You have a piece of property and you know it will be the ideal site for a home. You find a good builder, make some plans, and see the plans start to come to life. One of the very first contractors who will arrive on the scene will be a site work contractor. Often skilled in excavation and other construction processes, this professional leads a team of helpers who have the specific job of preparing the site for the future structure. Here is a look at a few types of important work performed by a site work contractor.
Excavation may be performed to prepare for an in-ground foundation.
If your home will have a basement or a foundation that will be placed at least partially in the ground, excavation will be a part of the site work performed. Excavation involves digging up areas of ground with a large piece of equipment referred to as an excavator. Even though this process is most often used for digging a hole, it can also be used to level out some areas of ground. For instance, if the ground has several high and low spots, these areas would have to be leveled out through excavation and leveling to prepare the site for the home.
Gravel may be installed to prepare for concrete installation.
Concrete installation involves several steps, but one thing that is typically done before a concrete slab is poured is some kind of aggregate is spread on the ground. Gravel or aggregate helps to stabilize the dirt so it is better prepared to support the concrete. Gravel also helps to prevent concrete from adhering directly to the dirt, which can cause more issues later on with water flowing through the dirt. The site work will almost always involve some type of gravel installation.
Trenches may be dug to control the flow of water.
When a home is being built, it is important that water is routed away from the build site, but this is only an issue in areas that tend to get a lot of rain. Due to this, some site work may involve digging carefully planned trenches to help direct the flow of rainwater away from the build site. For instance, if the ground behind the home site is slightly sloped down toward the home, trenches may be dug at the base of the slope to route water out away from the house and toward a logical deposit point.