FAQ
Questions we hear most.
Straight answers for homeowners, agents and contractors.
What does a septic certification inspection include?
A certification means opening the whole system: both tank compartments, the distribution box and every seepage pit or leach line. Running a camera or pumping the tank is not a certification. If the lids are buried, our crew locates and exposes them on time and material, and you pay only for the time used.
Can my septic system support an ADU or an addition?
That takes a County OWTS evaluation, which goes further than a basic septic inspection. The County looks at whether the system can carry the added use and may ask for a future expansion area. Start the evaluation before you commit to the ADU design, so the septic answer shapes the plans.
Do you do the electrical work on an Edison or LADWP upgrade?
No. We build the trench, conduit, vaults and pads to the utility's design and get them inspected. The utility pulls the cable and makes the connection, and your electrician handles the panel and the building wiring. Three parties are involved, and we coordinate our part with both of the others.
Who pays the permit and agency fees?
The owner pays permit and agency fees directly to the agency. We don't include them in our price, because the amounts aren't known until the agency invoices them. On street work we pull the permit under our license, and the fee notices come straight to you.
Can you design or stamp shoring, foundations or drainage?
No. JFPEC is the contractor. Design and stamped drawings come from the Engineer of Record or a shoring engineer. We build to the stamped design as the contractor's means and methods, and we prepare the submittals, sequence of work and Cal/OSHA trench permit records the inspector needs.
Will the City's sidewalk rebate cover my repair?
Usually only part of it. Apply through the City's sidewalk repair program first, then send us the City's offer or notice along with a few photos. We price the full repair to the City's standard plans so you can see how much the rebate covers and what is left.
Why is your bid higher than another one I received?
Often the bids don't cover the same work. Our proposals list what the price includes, such as saw cutting, demolition, haul-off, base, shoring and restoration, and what it excludes. Line the bids up item by item, and ask the other bidder whether those pieces are in their number.
Why does new concrete look uneven in color?
New concrete often looks uneven from one pour to the next. Weather, sand, the mix and curing all affect the color while the concrete is young. The difference usually evens out as the concrete cures. Hairline cracks are controlled by the saw-cut joints, which decide where the concrete cracks as it shrinks.
Can you give me a total before you start digging?
When the work depends on what is underground, we bill on time and material, because nobody knows the conditions until the ground is open. We can give you a typical range in writing. If you need a ceiling, we agree an authorized amount and stop for your approval before we reach it.
Where will residents park during asphalt work?
We plan the closures with you, area by area, and mark each closed section with cones and tape so residents and tenants know where to park. Paved areas stay closed to traffic the day after paving. Phasing the work keeps parking open, though it adds some restriping and patching.
Can you give preliminary pricing at the schematic stage?
Yes. We start with a meeting and a site walk, then give you a budget with every assumption written down and the site risks flagged. As the design develops, the budget is updated, so the owner and the designer can make decisions before the plans are final.
Can you relocate a sewer line or storm drain that's in the way?
Yes. Once the line is exposed and measured, we price the options: lower it, reroute it, relocate it or build around it. We build the option you choose, with the Engineer of Record approving any change to the design, then backfill and patch the site to match.
Does 811 (DigAlert) mark private utility lines?
No. Utilities mark only the lines they own, usually up to the meter or service point. Lines past that point, such as power to a garage or ADU, site lighting, irrigation and gas to outbuildings, belong to the owner. They need a private locate before anyone digs.
What is the difference between locating and potholing?
Locating finds a line's path from the surface with instruments and marks it with paint and flags. Potholing digs a small hole, usually with a hydrovac truck, to expose the line so its real depth, size and material can be measured. We do both, then backfill and patch.
Who installs the fire line from the LADWP vault to the building?
LADWP usually builds the tap on its main, the service lateral and the vault. From the vault to the building's point of connection, the owner's contractor builds the line, the backflow assembly and any on-site hydrants. We do that private-side work, then test it, flush it and restore the surface.
How long does an LADWP fire service take?
LADWP has quoted roughly 90 days from payment for services 3 inches and smaller and about 120 days for 4 inches and larger, after the Service Advisory Request is processed. We schedule the on-site line so it is built and ready when LADWP finishes its part.
Can a Class A contractor install an underground fire service?
Yes, in general. California's Division of the State Architect recognizes Class A General Engineering contractors, along with C-16 and C-34, for the underground portion of a fire service. Each building department and fire authority confirms what it accepts on a given project, so we check that at the start.
Where does your work stop and the sprinkler contractor's start?
We build from the purveyor's connection to the building's point of connection, usually the riser flange. Fire sprinklers, standpipes and everything inside or above the building are the fire sprinkler contractor's scope.
Do I need a double check or a reduced pressure backflow assembly?
LADWP's Rule 16-D requires at least a double check assembly on every dedicated fire service. A reduced pressure assembly is required in higher-risk cases, such as an auxiliary water supply. The purveyor's review sets which one your project needs, and the assembly has to be tested every year by a certified tester.
What pressure test does an underground fire line have to pass?
Under NFPA 24, an underground fire main is typically tested at 200 psi, or 50 psi above the working pressure if that is higher, for two hours, before it is covered. The line is also flushed at high velocity to clear debris. The fire authority or building department inspects and may witness the test.
Who decides whether my project needs a fire hydrant?
The fire department sets hydrant locations and the fire flow your project needs, usually as a condition of the permit. We install private on-site hydrants and hydrants a public works permit requires for your project.
Do you make hot taps on the water main?
Yes, where the water purveyor allows a private contractor to tap its main. A hot tap connects a new service to a live main without shutting it down. Where the purveyor builds its own connection, as LADWP usually does, we tie in at its vault.
Who repaves the street or driveway after a fire line goes in?
We do. We backfill and compact, or use slurry where the agency requires it, then restore the asphalt, concrete, curb or landscape. In the street that means the agency's standard, including a T-cut repave where required.
Can you repair a leaking or broken fire line?
Yes. We locate and expose the line, repair or replace the damaged section, test it and restore the surface. Larger replacements get a written proposal first.
How do I know if my fire line is leaking?
The most common sign is the detector meter on the backflow assembly turning when no water should be flowing. Other signs are a water bill that jumps with no change in use, wet or sinking ground along the line, or water standing in a valve box.
Will my sprinkler system be out of service during the repair?
Yes, while the line is shut down the system is out of service. The owner notifies the fire department, and if it is out for more than 4 hours the fire authority can require a fire watch. We confirm the leak and stage materials before the shutdown so the outage is as short as we can make it.
Who pays for the water lost through a fire line leak?
On private property, the line past the water purveyor's connection belongs to the owner, so water lost through it is usually billed to the owner. Once the repair is done, ask your purveyor whether it offers a leak adjustment and keep our repair record for that request.
Do you find the leak or only repair it?
Both. We trace the line and expose it with our hydrovac to confirm the leak before opening more ground. When a leak needs acoustic location, we bring in a leak-detection specialist and then make the repair.