Getting a Ditch dug to lay Telecom line

Forums › Spark New Zealand › Getting a Ditch dug to lay Telecom line - Kapiti

SamD

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Topic # 57553 17-Feb-2010 09:24

anyone have any experience getting a ditch dug for a Telecom phone line?

I moved into my house a several months ago, it was built a year ago and only had Telstra.
The chorus guy came out and said he couldnt hook me up for Telecom because there was no cable from the road to the house (20-25 feet long) and i'd need to dig a ditch.
Unfortunately there is already Telstra and power under there and its under my driveway so id prefer to get it done professionally instead of me making a big mess.

Anyone know of any contractors who do this sort of thing? Trying to get someone to do it out in Kapiti has been like pulling teeth - nobody wants to know.

I am pining for my big time plan and would like to get it sorted in the next few weeks... any advice appreciated!

Sam.

ariosto

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Geek

Reply # 299689 17-Feb-2010 09:35

There's only one entry for trenching in Kapiti in the Yellow Pages:

Loadlift Equipment

They look a bit heavy-duty for most residential work, but if you've got a driveway to contend with they may be the way to go.

Don't have any personal experience with contractors in that area, but I'll ask around and see if anyone down there has recommendations. I'll update if I can find anything out.

SamD

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Reply # 299692 17-Feb-2010 09:39

much obliged, cheers!

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sbiddle

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Reply # 299718 17-Feb-2010 11:24

Don't Chorus give you options of paying them for the trenching or providing you with companies who could do it?

Whatever option it may not be be cheap - for a trench that long I've heard of somebody paying around $500.

SamD

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Reply # 299723 17-Feb-2010 11:34

chorus werent incredibly helpful to be honest... ive contacted them a few times hoping i'd get someone more proactive each time but they usually jsut refer me to the yellow pages (which sucked)...

ive got to the stage now that a few hundred bucks might be worth it to get it over and done with... though $500 is a bit steep... its only a packed stone driveway so wouldnt take too long i'd guess...
i could hire a ditch digger thing but im a bit worried about screwing something up :)

quickymart

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Reply # 299731 17-Feb-2010 12:12

You can't simply connect up with Telstra Clear for some reason?

ariosto

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Reply # 299733 17-Feb-2010 12:19

sbiddle: Don't Chorus give you options of paying them for the trenching or providing you with companies who could do it?

Officially Chorus has never done trenching, and the process fell by the wayside even before there was a Chorus. However, in the past you'd find some contractors would either volunteer to do the work themselves (usually the techs that live in the more remote areas) or have a specific trenching contractor they would recommend. I haven't heard anything as to why a change was made, but it seems that Chorus contractors are now being told not to do either and just refer the end customer to Yellowpages. I could probably make a guess as to why, but I better not.

The current setup is pretty far from ideal for all concerned, as it makes installs that shouldn't take very long at all grind to a halt while the trenching is coordinated, then everything else is rescheduled anew afterwards.

Sorry Sam, haven't heard anything back yet. I'll keep hunting though.

SamD

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Wannabe Geek

Reply # 299750 17-Feb-2010 13:16

[You can't simply connect up with Telstra Clear for some reason? ]

i am currently with Telstra clear through necessity - but constantly go over the cap and dont want to pay way over the odds for a bigger cap when Telecom have a much better all you can eat plan.

Thanks Ariosto - any help greatly appreciated - I have been procrastinating too long on this!

Regs

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Reply # 299755 17-Feb-2010 13:34

when i got gas connected to my house the gas company offered to to the trenching for me. because i was in a 'rock' area, there was going to be a charge in the $2500-$3500 area (cant remember exactly). they told me I could dig the trench myself, if i preferred, and they would lay pipes at no extra cost.

I went ahead and dug the trench myself. all went well for about 2 hours and 4 meters long and some 0.6 meters deep, but then i hit solid rock for the last 1.5 meters. 6 hours of chipping away with a heavy duty breaker got me to the end. If i met the rock at the start of the dig, i possibly would have given up and paid them to do it, not knowing how much i would run into. because i only had 1.5m to go i decided to give it a crack myself.

so in the end, $3500 = roughly 1 days hard labour plus a $100 breaker hire. I'd hate to think how long it would have taken me if it had been rock all the way.

if you also have to dig up a drive, that would be very expensive!

if you have non-rocky ground, then 'thrusting' a cable might be an option, rather than trenching. Look for someone that does cable thrusting and see if they can assist.

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SamD

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Reply # 300029 18-Feb-2010 08:54

What did you use to dig the first part before you got to rock?
I am considering using a pick axe (I live in Raumati so its quite sandy) and gettnig some alcathene piping and putting it down but not sure if I am dreaming. may just give it a crack and see how she goes.

cyril7

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Reply # 300044 18-Feb-2010 09:58

Hi, should not be too much rock where you are, but you must use Telecom approved and supplied conduit, they will not accept standard conduit. You cannot purchase this conduit anywhere, its a restricted product.

Treat this as a new house connection, so first you must get the ball rolling by logging a new connection which will start a job number. Tell them that you will dig the trench (which is normally what happens in a new build, ie the plumber/drain layer normaly trenches for all services, including teh power/phone lines which go to the street). Once the trench is dug call them back to say you are ready, a linesman will then roll up with conduit and cable and connect you up. But nothing will happen if you dont get a job number.

Hope that helps.

Cheers
Cyril

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Reply # 300187 18-Feb-2010 17:19

i dug my trench with a plain ole spade (and some lenghts of string tied to stakes for guides...)

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