Potholing from a Contractor's Perspective

There are numerous utility locating/potholing companies in the U.S. This is evident when you open any phone book or service directory. A customer can request potholing service on any given day and fully expect the pothole service provider to perform the job exactly as requested with no questions asked, supplying location, diameter, and depth of the utility the customer is looking for. At first glance one might consider this ideal, however from the contractor's perspective "performing the job exactly as requested" can often mean wasted time and expense. In two case studies, the value of subsurface utility engineering is demonstrated from design through job completion. The significance of potholing using a reputable, experienced subcontractor and the ability to transfer field data into CAD drawings and lad based maps is demonstrated.