Excavation Companies Near Me

Call 811 before you dig

811 is the national call-before-you-dig number. One call or online request to your state's 811 center sends the utility companies out to mark where their buried lines run: gas, power, water, sewer and communication cables. It is free, and every state requires it before digging.

Who should call

The company doing the digging. Even if you called for your own project, an excavation contractor should open its own ticket in its own name, because the ticket covers the person who digs. Ask for the ticket number before the machine arrives.

How far ahead

Most states ask for two or three business days' notice, not counting weekends and holidays. A few use a set number of hours. Marks stay valid for a limited time, often a few weeks, so a delayed job may need a new ticket.

What the marks mean

Utilities mark with paint or flags in standard colors: red for electric power, yellow for gas and oil, orange for communication lines, blue for drinking water, green for sewer and drain lines, purple for reclaimed water, and pink for temporary survey marks. White marks are the proposed dig area, which the contractor paints before calling.

What 811 does not mark

Lines you own past the meter are usually not marked: a line to a detached garage, a well pump, a septic line, irrigation or a gas line to a grill. A contractor can hire a private locator for those. Say what you know about them before work starts.

Questions to ask your contractor