As soon as someone builds there and makes a driveway, it will be cut.

Pay particular attention in your photography to the "call before you dig" markings. The parameters of where the contractor should dig are marked with white spray paint or some places hot pink spray paint. If he was digging outside of the marked area, that is another thing to call him on. If there are no markings out there at all, he was just blatantly digging willy-nilly. You are lucky he didn't dig up the natural gas pipeline. (In fact, he may have damaged it catastrophically for all you know). I would REALLY make an issue of that.


Thanks for the info. They came out last month to mark it, but I thought was related to a survey I was having conducted. They resprayed Monday, and I think they dug within the lines they painted, but my issue is the tracks/depressions way outside those marks.

I am going to call the utility company in the morning to express my displeasure. I already emailed the telecom company my unrest about this whole thing.

Everyone has a job, and I don't think it matters they are low dollar. Do your job the best you can. They weren't paraplegics and had large equipment to help them do it. They are still doing stuff, but I don't have a good feeling about what's being done.

 

[Cutehumor]

the next door neighbor had atmos energy guy yellow spray my yard with gas line markings. never bothered to let me know. this neighbor decides not to install irrigation in his yard so I had to deal with the yellow lines in my yard until the grass grew. it was annoying to say the least. I take pride in my nice green grass

 

[hattaresguy]

YMMV but I do this for a living; utilities to a certain extent can do what they want.

First most residential city streets are 50ft wide, 30ft of pavement with 10 foot easements on either side. Even if for example only 25 feet are paved like in my neighborhood the city still has 12.5 feet on either side. This varies but that's the standard a lot of city planners shoot for. If your subdivision was laid out after the war that's what its going to have, if its 1920-1940 vintage it might. Once cars and parking became an issue that standardized on that. So if they are working in the easement...well its not your property. Even if its grassed and you plant a pretty garden, they are still going to come and dig it up. They will seed and hay it though.

Now if they are on your property you need to go pull your deed and it should refer to a subdivision map, which you need to pull This will have any easements on it, or make reference to an earlier map. If the title isn't a mess this should not be a big deal, the problem is a lot of them are a mess.

As to what you can do if they are in the easement nothing, if they are not well than you better start making calls to HQ and getting a surveyor out their before they try to create an easement.

 

[JR]

ACI a sub for direct tv. Installer zip screwed cable from dish to powet utility tube zip tied the rest of the way. The guy used screws if they your that long, into ashault shingles. A roof 30ft run over uninsulated garage. Ice and snow took it down just weeks later.

Ken

 

[bubbatime]

Originally Posted By: JR
ACI a sub for direct tv. Installer zip screwed cable from dish to powet utility tube zip tied the rest of the way. The guy used screws if they your that long, into ashault shingles. A roof 30ft run over uninsulated garage. Ice and snow took it down just weeks later.

Ken


English translation?

 

[DoiInthanon]

Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
YMMV but I do this for a living; utilities to a certain extent can do what they want.

First most residential city streets are 50ft wide, 30ft of pavement with 10 foot easements on either side. Even if for example only 25 feet are paved like in my neighborhood the city still has 12.5 feet on either side. This varies but that's the standard a lot of city planners shoot for. If your subdivision was laid out after the war that's what its going to have, if its 1920-1940 vintage it might. Once cars and parking became an issue that standardized on that. So if they are working in the easement...well its not your property. Even if its grassed and you plant a pretty garden, they are still going to come and dig it up. They will seed and hay it though.

Now if they are on your property you need to go pull your deed and it should refer to a subdivision map, which you need to pull This will have any easements on it, or make reference to an earlier map. If the title isn't a mess this should not be a big deal, the problem is a lot of them are a mess.

As to what you can do if they are in the easement nothing, if they are not well than you better start making calls to HQ and getting a surveyor out their before they try to create an easement.
^^This is a great post.

These days, it is highly likely your sub-division plat is on-line. Print out your lot if the easements are shown. Have it ready. Next instance will be a breeze since you will have all the facts.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: JTK
Wow.. the fines are so huge in my area if ruin something by not following the "call before you dig", one or two of those mishaps would put you out of business in a hurry.

From what I've experienced with util. companies that had to dig on my property is they'll fix what they tore up and replant grass seed if needed.


NY is pretty good with "Call before you dig" - but most states don't have that.

I remember before Call before you dig, there was one construction company in the town in which I grew up. They were ALWAYS grabbing water mains, underground power / telecom cables. I think the worst they ever did was beak a gas line across the street from my house.

After that incident, they never had that problem again!

 

[Blaze]

If the utility company were to run fiber optic through my yard and to my HOUSE they could use a nuke to ditch the trench!! I would be glad to clean up the mess. I would pay them for me cleaning up their mess...more than glad to do it.

 

[hattaresguy]

Originally Posted By: DoiInthanon
Originally Posted By: hattaresguy
YMMV but I do this for a living; utilities to a certain extent can do what they want.

First most residential city streets are 50ft wide, 30ft of pavement with 10 foot easements on either side. Even if for example only 25 feet are paved like in my neighborhood the city still has 12.5 feet on either side. This varies but that's the standard a lot of city planners shoot for. If your subdivision was laid out after the war that's what its going to have, if its 1920-1940 vintage it might. Once cars and parking became an issue that standardized on that. So if they are working in the easement...well its not your property. Even if its grassed and you plant a pretty garden, they are still going to come and dig it up. They will seed and hay it though.

Now if they are on your property you need to go pull your deed and it should refer to a subdivision map, which you need to pull This will have any easements on it, or make reference to an earlier map. If the title isn't a mess this should not be a big deal, the problem is a lot of them are a mess.

As to what you can do if they are in the easement nothing, if they are not well than you better start making calls to HQ and getting a surveyor out their before they try to create an easement.
^^This is a great post.

These days, it is highly likely your sub-division plat is on-line. Print out your lot if the easements are shown. Have it ready. Next instance will be a breeze since you will have all the facts.


Chances are you can GIS it, I think a lot of states use that now, but its not always accurate. I have seen GIS lines off 1-30 feet, so YMMV. Also it won't show utility easements unless they are public. Even old won't show, I'm buying a piece right now which is located in an area that was one of the first to have sewers in the country and the GIS doesn't show jack, same with water, I have a water line on it that's older than some states. This location is so old that up the hill my dads friend dug up British cannonballs from the Royal Navy circa 1780.

If the OP has any more questions let me know and I'll help him. Real estate is my thing, I do title search's myself on every piece I plan on buying before entering into contract.

 

[Schmoe]

That happened to me recently. They did come back and level it out, but forget having sod laid down. Luckily, there was enough summer left to get bermuda to grow back. In your case and where your at and this time of year, your probaly SOL in getting good ground cover prior to winter.