The Land Development and Excavation Process
As a full service excavating company serving Teller County, Park County, and Fremont County Colorado, we are usually the first ones to perform work on your property. Every bucket of dirt moved can affect your budget. So choosing a reputable and reliable excavating contractor is key. The site development process does have many steps, and can be overwhelming at times. Our goal is to make sure you have a complete understanding of what it takes to start building, and make the experience feel effortless for you. Please enjoy the description and pictures of our work to better understand the land development and excavation process.
New Driveway Construction
Every county has specific rules and regulations for a new driveway. The county sets out these rules for proper drainage and to make sure first responders vehicles can make it to your home in case of emergency.
Planning and Layout Of the Building Site
With a permitted access to your building site, we essentially have a blank canvas to work with. With most sites in Colorado, the topography and layout of your home can affect several prices down the line. Due to this we are always willing to work closely with you to make sure your dream is possible and your budget stays intact. Once we we have an understanding of the house location we will need to dig two 8' deep test pits where the future leach field will be located, and one 8' deep test pit in the future house location. This will allow soil engineers to examine the soil on your site and design a septic system and foundation for your property. We work with several geotechnical engineers to coordinate this work.
Excavation Begins!
Once we find the perfect spot for your future home, excavating can begin. We begin by stripping topsoil/overburden from the site and stockpiling this soil in a specified location. This type of soil is not suitable for backfill or under structural components of the home such as concrete slabs. However this soil can be spread during final grade to give grass seed a good place to grow.
Excavation Continues
Once the topsoil and overburden is out of the way we can start excavating for the concrete foundation. There are several different types of foundations shown below. Whichever foundation your plans or engineer require, we can accommodate.
Walk out basement
We can make any type of foundation work with your site, but steep grades are perfect for this type of foundation.
Slab On Grade
Simple and effective slab on grade foundations are great for many applications.
Crawl Space
Crawl space type foundations offer room underneath the main floor to provide access to many mechanical or plumbing components in the home and could be used for storage.
Pier and Beam
This type of foundation commonly used for garage/shop construction.
Our Goal During Excavation
We take pride in our work even though it is seen by few. Every step we take during this process is extremely important. When we excavate the base for concrete components, we realize that this area is crucial to the structural integrity of the home. The foundation as a whole is responsible for holding an average of 120,000 pounds of material used to construct the home. Over-excavation and improper compaction is not an option. We ensure that the soil we touch is compacted and prepared to the highest standards. We also take time during this phase to make sure the soil is within 1/2 inch of grade. This keeps the concrete crew happy, and the material bill down.
Waterproofing and Drainage
This is such a crucial step in protecting your home foundation from water damage. This is a something you only want to do once. We work with a local, experienced, and professional waterproofing companies for the best results.
Backfill and Grading
Another important step to make sure your home foundation is not damaged by water is proper backfill and grading. Grading will keep a majority of the water away from the the foundation. Compacting free draining and non-expansive soil will allow any water that does end up close to the foundation a path to exit through the foundation drain.
Septic Systems
Many homes in this area are not close to city sewer systems. This requires the home to be connected to a septic system. These systems are extremely important and can be complex, so it's important to hire an experienced contractor. Click the link below to learn more!