Posted By steve e ashton Rob, around six years ago, around Edinburgh, I calculated an average direct cost (ie the damaged service owner claimed) an average of £12000 per strike. Largely due to high costs claimed by optical cable owners to repair their infrastructure that had been poorly mapped and didn't show up with the normal scanners..... This figure did not include damage to water / sewerage services (which would generally have been somewhat cheaper), and did not include rework or indirect costs incurred by site delays and damaged plant etc. The org. I worked for was able to employ a specialist estimator who challenged the high costs claimed, and was paid on a percentage 'costs saved' basis. It is my understanding that he was very well remunerated for a couple of years, until proper controls were introduced! (Note I was not with my current employer at that time...) Steve