Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by phil smith yewtreelandscapes.com on April 27, 2012 at 18:10

around my area the only real problem is ntl cables that are burried about 2-3 inches under the ground, most of the front gardens have them, quite a nightmare when rotovating to lay new lawns, never ever hit any cables when digging by hand, but have gone through 2 or 3 with the digger, mainly ones the people have put in their selfs just in a bit of plastic tubeing, usually have a good look around but sometimes it cant be helped

Permalink Reply by Jane Harries on April 29, 2012 at 11:40

Thanks Phil- I've been meaning to research this for ages - not wanting to pay £50 for the DVD I found this free download on the same subject at the government website:

http://books.hse.gov.uk/hse/public/saleproduct.jsf?catalogueCode=97...

Jane

PRO MemberPermalink Reply by Phil Voice on April 29, 2012 at 12:13

Thanks Jane...you are a star:) 

As I don't like to pay if I don't have to I too searched for similar downloads but didn't find it.

Here's the download (PDF) link - http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg47.pdf

Jane Harries said:

Thanks Phil- I've been meaning to research this for ages - not wanting to pay £50 for the DVD I found this free download on the same subject at the government website:

http://books.hse.gov.uk/hse/public/saleproduct.jsf?catalogueCode=97...

Jane

Permalink Reply by Guy on June 11, 2012 at 16:28

A couple years ago I was planting out a rose bed in a front garden and no sooner had I put my fork into the soil I heard a hissing sound. This was followed by a smell of gas. Yes some idiot has positioned a gas mains pipe running horizontally across the flowerbed at less than six inches below ground level. I always check services when working in a front garden but on this occasion all the usual visual checks could not have avoided this accident. Immediately I alerted the client and telephoned the gasboard. They came and before starting work or asking questions took photos of my van. A few weeks later I received a bill through the post for £350. My client kindly championed my cause as he understood that the gas pipe had not been positioned following the usual guidelines i.e in this instance at a depth of greater than two spades and buried with shingle and running in straight from the street rather than a weird angle. After much correspondence and hassle the outcome was not positive. Apparently installation of gaspipes should follow certain guidelines but these are not mandatory so the claim was pursued by the gasboard. In the end my client kindly paid the bill, but he was under no obligation to do this. The moral of the story is be very very careful digging around front gardens!

Permalink Reply by Olga van Saane on July 14, 2012 at 11:07

Reading Guy's post, made me think of similar problems that are quite common (alas!) in Russia (my recent Russian experience with advising on private garden there). I've realized it's difficult to recover any blueprints for the newly bought land or any neighbour properties. Gas pipes, water pipes, electricity cables - you get what you (don't) see. Massive problem, especially in province. You literally have no clue what's underground, and have to scrutinize every inch of the plot, on your knees, relaying on your logic and experience. We've spent weeks just trying to get some blueprints from local city hall and bodies responsible for the construction of the area. But I am sure if anything was damaged, some right authorities would have immediately popped up with all proper papers to sue us. Scary, it was.  Hard landscaping in there is truly - hard.  Not only because of the cold climate adjustments.