So, we just got back from our lovely long weekend away. I was able to sufficiently distract spouse from various rat hole problems and trench issues.
However, now that we're home (and we were actually happy to see the rat hole!), we have to begin to deal with things again. Luckily, the weather's nice today, so the rat hole is actually a comfortable temperature. Unless you're sitting still, but then you're fine with an extra shirt, so no worries.
Here's the latest development: we can't dig all of our own trenches. The one from our house up the driveway is fine. We'll actually have to dig three or four trenches alongside our driveway to the road. One for electricity, one for water (which has to be three feet away from the electricity), one for phone, and one for cable. I'm not sure if the phone and cable can go in the same trench or not. They will have to have separate conduit laid, so we'll see. Spouse knows more about that than I do.
That's all fine. We can rent a trencher for less than $500 and do the work ourselves. No worries. BUT, we found out that we're not allowed to dig our own trench from the power pole to our driveway, because it's a right of way. We'll have to hire an outside contractor for that. We've made a few calls, and it works out to be around $3000 for the trench. One trench. Yeargh. We're still making phone calls to try and see who can do it for how much. We're not licked yet.
Soon the weather will stay warmer, and then we can start ripping out walls. Whee!
My grandfather likes to say, "A pardon is easier to get than a permit." And he was a contractor for 30 years.
ReplyDeleteSo unless you are worried about cutting through something that's already there, I say go for it yourselves.
Damn Sean- you're some kinda cowboy! If you wait 3 years, I'll handle legal... Just view the next 3 chilly winters as some kind of wilderness camp. Indoors. Maybe advertise it as an ascetic/minimalist- get back to the basics b & b.
ReplyDeleteHi Sean - I would be happy to dig in the right-of-way! It will cost less and show up faster! However, since the utility company is going to have an inspector come out and sign off on the trench/conduit, they might be a little hesistant to pull their line through a covert conduit run. Plus, if someone falls in the trench (since it's technically in a public right-of-way), I'm not liable if I don't dig it. I wish I could, though!
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