GUIDES
Underground Utility and Excavation Guides
37 plain-English guides on 811, trenching, boring, rock, drainage, permits, cost and the ground under Middle Tennessee.
- 37 guides
- 6 topics
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Underground Utilities 101
What Is an Underground Utility Contractor?A plain-English look at what underground utility contractors build, how they work and when you need one.2 min read 
How Underground Utilities Are Laid OutWhere the water, sewer, storm, power and data lines usually run, and why the layout is rarely a straight line.2 min read Water, Sewer, Gas, Electric and Fiber: What Goes WhereA homeowner’s guide to the five buried services and how each one reaches your building.2 min read 
The Anatomy of a Utility TrenchWhat goes into a well-built trench, layer by layer, and why each layer matters.2 min read Pipe Bedding and Backfill ExplainedWhy the stone around a pipe matters as much as the pipe, and what proper backfill looks like.2 min read 
Utility Easements and Who Owns What LineEasements, rights-of-way and meters explained, with a practical guide to who owns which line.2 min read 
How Underground Utilities Age, and What Fails FirstThe materials in the ground, how long they tend to last and the signs of a line coming to the…2 min read 811, Safety and Permits
How to Call 811 Before You DigStep by step: what 811 is, when to call, what happens next and how to read the marks.2 min read What Utility Marking Colors MeanThe standard color code for paint and flags: red, yellow, orange, blue, green, purple, pink and white.2 min read Trench Safety Basics for HomeownersWhy trenches are dangerous, what the safety rules generally say and why a deep trench is no place for a…2 min read 
What Happens When a Utility Line Is StruckThe right steps after a strike, line by line, and why some are urgent.2 min read 
Permits for Underground Utility and Excavation WorkWhat kinds of permits apply, who issues them and how to avoid delays.2 min read 
Working Near Overhead and Buried PowerClearances, hazards and habits that keep crews and equipment safe around power lines.2 min read Excavation and Site Work
Types of Excavators and What Each One DoesMini excavators, midsize machines, backhoes, trenchers, loaders and dozers, and how a contractor picks the right one.2 min read 
How Deep Do Utility Lines Need to Be?What decides depth for water, sewer, gas, electric and communications lines, and why there is no single answer.2 min read 
Dealing With Rock in ExcavationHow rock changes a project and what a contractor can do about it.2 min read 
How Much Dirt Comes Out of a Trench?The math of cubic yards, swell and truckloads, with an example you can follow.2 min read 
Compaction and Settling After BackfillWhy backfilled areas sink, and how compaction in lifts prevents it.2 min read 
Site Grading and Drainage BasicsHow slope, swales and outlets keep water away from buildings.2 min read Boring and Trenchless
What Is Horizontal Directional Drilling?How HDD works, what it can install and where it fits.2 min read 
Directional Boring vs Open TrenchWhen boring beats trenching, when trenching wins and how to decide for your route.2 min read 
Jack and Bore vs HDDTwo trenchless crossing methods and how they differ in materials, grade and cost.2 min read 
Pipe Bursting ExplainedHow a pipe is replaced by pulling a new one through the old one.2 min read 
Potholing and Vacuum Excavation ExplainedHow crews see a buried line without hitting it.2 min read When Boring Is Not the AnswerHonest limits of boring and trenchless methods, and what to do instead.2 min read Planning Your Project
Questions to Ask an Excavation ContractorA checklist of questions that separate careful contractors from risky ones.2 min read 
How to Plan Utilities for a New Home LotA step-by-step plan for getting water, sewer or septic, power and data to a new lot.2 min read 
What Affects the Cost of Utility WorkThe factors that move a price up or down, so you can compare bids on equal terms.2 min read 
Timeline for a Utility Installation ProjectThe stages from first call to finished lot, and what slows each one down.2 min read How to Compare Excavation BidsA fair way to line up different proposals and spot what is missing.2 min read 
Utility Planning for a Barn, Shop or ADUWhat to decide before the first shovel goes in for a detached building.2 min read Middle Tennessee Ground
Limestone and Shallow Rock in Middle TennesseeWhy so much of the Nashville area has rock close to the surface and what that means for digging.2 min read 
Clay Soil and Your Utility LinesHow Middle Tennessee clay affects trenches, drainage and settling.2 min read Spring Rain and Wet TrenchesHow heavy rain affects excavation, and how contractors manage water on site.2 min read 
Tree Roots and Underground LinesWhy roots find pipes, how to protect lines and trees when digging and what to do when roots get in.2 min read Older Nashville Neighborhoods and Aging Underground LinesWhat homeowners in older parts of Nashville and Middle Tennessee should know about the lines under their yards.2 min read New Construction vs Older Lots: Underground SurprisesThe different kinds of surprises you can meet on a new lot versus an old one.2 min read No guides match that search. Try a shorter word, or ask us.
Call 811. Then call us.
Tell us what you are building, fixing or draining and we will suggest a site visit and a plan. The lines get located before the bucket moves.