Cutting concrete driveway - gas / electric?

[Tigercubrider]

My electric meter is 18" inside my garage, ceiling height, and the gas is same height at the rear. Both feeds come up through the garage floor

My driveway slopes down a tiny bit and doesn't exactly flood near the house but puddles a bit and a small amount of water can enter the garage and pool on the first 3 feet of floor

I'd like to insert some gulley by cutting a slot into the driveway pretty much the along the garage and the front porch which is to the immediate left. ( mains electric rises through garage floor on the left)

How safe would it be to use a disc cutter to slit the concrete?
I would start in what I guess is the safest area - to the right- and break the concrete from right to left as I progress so I can scoop under the concrete where the gas or electric might be.
I am talking 4-6" max and assume that the services are deeper than that even where they are close to the house? (Mid 50's built)

The idea is to remove as little as possible and insert a driveway gulley made of plastic

 

[Ian H]

They should be much deeper than the concrete. I cut through a water pipe once in 13 years, it had been laid about 2" deep under concrete. Other than that I've not seen much shallower than 250mm.

 

[Tigercubrider]

thanks
that's what I thought.
although I'll take care to try to excavate under the concrete first.

 

[SFK]

Tiger,
As a suggestion, why not look at / google "Low Profile Drainage Channel".

I found most at 80mm deep and these at 55mm deep so that you can cut a shallower channel out of your concrete drive (which are often >100mm thick) to drop these into and not go anywhere near the services.
http://www.drainageshop.co.uk/category-6109/DCLP907.html
sfk

 

[John D v2.0]

Front gardens are often just that-gardens, and you'd expect to be able to dig them. It would have had to be laid on the surface to be that shallow after the drive.
So the only thing you'll cut through in that case is the virgin media cable....

 

[Tigercubrider]

Good idea about the low profile drain- I didn't know they existed

Agree about the virgin cable- although luckily mine runs under the lawn inline with the house party wall so well away

Hopefully I am not dealing with gallons of drainage, just a small fall that causes pooling

 

[oldbutnotdead]

If you're not too precious about the state of the garden, it might be worth a careful test dig in the soil (near the garage)- trowel and hand rather than pickaxe exploration. Or see if your local network operators have one of those 'call us before you dig' numbers

 

[vinn]

OP,
Dont assume anything where utilities are concerned - we've previously encountered elec. services at 6" depth, and gas and water likewise.

The safest bet is to be very aware and pull a string line to give a surface idea of where a utilitiy might run below ground from where it enters the property to where it enters the house etc.

How come you are not proposing a channel at the garage enrance - its a common practice and looks much neater than something in the driveway.

 

[tomfe]

I agree with vinn, utilities can be very shallow, don't presume that they where done to the correct depth. The water board where especially bad at this when they used to fix domestic leaks on owners land.

 

[Tigercubrider]

Sorry, should have been clearer.
I am intending to cut a line across the driveway where it meets the garage (4 or so inches away from the garage slab) and insert the drain.

 

[SFK]

Tiger,
An (annoyingly loud) video on how someone installed their channel drain:

Note that he cuts the channel exactly the width of the Drain and uses silicone to seal sides, others cut channel 4cm wider on each side so new cement is thick enough that it has strength and does not crumble.
sfk

 

[Ian H]

They should be much deeper than the concrete. I cut through a water pipe once in 13 years, it had been laid about 2" deep under concrete. Other than that I've not seen much shallower than 250mm.

Spoke too soon, gas and electric in ducting:

And the drain I need is dropping down right below them

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Very close shave on my parents driveway, gas service was found going through a bit of rainwater downpipe used as a duct, immediately below the garage floor slab, so about 5" deep! Only thing you can assume with an service is, its there. Until you know the exact depth and location, care is advised.