We recently had T&D build a pool for us and had to move the utilities. Here is how it worked. T&D contacted SECO and had them put in flags where the underground power line was located. As expected, the power line took the straitest path from the box behind our house in the back right corner of the lot. The line ran diagonal across the back yard and then down the right side our house to where the main breaker is located in the garage. The pool was going right where the power line was, so it had to me moved. At that point, it was our responsibility to contact SECO and start a work order to move the line so that it would run along the back of the property line, past where the pool was to be built, and then take a 90 degree turn and run along the house to the main service. The T&D contract was turn key to take care of everything, except for having SECO move the power line. The next steps involved contacting SECO and having them send out a design engineer to plan the job and give us a price, which was about $500. Once we paid SECO the money up front, they set up a work order for the lines to be moved. It took them a couple of weeks to finally move the line. All in all the whole process took about a month. T&D could not start excavating the pool area until SECO was done. The communication with SECO was difficult as I had to contact them every step of the way because they never notified me of when things were either scheduled or completed.
The other utilities, phone and cable, typically run parallel to the power line so they have to be moved also. My understanding is that it is near impossible to coordinate all companies to move their lines at the same time. Since you cannot live without power, and that is the deepest buried line, as well as the dangerous line, that is the one you move first. Since we are part time residents and do not subscribe to either cable or land line telephone, this was not an issue for us. SECO does not actually remove the old line, they just unhook it and run a new line. So when T&D started digging the pool they simply dug up and removed all the old utility lines, power, cable, and phone. My understanding is that cable and phone lines are not buried deep like power, so you can just contact those utility providers and have them install new lines away from the pool area. They will simply flip up the sod and put them just below the grass. Someday when we get cable installed we will just contact Comcast and they will put in a new line as part of the installation process.
Obviously moving the power line makes kind of a mess of the yard and could end up breaking some irrigation pipes. No worries, the irrigation will no longer be needed where the pool is and the lawn will all be torn up when the pool is built. As part of the contract with T&D, they will repair and install new irrigation as needed and re-sod the lawn after the pool is built. Ours looked and worked great when everything was done. Just remember to check the irrigation system for leaks after the power is moved and shut off that zone of your irrigation system if any leaks are detected. Hope this information is helpful and enjoy your new pool!
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