Where 811 stops
We covered the basics of calling 811 before you dig in an earlier post — it's free, and it covers the utility-owned lines running to your property: gas, electric, water, sewer, cable, internet. What it doesn't cover is anything on the private side of the meter: your own sprinkler system, low-voltage landscape lighting, invisible pet fence, or septic lines. That's where a private locate comes in.
What a private locate actually is
A private locate is a paid, independently arranged service — not part of the free 811 ticket. A locator comes out and traces the lines you actually own, using the same kind of electromagnetic locating equipment utility locators use for metal or tracer-wire lines, and sometimes ground-penetrating radar (GPR) for non-metallic pipe — like plain PVC irrigation line or older septic pipe — that a standard locator can't pick up.
When you'd actually need one
Worth knowing: an 811 ticket coming back "clear" only means there's nothing utility-owned in the way. It says nothing about what's on your side of the meter.
Who provides them
Independent utility-locating companies handle most private locates. Some irrigation or landscape contractors can trace their own systems directly. For non-metallic lines that standard equipment can't detect, look specifically for a provider that offers GPR — not every locator does.
What drives the cost
Pricing varies by provider and job, but the factors that move it are consistent:
- How much ground has to be searched
- How many separate systems need tracing — irrigation, lighting, fence, and septic are usually priced as separate lines of work
- Line material — metal or tracer-wire lines are faster and cheaper to trace than plain non-metallic pipe that needs GPR
- Site access and how built-up or obstructed the yard is
- Turnaround time — a rush request typically costs more than standard scheduling
What it typically runs: most private locators in our area charge $185–$200 an hour, depending on who you call. A single system on a small, open lot lands toward the low end; multiple systems, GPR work, or a rushed timeline push it toward the top.
Who arranges it for your job
We don't build a private locate into every quote — most jobs never need one. But when we walk a site and think there's a real chance something private is buried where we'll be working, we'll say so and point you toward a locator we trust. Call it an occasional recommendation, not standard practice: not rare, but not common either.
Bottom line
If your yard has irrigation, landscape lighting, an invisible fence, or a septic system and you don't have solid documentation of where the lines run, a private locate before a big removal job is cheap insurance against hitting something expensive to fix.
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