Sewer Excavation in Riverdale, GA

Every sewer excavation starts as a line on the ground: paint or flags tracing the building sewer from the house to where it meets the public system. That line is worth putting on paper too. Done carefully, a sketch or site plan becomes the working plan for the dig.

Finding a survey

Many owners already have one tucked into their closing papers. A plat recorded with the county can also show lot lines and easements, though it is not the same as a survey of the house as it stands. If neither turns up, or the one you have predates an addition or a new driveway, ask your contractor what they need before ordering a new survey.

Drawing the sewer route on it

The site plan for a sewer dig is mostly about where the trench will go and what it will cross. Start with the point where the building sewer leaves the house, usually near the outdoor cleanout. A sewer camera inspection with a locator helps trace the path from there and gives approximate depth readings along the way. On the plan, show:

• The route of the line and the section to be dug, with its approximate length.
• Where the line meets the public sewer, whether at the street or along an easement.
• Driveways, walks, fences, trees and other features the trench will cross or pass.
• Other buried utilities once Georgia 811 has marked them.
• Where soil will be piled and how equipment will reach the work.

Easements and lot lines

The public main does not always run under the street in front. On some lots it sits in an easement along a side or back property line, and the building sewer runs that way instead. A survey that shows easements helps here, because work near the public line can bring in the utility, and a trench close to a lot line may need a neighbor's cooperation for access or a fence panel. Knowing that before the estimate is signed avoids surprises on dig day.

When the plan changes after digging starts

Ground does not always match the drawing. The old pipe may turn where nobody expected, or the camera may have missed a second break. Small changes get noted and discussed; a larger change in scope deserves a revised plan and a clear agreement before work continues. If the line fails outright partway through, the crew should stop, show what was found and agree the revised plan before continuing. Where the old pipe may be sound enough to line, ask whether a trenchless repair could shrink the trench on the plan.

Site plan questions in Riverdale

How exact does the sewer route on the plan need to be?

Exact enough that the trench goes where the drawing says. Distances measured from fixed points such as house corners, plus depth readings from the locator at a few spots, are usually plenty. Hand-drawn is fine if it is to a rough scale and clearly labeled, and the same sketch then serves the crew on dig day and your own records.

Start with a plan

Mapping the line comes before the dig. For help tracing the route and laying out the dig at your Riverdale property, call (404) 409-4448 and speak with Alpha Plumbing and Sewer.