Deciding to build a granny flat is simple, designing and building the extension can be a lot harder. You'll have a lot of questions to answer along the way. Can you use a general contractor or is is better to use one who has built a lot of granny flats before? Is a template design better than a customised one? Should you let the person who'll live in the flat have a say in what it looks like? Luckily, I'm here to help. My name is Maria. We moved my Mum into a purpose-built granny flat last year, so I've had to answer all these questions and more. I thought it'd be useful for other people to see how we managed the process, so here we are — get reading!
Why Existing Underground Infrastructure Poses a Developmental Challenge
If you want to connect services between two individual parcels of land that a third-party property may separate, you may need to go above or below that uncontrolled land. Developers will often decide to go underneath the other property and, in this case, will need to bring in a specialist team of directional drilling contractors. But this team will need to be especially careful if that other property has been extensively developed. They'll need to ensure they do not impact any underground utilities that may service the other property, so what steps should they take in this situation?
The Reason for Caution
No developed property can exist without utility infrastructure. This may include water, power, sewer, fibre optic and other communication lines, and most providers will run these lines underground. Of course, you may want to connect your own utility or other services, which may be why you want to use directional drilling in the first place. Great care will need to be taken at every step of this operation to ensure that you can be successful in your quest and avoid damage and considerable costs to other property.
Exploratory Methods
Before you begin, you need to determine the position of those existing underground utility lines. Experienced operators will use a variety of different methods here but will first of all turn to existing documentation. Plans of the area may show the location of these utilities. This information can be confirmed with utility providers, although it is sometimes difficult to determine what companies are involved.
Understanding the Challenge
If there is no documentation, the contractor must assume that there are existing lines in place and try to prove otherwise. After all, some of these lines could even be buried at a depth inconsistent with the relevant code. Other utility lines may have shifted due to a nearby water table or ground movement. One line may also be masked by another and may be more difficult to locate.
If there are any existing surface structures, these will be clear pointers. Therefore, you need to pay attention to meters, manhole covers and other evidence. A contractor may also need to drill exploratory "potholes" to a required distance and in line with the proposed drilling path.
Anticipating the Consequences
Remember, if you are responsible for damaging an existing utility line, this will invariably lead to cost, but it could also lead to widespread service blackouts and reputational harm. This is why it is so important to work with an experienced directional drilling contractor who knows the importance of this issue.
Reach out to a directional drilling services company for more information.