Ok enough! Who's actually responsible for broken cut utilities?
1. The insurance companies and 811 say it's the utility companies if the locates aren't marked, or they say no conflict. They say the company is supposed to have locates BEFORE we are allowed to dig at any site! NONE NEGOTIABLE!!
2. The cable companies say we are as the contractor no matter what. Which I just know is bs. If I tell you the customer says their irrigation is at 6", they don't know where they run, and nothing is marked! You telling me to get down a foot is suicide, and you need to foot the stupid bill! ESPECIALLY IF THE CUSTOMER SPECIFICALLY ASK THAT WE DON'T SINK IT DUE TO IRRIGATION!!
3. The customers are frustrated, and rightfully so because they're footing the bill for some office jockey's lack of customer care and plain old ignorance.
As a subcontractor and contractor doing drop bury work, I've hit nonsense at almost any depth! The only thing you can really count on, is hitting utilities if they're not marked!
Customers never mark or flag private utilities! We fix that stuff ourselves if we cut it out of courtesy, but the law states they're responsible. Is that the case?
Utility companies usually just come out and fix it, but you lose time and money calling and waiting on two fat dudes to show up and fix it. They're on a clock, we're not! I've hit water lateral at barely 4" with hand tools! Why? I've hit unmarked private electric lines to shed and outhouses! Who's responsible for this?
There's drops everywhere not being buried, because contractors can't make a living replacing unnecessary damages all day! If your crews aren't burying you utilities properly, hire someone dedicated to burying things at proper legal depth! There's cable companies wanting to pay $10 an hour to bury main line fiber in 100° weather, then wondering why it's still basically on top of the ground lol!
This whole thing is a mess! It's nearly impossible to get a straight answer on anything, and it seems most of the primes and utility companies make up the rules as they go.
