Call 811 Before You Dig: Which Weekend Projects Need a Locate

Any digging project, including a small one, needs a call to 811 first. 811 is the free national call-before-you-dig service, and it gets the approximate location of buried utility lines marked with paint or flags before a shovel goes in. The 811 organization says planting a garden, installing a fence or mailbox, planting trees and shrubs, and installing drain tile all count. As of October 2026, this is the process it publishes for homeowners.

1. Why a shallow hole still counts

The 811 site says some utilities are buried just inches below the surface, so every digging project, regardless of depth, requires contacting 811 a few days in advance. It also says backhoes are the most common tool involved when buried utilities are damaged and shovels are second, so even small projects matter. Hitting a line can interrupt service, cost money to repair, or cause serious injury or death.

Two other points on the 811 pages matter for weekend work:

• Erosion or root growth can shift where a line sits, so call again for each new digging job, even if the spot was marked before.
• An average of 7 to 8 utility operators are notified for each request, which is why one phone call can bring several different crews.

2. The five steps

811 lays out the homeowner process as notify, wait, confirm, respect, dig carefully.

1. Notify. Call 811 or file an online request with your state 811 center a few business days before you plan to break ground. Have the address, county and nearest cross street, the type of project, and the exact area where you plan to dig. You will get a ticket number and instructions on how long utilities have to respond.

2. Wait. State laws vary, but utility companies generally have a few days to send locators to mark their buried lines. Your state's specific waiting period is listed on your state 811 center's site.

3. Confirm. Use the information on your ticket to check that every affected utility has responded. 811 says you must confirm that all of them have responded before you dig, not just that some marks have appeared.

4. Respect the marks. The paint or flags are your guide for the whole project. If marks wear away, or the project will run past the expiration date of your request (which varies by state), contact your 811 center and ask for a re-mark.

5. Dig carefully. 811 advises avoiding digging on top of the marks or within 18 to 24 inches on all sides of them, which may mean moving the project to a less crowded part of the yard. If you must dig near the marks or use machinery of any kind, contact your state 811 center about the laws in your state.

3. What the marks mean

Locators use the APWA Uniform Color Code. The American Public Works Association card lists:

The card's "Typical Marking" diagrams also show a "tolerance zone" on each side of a marked line, with a 24-inch (600 mm) dimension on the large-duct example and a note to refer to the card's text. State law sets the actual width, which is why 811's advice for homeowners is to stay 18 to 24 inches away.

4. What the marks do not tell you

811 describes the marks as the approximate location of buried lines, and says some lines are buried only a shallow depth. The paint does not tell you how deep a line is, so dig carefully around the marks, not on them, and keep in mind that a hole dug on top of a mark is exactly what 811 tells homeowners to avoid.

5. A simple planning order

1. Decide where the hole, post line or trench will go before calling, so the request describes the exact area.
2. Place the request a few business days ahead and note the ticket number.
3. Check the ticket to see which utilities have responded, and do not start until all have.
4. Keep the marks visible for the duration of the work.
5. If the layout shows lines running through the spot you picked, consider relocating the project, as 811 suggests.

If a project stops and restarts after the request has expired, or the marks have washed away, call again.

6. Key takeaways

• Every digging job needs a request to 811, including planting a tree, setting a fence post or installing a mailbox.
• Make the request a few business days ahead; the exact waiting period depends on your state.
• Wait until every utility on the ticket has responded before digging.
• Stay 18 to 24 inches away from the marks on all sides, and hand dig if you must work close to them.
• The marks are approximate, and some lines are shallow, so call again for each new project.