Utility Lines in (Rear) Yard

What is the name of your state? California

My wife and I purchased a home three years ago. The home was purchased from a large and reputable home builder. We selected the model, the lot and the orientation of the house on the lot. From the moment we looked at the lot, we envisioned placing a swimming pool in the large side/rear yard. We even discussed this openly with the home builder -- we were quite excited about finding and building our dream house!

We recently contracted with a pool builder to start building the swimming pool. In order to prepare for some related landscaping tasks we contacted the Underground Service Alert (USA) to locate any and all utility lines. To our horror we discovered that the cable television, electric, gas (natural), telephone and water service is all routed diagonally across the middle of our back yard to the house -- right through the middle of where we are placing the pool. Our title clearly indicates a PUE at the exterior of the property which is not a problem and was to be expected. Neither the title, the homebuilder or any documentation makes any mention of these utility lines being routed through the middle of the back yard.

Is this legal? Would the home builder not have to disclose something of this nature? We have left messages with attorneys, but not are willing to return our phone calls. We desperately require assistance on how to proceed. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

[nextwife]

Will the utilities allow you to reroute the lines along the perimeter? When I bought my place I paid to have the utilities buried (they used to come in overhead, there were some height/code issues. Anyway, while not cheap, it was not unmanageable. Have you checked with the utilities to see if rerouting can be done and obtain a cost?

[Shay-Pari'e]

These are apparently your service lines and not the main feeders, so in this case the utility company,PG@E, SMUD, or CA EDISON, will not reroute. You can hire a contractor however, he needs to get a permit from all companies and you can reroute that way, then the utilities can hook them up. For cable and electric you are looking at atleast 5,000.00 just for those two, I don't know about water and gas, and phone.

[HomeGuru]

Originally Posted by kschwartz

What is the name of your state? California

My wife and I purchased a home three years ago. The home was purchased from a large and reputable home builder. We selected the model, the lot and the orientation of the house on the lot. From the moment we looked at the lot, we envisioned placing a swimming pool in the large side/rear yard. We even discussed this openly with the home builder -- we were quite excited about finding and building our dream house!

We recently contracted with a pool builder to start building the swimming pool. In order to prepare for some related landscaping tasks we contacted the Underground Service Alert (USA) to locate any and all utility lines. To our horror we discovered that the cable television, electric, gas (natural), telephone and water service is all routed diagonally across the middle of our back yard to the house -- right through the middle of where we are placing the pool. Our title clearly indicates a PUE at the exterior of the property which is not a problem and was to be expected. Neither the title, the homebuilder or any documentation makes any mention of these utility lines being routed through the middle of the back yard.

Is this legal? Would the home builder not have to disclose something of this nature? We have left messages with attorneys, but not are willing to return our phone calls. We desperately require assistance on how to proceed. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

**A: there should be a recorded easement if these lines are in fact utility lines. Do these lines serve other homes?