Call Before You Dig

Hilltop Concrete believes in proper safety measures for our projects and the ones our customers may do themselves. We often have those who purchase material and intend to install the concrete fence themselves. While we are happy to provide installation information, we also want to make sure people know about things like 8-1-1.To start, always call to locate any potential underground utilities that may interfere with the fence line before you start digging anything. 8-1-1 is the national call-before-you-dig phone number and you can go to your state's 8-1-1 website before digging to request that the approximate location of buried utilities be marked with paint or flags so that you don't unintentionally dig into an underground utility line.

You should call 8-1-1 or use your state 8-1-1center’s website a few business days before you begin any digging, including common projects like planting trees and shrubs or installing fences and mailboxes. In Texas, they advise there is a 2 business day response time. You will need to know the address of where you plan to dig, including the county and nearest cross street, as well as the type of project you’re completing and the exact area on the property where you’re planning to dig. Whether you call 8-1-1or to make your request online, you’ll need the same info. You'll need to wait for them to respond to your request before breaking ground. Once all utilities have marked their buried lines, you should dig carefully around any utility marks and consider relocating projects close to buried utilities.

If you do not contact 8-1-1 before digging, it is quite possible that you will dig into a buried underground utility and potentially create a life-threatening situation, you can be fined, or even cause an outage to essential utility services. Even if you have used the service before and you think you know where the underground utilities are, you need to contact 8-1-1 before every digging project to protect yourself.  Remember, it is a free service!

At Hilltop Concrete, we are happy to install every one of our concrete fence systems but we are just as happy to help someone install it themselves. One of the most important aspects is making sure every fence is installed in the safest possible manner. From conception to completion, our team of experts is available to help you with all your concrete fencing needs. We encourage you to reach out to our office by email at hello@hilltopconcreteco.com or by calling our office at 903-630-5465 if you would like a quote or have any questions! We look forward to hearing from you.