Can I place Amish shed on ground above buried electric service line?

3136 Views 10 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Old Thomas, Mar 18, 2020

deanbrew

Discussion Starter · Mar 17, 2020

I want to place an Amish shed on my property to store my mower, outdoor tools and a couple of grills.* The preferred location is on top of my buried electric service line.* I know the electric line is there because the cable company replaced my underground cable line, and the power company came out and marked the path of my buried electric service line.**

I don't know how deep the electric line is, but I presume it is at least 24" underground, correct?* I won't be digging for a foundation, but will simply place the shed on the ground.* I will have someone scrape the spot level and place some gravel there, but no real digging (at least no more than 6 inches).* It will be difficult to find another spot away from the electric line for the shed.* The local planning department says the electric line doesn't bother them.* I called the electric company, and they said they don't recommend placing the shed over the electric line, but didn't say it is prohibited.* They said if the line ever needs replaced, the shed would have to be moved (which wouldn't be easy at all).

What are the odds that the electric line would ever need to be accessed or replaced?* Am I crazy for thinking about placing the shed in this location, or is it not a big deal?* Appreciate any advice.

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Old Thomas

· #2 · Mar 17, 2020 (Edited)

In NY a buried electric service belongs to the property owner, so there is not an easement for utility company work. If you are not digging deep and if the wire belongs to you and if you are willing to deal with a wire problem, put the shed there. I would, if the wire needs work I would either put in a new wire somewhere else or drag the shed out of the way. Dig by hand and be careful. If you see a plastic tape, watch out.
Underground electric services are reasonably trouble free, but not immune from trouble.

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Nealtw

· #3 · Mar 17, 2020

I would want to confirm the depth before have machine in to scrape it. Ground level can be changed after the line was installed to code.

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surferdude2

· #4 · Mar 17, 2020 (Edited)

Call 811 and have it marked again unless it was you who had it done recently.
They require a work ticket and remarking for each project.

The service for marking utilities before digging is free and available in all states.

If you don't call and get it marked and happen to hit something, you may be charged for any repairs necessary plus they will pillory and flagellate you in the city square.

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deanbrew

Discussion Starter · #5 · Mar 17, 2020

Nealtw said:
I would want to confirm the depth before have machine in to scrape it. Ground level can be changed after the line was installed to code.

How do I confirm the depth? Start digging with a shovel until I hit the cable? Sounds dangerous. The house was built in 1992, and I bought it last year. The ground is level all along the marked electric line, and I doubt the property was regraded, but I guess I don't know for sure.

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deanbrew

Discussion Starter · #6 · Mar 17, 2020

surferdude2 said:
Call 811 and have it marked again unless it was you who had it done recently.
They require a work ticket and remarking for each project.

The service for marking utilities before digging is free and available in all states.

If you don't call and get it marked and happen to hit something, you may be charged for any repairs necessary plus they will pillory and flagellate you in the city square.

I had a new cable line run last summer, which is when they came out and marked the line with paint and red flags.

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georgemcq

· #7 · Mar 18, 2020

If you call 811 and are there when they come out.....they can tell you the depth of the cable. Just ask

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surferdude2

· #8 · Mar 18, 2020

Yep, they don't usually worry about the depth but can and will give you a pretty good idea about it if you ask. They can take triangulation readings with their tone detector and get a pretty good estimate.

Remember, a new ticket is required for each different project. We always chalked out our proposed digs before getting them out so we were both up on what the deal was.

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ktownskier

· #9 · Mar 18, 2020

Why do you want to place it directly on gravel? I would suggest at the very least putting it on pier posts/deck blocks and then running stringers across to get some air underneath.

This is what I mean by deck block:

You can run 2x lumber through the grooves on top and then hang some joists across to the other side.

I am not sure what an Amish shed is, but I have a Rubbermaid one and I used these to get it off the ground and to level it. It worked great.

And follow what the other guys said about the electrical. There should be no problem with putting it over the incoming electrical line. The power company of course doesn't want it there in case there would ever be a problem. One less thing for them to worry about.

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surferdude2

· #10 · Mar 18, 2020

The U/G crews use horizontal controlled drilling nowadays... they just recently replaced all the primary lines and transformers in my neighborhood. Drilled right under all the sheds down the hill and across the street and back up a hill and the drill came out in a pre-dug hole 2 foot in front of the next transformer on the ring. Absolutely blew me away at how the technology has progressed from the pick and shovel days to the backhoe and now the Vermeer horizontal drill. Pretty much non-invasive and little damage to the lawns and no worry whatever about sheds.

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Old Thomas

· #11 · Mar 18, 2020

In NY buried entrance service cable belongs to the property owner. Utilities only locate their cables and will not locate private cables. I have asked, they will not do it. May be different elsewhere, though.

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