Call 811 Before Digging in Washington: Pinewood Fence and Deck Rules
Yes, call at least two business days ahead, even for one fence post. The locate costs nothing, and it keeps your shovel away from gas lines.
Do you have to call 811 before you dig a fence post in Pinewood? Yes. Washington law says to call at least two business days before any digging, and the locate is free. Call 811 before digging Washington Pinewood WA rules cover post holes, deck footings, sign posts and trees, not just big excavation.
Skip the call and a shovel can find a gas line. Call 811 before digging Washington in Pinewood WA even when you are only replacing a fence, since new post holes rarely land where the old ones were.
Call (360) 925-8015 now if you already hit something or smell gas. Tell us your address and we give you the arrival window on the phone. For a gas smell, leave the house first and call PSE at 1-888-225-5773 or 911.
Call (360) 925-8015
The short version for your fence or deck
- Call 811 or file online at least two business days ahead. The state says two to ten full business days.
- Mark your dig area with white paint before the utilities arrive.
- Keep your ticket number. It is your proof you called.
- Wait for every utility to answer before the first shovel goes in.
- Private lines are not marked. More on that below.
What Washington actually requires
The Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission gives the rule as two to ten full business days' notice before the work starts. The day you call, weekends and holidays do not count. The state's homeowner page says the same and adds that utilities get two business days after your notice to locate and mark their lines.
There is a newer wrinkle. Effective January 1, 2026, an excavator may not begin digging until every operator with underground facilities in the area has sent a positive response. Silence no longer means the coast is clear. Wait for the answers to come in.
Call 811 before digging Washington Pinewood Marysville WA projects all follow one statewide rule. We found no city-only version.
The state also says a locate is required for installing any sign, and that fence posts and deck foundations count. Failure to call may bring fines, charges for damages and criminal convictions.
Utility locate in Washington: how to file it in five minutes
A utility locate Washington Pinewood WA homeowners request goes through 811 or the state's online tool. Dig Safe Washington Pinewood WA residents can use also has a simplified homeowner form. The call and the locate are free. Call 811 before digging Washington 98270 jobs need the same ticket, whether it is one post or twenty.
You will need:
- Your address and the nearest cross street.
- The dig area, described plainly: "back fence line, six posts, along the alley side".
- Your start date, at least two business days out.
- White paint or flags marking the outline before crews come.
Utilities then mark their lines with colored paint or flags. The white marks are supposed to stay valid for 45 days or until the project is done, whichever is shorter.
What 811 does not find
The utility companies mark their own lines. The state says septic systems, invisible fences, pool heating lines and outbuilding electric are private and will not be marked. You would need a private locator.
That matters in Pinewood, where many homes are 1970s ramblers with older side yards. We could not confirm from the pages we read whether Marysville marks side sewers. In most Washington cities the homeowner owns the side sewer from the house to the main, so confirm with Marysville Public Works at 360-363-8112 before you set posts near it. Our side sewer ownership guide has more.
The same goes for your water service line between the meter and the house. Ask when you call.
Why one shovel can ruin a Saturday
Not every buried utility sits in a protective casing. The state notes some can be damaged by something as simple as a shovel.
A close-to-home example: on November 8, 2023, a construction crew struck a two-inch gas line behind the Claremont Village shopping center on Evergreen Way in Everett. Everett Fire evacuated several stores, and PSE shut off and contained the leak. Normal business resumed in about an hour, according to My Everett News. That is Everett, not Pinewood, and it was a commercial crew, not a homeowner.
Take that as your lesson. A gas leak has a rotten-egg smell, a hissing sound or bubbles in wet ground. Leave, and call PSE at 1-888-225-5773 or 911. Our gas line plumber page explains what we do after PSE clears it.
When a plumber should be on the phone with you
Call us before you dig if the project touches water or sewer:
- A new hose bib or irrigation line, see our outdoor faucet repair page.
- A fence run near the sewer cleanout.
- A yard dig to chase a leak, where leak detection can pin the spot first so the hole is small.
- A trench for a new water line.
We quote before any work starts, and we tell you what we need marked. You can find the rest of what we do on our homepage.
Questions Pinewood homeowners ask before they dig
How many days before digging do you call 811 in Washington?
At least two business days, and up to ten. The state counts full business days, so the day you call, weekends and holidays do not count. Call on Monday for a Thursday start. If you call on Friday afternoon, plan on the following Wednesday.
Is calling 811 really free for a homeowner?
Yes. The state says the locate service is free to the person requesting it. You pay nothing to call or file online. What you may pay for is a private locator, if you have septic, an invisible fence, pool heating lines or outbuilding electric that the utilities will not mark.
Do I need to call 811 to plant a tree or set a mailbox post?
Yes for any digging, and the state lists sign installation specifically. A tree or a mailbox post is digging too. The call is quick and free. Roots and posts go into the same shallow ground where gas, water and cable lines run.
What if I hit a utility line while digging?
Stop and leave the tool where it is. If you smell gas, hear hissing or see bubbles in wet soil, leave the property and call PSE at 1-888-225-5773 or 911. For a broken water line, shut off the main and call us. Do not try to patch a gas line yourself.
Who should I call about a broken water line in the yard?
For your side of the meter, call us. We tell you how to shut off the water while you wait. For a suspected water break on the city side, use the Marysville after-hours line at 360-363-8350. If you are not sure which side, call us and we sort it out.
Call (360) 925-8015 now. Tell us what you are planning to dig and we tell you what to have marked, with a quote before any plumbing work starts.
Call (360) 925-8015