The anticipation of building a new home is always one filled with much excitement. You will of course, want to make sure that you do your research properly though to ensure that the end to end process is the right one. Before any kind of build can take place, it is a requirement that excavation of the land takes place. Excavation is a MUST before the foundations for any build can be laid.
It is essential to be aware of some of the risks when it comes to the excavation process, like ground that is unstable, too loose, or ground that is too close to water. Indeed, moisture and flooding can be a serious problem during the beginning stages of home construction.
Here are five helpful tips for a new home build:
1. Drill a pump line to remove ground water. Ground water can be a serious problem when you are excavating because it can tend to flood your work area. This can make building the foundation nearly impossible. This is why you want to dig a pump line next to the excavation area to drain the ground water from the dig site. This will effectively divert the water so that it doesn't cause major flooding.
2. Survey the land before breaking ground. This is very important. Ideally you want to know the angle of the land which means that you need to get the right measurements before you even break ground. This will eliminate all the headaches that come with levelling and re-levelling. The last thing you want is to have to excavate twice!
3. Test the soil before you dig. On top of excavating, you will also need to test the soil. What is the soil needs to be treated before you build? What if the soil is too loamy? If this is the case, you will need to dig deeper to reach sturdier soil as the last thing you want is for the foundation to sink after you build the house. Moreover, you don't want the house to be susceptible to shifting earth conditions. This is why you want to get the soil professionally tested before you dig.
4. Hire the professionals if you aren't sure what you are doing. Unless you are familiar with the excavation process, it is probably fair to say that you do not want to start digging. Ideally you want to put the excavation process in the hands of the professionals. Not only will professionals like DIG IT Civil be able to excavate properly, but they will be able to survey and test the land (points 2 & 3 above) to make sure it is safe to build on.
5. Always take safety precautions. When you do excavate, you want to take extra safety precautions. This requires wearing protection for your head, eyes and skin. Moreover, you want to be aware of major utility lines, especially gas mains. In the end, the excavation process requires heavy machinery that needs to be operated correctly so it's always best to call in the professionals!