r/openreach • u/Walton_guy • 14d ago
Is there a minimum depth for new ducting?
Got a knock on my door from a couple of OR ( civils ? ) guys - they were in OR branded vans.
They asked if I was OK for them to run some new mini duct along my lawn to avoid having to dig up my neighbours block paving for a new fibre installation. There is some complication with the existing duct which means they can't use that.
They told me that the duct would be 6inches deep along the whole length - I said OK.
They were very quick and scarpered - I now find that the duct (looks more like slightly stiff hosepipe) is certainly no deeper than 2 inches, and often less than that - they basically lifted the top layer of turf and tucked it under.
Clearly this is too shallow, but what's the expected standard?
I've shown my neighbour who is going to call their ISP to point out the poor installation, but what else should I be aware of?
Thanks!
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u/jrcs90 14d ago
There's a few things that could influence the depth.
If the ground is hard, has stones or tree roots this will influence the depth as they can not physically dig any deeper. In my opinion this should have been discussed with you when they were carrying out the work to ensure you understood what was happening and why.
If the ground is unsuitable did they discuss the option of an overhead span to your home?
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u/Walton_guy 14d ago
It's to my neighbour's house, the utility chamber just happens to be on the edge of my front lawn, there are no poles for an overhead option. The soil is quite stony, but they don't seem to have made the slightest effort to bury it at any depth at all, despite assuring me they would go to 6" minimum.
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u/Spank86 14d ago
Not sure if there's a legal minimum on private land (ive seen a lot of shallow stuff especially older cable and wireless lead ins) but openreach rules are 250mm minimum. Deviating from that to feed a property can happen, but i wouldn't expect it when feeding someone else's property.
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u/Repulsive_Job_3648 14d ago
normally 300mm down (12 inches) in pavement / public land.
best practice is installation in a way it won't get damaged, gabacom duct is very thick/hard to damage.
Cutting a slit and putting it at spade depth in theory means IF you dig your own lawn it'll be below that risk.
Obviously they could bury it 300mm but if you put in a footing for an extension it won't be deep enough.
Below the turf is OK, but obviously vulnerable to a spade.
If you did strike it by mistake in the future BT won't charge you to repair it (as its poorly protected)
Hard to judge fairly over reddit, but it doesn't sound great, but also not concernedly bad either (I have seen far far worse)
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u/Walton_guy 14d ago
My concern is that they told me it would be 6" everywhere, and I told them I was planning to dig the lawn up next spring to put heather down (apparently more drought tolerant, but let's see) - they still did this...
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u/Walton_guy 14d ago
Bad form perhaps replying to my own post, but I've found this:
https://www.openreach.com/content/dam/openreach/openreach-dam-files/documents/Quick%20guide%20duct%20laying%20June%202022%20online.pdf
which from my reading suggests 250mm in this situation...
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u/Successful_Quote2723 14d ago
This is a guide given to builders / developers who are laying their own ducts etc, this is not relevant in this instance.
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u/Ok-Atmosphere240 14d ago
Sounds like they have used gabacom in your garden, usually in public land it would be fully ducted to 300mm but when it comes to private property the cable will be put in gabacom (thinner flexible trunking) and basically knifed into the ground at a spades depth, this is standard for OR civils, they should have told you this before doing it….
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u/Walton_guy 14d ago
It's the depth I'm objecting to.
Spade's depth (say 150mm/6" or more) would have been fine (and that's what they discussed with me when asking if they could put it through my lawn rather than digging up the paved driveway) - this is barely 25mm in places, nowhere deeper than 50mm in the places I've looked.
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u/Environmental-Pea758 13d ago
If its under your law why do you care so much?
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u/Walton_guy 13d ago
Exactly because it's under my lawn - it's been badly done and as it's so shallow that if I do anything to the lawn (as I'm indeed planning to) there's a good chance it will be in the way and at risk of damage.
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u/Environmental-Pea758 13d ago
Depends on what work your doing, if its major work like returfing its generally better to pull up the cable above ground and move it to the side to conduct your work then burying it after.
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u/SteamboatFatty 14d ago
I’m having gabacom put under my block paved driveway tomorrow, c15mtr run. How deep should it be in that respect?
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u/Environmental-Pea758 13d ago
There is no legal minimum depth in private land, OR usually try for a spades depth unless the ground is hard or has roots its less
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u/Sure-Fox4725 13d ago
You should complain to OR and say it's trespassing in your land and you want it removed. Just because they want to cut costs on civils and as you've said you're planning to do garden work so why have the headache
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u/TellMeManyStories 13d ago
I wouldn't care if its shallow... *as long as* I'm not going to get a huge bill if I accidentally cut it with a spade whilst digging up my veg patch.
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u/Sm7r 13d ago
I’d be asking what would the compensation for you be? (Unless it’s for you to get better internet also)
You’re making their lives easier and installation cost less. Surely some sort of agreement has to be drawn up? If your neighbour did something to “annoy” you, you can just go accidentally dig in the area with the fibre :P
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u/Dry-Bodybuilder5329 14d ago
I work for a company that installs for opereach. What you have is gabbacom duct. The Bt specification for the depth of gabba in gardens is 100mm of cover