What Happens If You Don’t Call 811 Before Installing a Fence?
Before any fence gets installed, there’s one step that should never be skipped: calling 811.
It’s free, it’s quick, and it prevents some very expensive problems.
Photo of a Mae Fence employee digging holes and setting posts at a job in Columbus, OH on April 3, 2026
What Calling 811 Actually Does
When you call 811, utility companies come out and mark:
Gas Lines
Electric Lines
Water Lines
Cable & Internet Lines
These markings show exactly where it’s safe to dig.
Utility lines are often not where homeowners expect. Even if you’ve lived in the house for years, you can’t always assume the exact location where everything is buried. With soils shifting over time due to Ohio's freeze-thaw cycles and changing weather conditions its possible for underground lines to shift with them.
What Is NOT Marked By 811
It is important to note that 811 will only mark public utility lines like the ones mentioned above. It is the responsibility of the homeowner to mark any private lines that may be present, such as:
Sprinkler systems
Invisible dog fence
Private electric or utility lines
Pool lines
What Can Go Wrong If You Skip Calling 811
Hitting a utility line isn’t just inconvenient — it can be dangerous and expensive.
Common examples include:
Gas lines hit (serious safety risk that could lead to neighborhood evacuation)
Powers line damaged (outages to your home and possibly others)
Cable/internet lines hit (potential to cause entire neighborhoods internet outage)
Homeowners being stuck with repair & damage bills
How Mae Fence Handles 811 Markings
At Mae Fence, we handle this step for our customers! We’ll take care of calling 811 ahead of installation to have all public utilities marked. It’s part of doing the job right and protecting the homeowner.
Bottom line… Skipping 811 might save a day — but skipping it could cost thousands. It’s one of the most simple steps in the process and by far one of the most important.
For more information please visit the Ohio 811 website here: www.OHIO811.org