Site Preparation For Construction: Things You Need To Know

A feasible and safe construction site starts with its preparation.Preparing the site before construction starts is necessary. You cannot just start the construction as soon as you have a piece of land. Having a piece of land does not mean you are ready to begin construction. Site preparation before construction is a necessary step to lay a strong foundation for your project.

Site preparation involves various steps, such as excavation, site clearing, site set out, and demolition. The work may look easy, but only a professional and experienced site preparation contractor can understand the hidden complexities. Some necessary steps that can help you lay a strong foundation for your construction project are listed below:

Also Read: The Benefits Of Site Preparation For Your Construction Project

Site Evaluation

Before you begin the site preparation and construction, make sure that the land you’ve chosen is suitable. You should make sure that its size and shape are according to your requirements. What can you use according to the local zoning regulations, and how steep the slope is. You should make sure that the land is suitable for your project before investing any time or money in the site preparation and construction.

Soil Testing

An essential part of site preparation is its geotechnical investigation. Soil testing is done to know the properties, composition, and characteristics of the rock, soil, and underground water beneath the site. It allows you to estimate the site’s condition and design the foundation best for the site.

Soil testing enables you to check whether the soil conditions are suitable for your project or not. After analysis, you can determine whether the soil meets your requirements or not. If not, then you should consider another location for your project.

Site Plan Design

You should plan your site design based on the results of site evaluation and soil testing results. Site plan design includes the decision for the placement of various septic tanks, structures, and drainage systems. A site plan also indicates necessary road access for temporary storage areas and the parking of construction vehicles.

After completing it, the design needs to be approved by the country or city building department to ensure that it follows the zoning and building codes. Once your plan gets approved, you can get all the necessary permits for demolition or earthwork.

Site Surveying

This stage involves the outlining of places to place fixtures, structures, and utilities on the site. You may get to know that you are not working on the correct area if the survey pegs do not delineate the construction sites. Moreover, if your construction site is in a developed area, you should consider an underground utility map to make sure that no cable or pipe gets damaged during construction.

Site Clearing And Grading

At this stage, actual work begins on the site. This step involves clearing and grading your land to make building construction easy. This stage includes removal of the trees, demolition of buildings, earthwork, and filling of land to level out the site for building.

Site Compaction

The last stage involves compacting the soil to make it able to lift the weight of the building. The key factor is to make the site ready to begin excavation and foundation work at the construction site.

Investigate Site Access

While determining the site for your project, you should keep in mind site access. You should make sure that the location is accessible and that your material will be delivered easily. Moreover, there will be enough space for heavy equipment, and the site has no debris that can cause your equipment to get stuck.

Some factors you should consider for site access are:

Location of trees
Location of mailbox
Location of existing buildings and bins
Location of power lines

Protect Your Investment

Site preparation is done to reduce the risks and protect your investment. One of the main factors is choosing the right contractor. You should hire a reliable contractor to complete your project and protect your investment.

About Us

Rough Rock Contracting has been in the industry of excavation, site prep, and more for over 25 years. We are based in Nanoose Bay and are proud to serve our customers by helping them improve their buildings. Learn more about Rough Rock and our elite offerings.

Need professional site preparation services? Contact us now.