Every fence and gate post means digging, and in New Jersey there is gas, electric, water, sewer, cable and fibre under a great many properties. Hitting one is dangerous and expensive, so it is worth understanding how this is handled.
Why it matters
Striking a buried line can cause injury, interrupt service to the neighbourhood and leave the property owner facing the cost of the repair. It is also entirely avoidable.
The markout
Before digging, a markout is requested through New Jersey One Call (dial 811). The utilities then send locators to mark the approximate position of their lines on the ground with paint or flags. The markout is free.
What the colours mean
- Red — electric power lines, cables and conduit
- Yellow — gas, oil, steam, petroleum
- Orange — communications, cable television, fibre
- Blue — drinking water
- Green — sewers and drain lines
- Purple — reclaimed water, irrigation
- White — the proposed excavation itself
What this means for your fence line
Marks show the approximate position of a line, not its depth, and a marked line may mean a post has to shift slightly or be dug by hand. We plan the post layout around what the markout shows.
Private lines are not covered
811 covers utility-owned lines only. Anything installed privately — a feed to a detached garage, pool equipment, landscape lighting, an irrigation system, a propane line or a septic field — will not be marked. If you know of any, please tell us before we start, because you are the only person who does.
Want a free estimate? Call (973) 992-3665 or send us the details and we will get straight back to you.