Whether you are constructing a new house or simply adding an extension, you will certainly need to lay a solid foundation. No matter how exquisite the design, if your home lacks a solid foundation, it will eventually collapse. A foundation is an essential part of your house because it keeps the structure above ground as well as keeps it moisture-free and protects it from many structural problems down the road.
However, the process of building a foundation begins long before the concrete is poured—it starts with excavation. It is almost impossible to lay a strong foundation without proper excavation. In fact, a house can withstand stress only if its foundation is adequately excavated and prepared.
What happens during an excavation?
Excavation is so much more than just digging a hole. It includes site preparation, grading land, trenching, drilling, and leveling. Let us “dig deeper” and take a step-by-step look at the excavation process.
- Site clearing – This is the first obvious step in which many unwanted objects—such as trees and boulders—are removed to prepare your site for further steps. All the tree stumps are removed at this stage, and the vegetation is cut down to a proper height so that it does not obstruct the building process.
- Site staking – After the ground has been cleared, the home site is staked to show where the house and its foundation will be built. To get a better idea, four markers are placed in the four corners to depict the position of the future home.
- Layout design – Now, your home’s layout will be designed to finalize the places of patios, steps, walkways, and other such structures. This step will provide you with a fair idea of where everything will be once your house is built.
- Site preparation – At this point, the previously-staked areas will be dug out to ensure the vegetation is removed from the site and to add the drainage systems. Sometimes, footers are placed around the foundation slab, and even a trench is dug below the frost line.
- Excavating the driveway – Excavation for laying the foundation often includes excavation of the driveway too. Trees, shrubs, boulders, and rocks are removed to prepare the ground for building the driveway. The land is levelled and gravel is used to reach the desired height.
This is just the general process, and when a place is excavated for foundation, the process is much more intricate because the entire building depends on the foundation.
“Can’t I just do it myself?”
When it comes to meticulous and complex work like excavation, taking a DIY approach is not wise. The process varies from site to site because the characteristics of each site are different. Factors like soil stability, moisture, water tables, and backfill quality will determine the best course of action. And you, a beginner, can never outdo the expertise and knowledge of a professional.
E&K Contractors has a team of skilled excavators who can efficiently excavate your site. We can help you make the ground ideal for a proper laying of a strong foundation. Backed by an experience of over 40 years and outfitted with the right equipment and knowledge, we will make sure that your building stands the test of time. To leverage our services, call us at (419) 474-9454.