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Welcome back. You may have heard the phrase “call before you dig,” and it’s crucial to keep that in mind if you’re doing any work on your property. Accidentally damaging a gas pipe, power line, or communications cable can be expensive to repair and poses a safety hazard. Pat Forign is here with a consumer alert. Pat, thanks.

Michelle and Natalie, a Brampton man was having a garage built on his property when his contractor cut into a power line. The utility agreed to repair the line twice but now says it must be replaced, and the homeowner has to pay $27,000 to fix it. At Paul Willis’s Brampton home, he has a temporary power line for hydro running above ground on his property.

It comes down from the pole, goes all the way up behind the garage, and has multiple splices before connecting to his house. This temporary line, which was only supposed to be there for 30 days, has been up for a year and a half.

His underground hydro was cut when he hired a contractor to build his garage, and when the line was severed, electric utilities repaired it twice. However, when it failed the third time, he was told it would have to be replaced at his expense. They want $27,000, and he has to pay a contractor an additional $5,000 to run the final 80 feet.

Before you dig, you’re supposed to contact Ontario One Call, an agency that works with utilities to ensure you don’t damage underground infrastructure. However, Willis’s contractor didn’t follow their instructions, complicating his situation. He’s taken legal action against the contractor, who has ignored him. According to a spokesperson from the electric company, the existing line was damaged by the customer’s third-party contractor, and the estimate to replace it is $27,000. Willis feels that the line needed upgrading and replacement, and he shouldn’t have to bear the entire cost. He’s hopeful for a compromise.

Remember, if you’re going to dig on your property, you need to contact Ontario One Call. It’s free and required by law. You can do it online, so it’s really easy. Click before you dig, and they’ll check to ensure you don’t hit anything on your side. I’m Pat Forign.