NC811 Before You Demolish: Utility Locates for Raleigh Projects

Demolition ends with digging more often than people expect. Footings, slabs, driveways and old service lines all sit in the ground, and any excavation puts you near buried utilities. NC811 is the state's one-call system for that reason.

How it works

• Call or submit online: Dial 811, call 1-800-632-4949 or use the NC811 website to submit a locate request. The service is free.
• Give notice: State rules require at least three full working days of notice before you dig. Plan for more on busy weeks.
• Wait for marks: Member utilities mark the approximate location of their underground lines with paint or flags.
• Dig carefully: Marks show an approximate path, so hand-dig or use other careful methods near them.

What a locate does not cover

NC811 notifies its member utilities. It does not mark lines that you or a previous owner installed, such as a water line from the meter to the house, a gas line to a grill or detached garage, landscape lighting or sewer laterals. Those private lines are a good reason to hire a private locator, especially before breaking out a driveway or slab.

Disconnects are separate

A locate is not a shutoff. Before a structure comes down, gas, electric, water and sewer service has to be disconnected or capped through the providers, and the City asks for proof of that as part of the demolition permit. Start those requests early because crews have their own backlogs.

Tips for Raleigh sites

• Re-request a locate if marks fade or work stops for a while.
• Photograph marks before work begins.
• Keep soil and equipment away from marks during storms, as runoff can wash paint away.

Raleigh Demolition Co handles locate requests as part of project planning. Call (919) 420-3817 to discuss your site.