Private Utility Locating Services
We locate and mark privately owned underground utilities for contractors, property owners and homeowners across the Denver metro and Colorado's Front Range — the lines 811 member utilities don't mark.
General Private Line Locating
Not sure what's buried on a property? We sweep the work area and mark every private utility we can detect before excavation starts. This is the right call for contractors starting on an unfamiliar site, commercial properties with several buildings, and any property where the owner doesn't know what's been installed over the years.
What's included
- Electromagnetic sweep of your work area or the full site
- Surface marking with standard APWA utility color codes
- A walkthrough of what we found — and anything we couldn't trace
Need it for the project file? Ask for a written locate report with GPS-tagged photos.
Common projects
- Pre-construction and site prep
- Trenching and new service runs
- Fencing and landscaping
- Footings, additions and outbuildings
Private Gas Line Locating
Private gas lines — the run from the meter to the house, a shop, a pool heater or a fire pit, and propane lines from the tank — aren't covered by 811. A gas strike is one of the most dangerous and expensive hits on any job. We locate and mark private gas lines before anyone digs near them.
What's included
- Gas lines from the meter to the point of use
- Propane supply lines from the tank
- Lines near structures where excavation is planned
- Documentation that supports your due diligence under C.R.S. 9-1.5
Secondary Electric Locating
Secondary electric lines run from the meter or transformer to outbuildings, detached garages, shops, sub-panels, site lighting and outdoor equipment. They're privately owned and 811 won't mark them. We trace and mark them so your crew knows exactly where they run.
What's included
- Lines from the meter or transformer to secondary structures
- Feeds to outbuildings, garages, shops and outdoor panels
- Parking lot, sign and site lighting circuits
- Common on rural properties, farms and commercial sites with multiple buildings
What we can locate
We use professional-grade Vivax-Metrotech electromagnetic locating equipment. Electromagnetic (EM) locating finds lines that can carry a signal:
- Metallic pipe, including steel gas lines and copper water lines
- Electric cable — secondary power, lighting and equipment feeds
- Communication cable with a metallic conductor
- Plastic pipe that has tracer wire installed
What can limit a locate
Plastic or clay pipe without tracer wire, and lines with a break in the conductor, may not show up on EM equipment. If there's something we can't trace, we'll tell you on site so you know where to dig with extra care.
You still need 811. A private locate doesn't replace your 811 ticket — Colorado law requires excavators to notify 811 before digging. 811 covers the member utilities; we cover the private side. 811 vs. private locating