When you start construction work, whether for your own building site, a park, or another building, the earthwork phase is one of the most important stages of the project; excavating a site is that step at the beginning of construction where the building land is prepared so that it is suitable for what you want to build.
Therefore, the earthworks should not be taken lightly, as they require certain technical knowledge. Thus, following this article, we present 6 tips for successful earthworks. If you need more advice, feel free to contact a professional to learn more about this. So, without further ado, let’s dive into this blog to learn more about earthmoving.
1. Staking out
Staking is the first thing to do for proper earthwork. Staking is the step that consists of marking the boundaries of the land to be excavated. Indeed, when we carry out construction work, we set up construction plans, and it is important to stick to them.
Staking the ground before digging will help you respect the plan drawn at the beginning. In order to have a more pronounced precision, it is generally recommended to think of a surveyor to help you determine the boundaries. In case you have close neighbors, this will help you not to overflow on their land.
2. Make the drainage system
The design of a water drainage plan is a very important step during the earthwork because a water drainage system is necessary. Indeed, in order to limit the risks of infiltration and stagnation of rainwater and others, which can constitute, in the end, a real danger for your building site, it is important to foresee slopes for the evacuation of the latter. We advise you to foresee a slope with an inclination of 5%, bounded by a channel made of concrete. This will greatly reduce the risk of infiltration and, therefore, the damage to your site.
3. Do the stripping
Still called stripping, the excavation of your land is this step during which you remove the topsoil from your soil until you reach the level of the strata. The removed soil will be distributed evenly over the entire construction surface. This step is necessary in order to restore the surface of the ground, to facilitate later the installation of the accesses to your house or all by the ticket of your car.
4. Digging the excavations and trenches
This step consists in setting up the excavations, in which the foundations of your construction will be built. Still called the bottom of the excavation, we recommend that you make them a few days before the foundations. This time is necessary to reassure you of their reliability and capacity to accommodate the foundations.
5. Backfilling
Backfilling is the last phase of the earthwork. Indeed, this step allows for filling the holes previously dug during the construction of the gutters, the pipes, and others. The objective here is to level the ground and make it flat. Moreover, installing a geotextile film before the backfilling stage is recommended. This film is designed to prevent the regrowth of undesirable weeds and roots while protecting you from rising dampness. However, you need to know that just like geotextile film, the backfill step may not be suitable for all soils.
6. who does this kind of work?
Earthworks are not well known as a profession, but they are well taken care of by earthworks: specialized in earthworks, they are able to carry out any site preparation. As an expert in the field, the earthworker is able to take care of the work but also give advice and opinions on future work based on his experience. The difficulty of earthworks should not be underestimated.
It will be necessary to carry out a large amount of work on the foundations (clearing, digging, backfilling, leveling, etc.), which requires a great deal of knowledge and is therefore not accessible to a weekend handyman. Indeed, the earthwork is related to other works related to water evacuation. The earthworker acts as a project manager and maintains relations with the other artisans involved in the work (plumber, mason, architect).
Looking for help?
For all your earthmoving needs, contact The Groundsman now. With over 28 years of experience in the industry, they are the leading experts in earthmoving in the greater Melbourne Eastern suburbs. Their team of experienced professional deliver safe and reliable earthmoving services. They’ll get the job done, whether it is to remove rubble, earth, or soil. So what are you waiting for? Give them a call for more information!