What Is The Value Of Hiring A Private Utility Locator?

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Evan Mowbray

Are you planning a construction project that would necessitate the location of utilities? If this is the case, you will have to decide whether to rent utility locating equipment or utilize a professional utility locating service. Utility locating equipment is needed to precisely locate, mark, and map out the location of subsurface utilities such as water, gas, electric, and communication lines in order to avoid harming them during building activities. There’s a large amount of equipment to understand, from ground penetrating radar, magnetic, electromagnetic, and radio frequency utility scanning tools. Today, we'll look at the advantages of utilizing a utility locating service compared to renting out equipment for your next project.

A Trinity Subsurface employee using a ground penetrating radar device to map out and spray private utility lines.

Understanding The Needs: Professional utility locating services may understand the needs of a project more than the average renter. The renter may end up getting the wrong locating equipment, whereas a utility locating company would have all of the required equipment for the job. Of course, the renter may understand that they’re looking for a water line, but not understand that there may be other utilities that occupy the same area, such as electrical or gas lines. There may also be utilities that would need to be located in an area that may be overlooked by the average renter. A professional utility locating service would understand the importance of making distinctions between different lines and understanding the full area.Up-To-Date Technology: Rental equipment may not be the most up-to-date equipment for utility locating purposes. When you work with a professional locating service, they are more likely to understand the latest technology for providing the most accurate utility information.

A Trinity Subsurface employee using a radio detector to locate utilities in front of the Wells Fargo Complex.

Further Accuracy: Renting utility locating equipment can seem like a cost-effective choice for a smaller project, but utilizing a professional service can lead to more accurate results. When renting out any form of equipment, it’s important to do research and understand what information about the equipment itself. However, understanding utility locating equipment may be a time-consuming process. Professional utility locating service technicians are trained to read and understand the data presented from a utility scan.Provided Information: If you’ve rented out a GPR scanner to scan your property, you may have a better understanding of your lines, but it’s also important to have that information for future use. A professional utility locator is able to provide deliverables that properly map out utility lines and locations. This level of utility markout information can be useful if someone else needs to understand the project or future projects.

A Trinity Subsurface employee using a split box in a parking lot.

Working Around Rentals: Working around a rental company may be an issue depending on locating equipment availability. Some equipment may be in higher demand depending on the time of year, especially during the warmer weather months. There may be issues with the equipment that may not be immediately clear to the renter upon making the request for equipment. A utility locating service will have all of the required equipment on hand for any size project, even the smaller projects where renting may seem like the better option. Overall, utilizing a professional utility locating service is often the better option compared to renting out equipment on your own. Our team at Trinity Subsurface offers utility locating services from trained professionals to provide you the most accurate utility information for your next project and future projects. For your next project, reach out to Trinity Subsurface at 855-387-4648, or submit a project request through our website at trinitysubsurface.com.

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