Biggest issue I ran into was hitting some buried utility lines that weren't marked clearly. Even after calling the utility locator, their markings weren't exactly spot-on, so I'd suggest hand-digging carefully around those areas first. Also, watch out for rocky soil—it slowed me down more than I expected. Other than that, installation was straightforward. Definitely worth the effort to avoid another flooding headache...
Good call on hand-digging, but honestly, it's a huge time sink if you're dealing with rocky ground. Last summer, I rented a small hydro-excavator—might sound fancy, but it wasn't crazy expensive and made the job way quicker. It gently blasts soil away without damaging utilities, even if markings are off. I'd seriously recommend looking into it if you've got a lot of tricky areas to dig...saved me hours of frustration and sore shoulders.
Yeah, hydro-excavators are a solid choice, especially around utilities. I've seen guys accidentally nick gas lines even after careful marking, and trust me, that's a headache nobody wants. Just make sure whoever operates it knows what they're doing—I've seen some messy situations from inexperienced handling. But overall, definitely safer and quicker than hand-digging through rocky soil...worth the extra cost for peace of mind alone.
Had a similar issue on our street last spring—drains got clogged after heavy rains, and the whole road turned into a mini lake. City sent out a crew with a hydro-excavator to clear it out, and honestly, I was impressed how quickly they sorted it. But yeah, operator skill definitely matters...one guy seemed unsure and nearly blasted water everywhere except the drain. Wonder if there's special training or certification for handling those machines? Seems like there should be.
Not convinced certification would make much difference, honestly. I've seen certified people mess things up plenty of times—it's more about experience and common sense. Had a guy once who was supposedly trained, but he still managed to flood half my driveway before figuring out the right angle. Some people just aren't cut out for certain equipment, no matter how many certificates they have...
