Working with the Utility Companies

NICOR-GAS
Our new construction representative has been out to the property to locate the nearest gas main. It is on the other side of the road. He has given me quotes for boring all the way back to the home or for just boring under the road and then trenching thru the property. We will opt for boring. It's more expensive, but will make sense given the limited space we have.
We will submit our application for service when we are in the foundation backfill stage. This will give them time to have their field supervisor come out and firm up the project.

COMED-ELECTRIC
I met with the new service coordinator out at the property. She was quite frank in advising me to have our electric trench dug and installed by a private contractor vs the utility company doing it. We will need what she calls a "primary package". Meaning, Comed will install a pole at the front of our property and we will install a pole in our "yard" to connect it to. Then our line will run (over or under) until reaching a transformer, which Comed will supply to us.
I then reached out to her recommended contractor who visited the property and let me know his recommendation is to run the first 125' from their pole to our pole overhead (thus the pole will be half way down the driveway. Thus getting that first 125' free from Comed. At that point it will drop down and run a trench out to the transformer. He couldn't quote me specifics, but after asking he did say it would save us a couple grand if we do the trench work ourselves. He is thinking it is going to be extremely rocky and full of tree roots....
In the meantime he suggested getting our ticket open with Comed asap so the pole they are putting in is done (he said they could take up to 2 months). I advised that I would do so as soon as we have an official address-which we won't get until our permit is approved.

AT&T-PHONE & INTERNET
This was probably the biggest run around. I spoke to one person who said they don't have service where we are. However, we can see their lines. And our neighbor confirmed he had service.
I called back and it was clarified they don't offer Uverse but a landline could be installed. She said we would need to trench ourselves. I confirmed with private electrical contractor (see above) that he could lay the line. My uncle said to just leave 20' coiled at each end and then call them for the hook up.