DIY Network

Digging In the Dirt: Excavator Introduction From "Blueprint for Home Building" episode DBHB-102

Host Jeff Wilson lets you in on what's involved with the excavation of the site for your new home in this week's episode of Blueprint for Home Building.

Excavating your site means that your lot is surveyed and then cleared. In this episode of DIY's Blueprint for Home Building, we cover everything you need to know about the excavation process.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C

Who Will Clear My Site?

You as the owner have probably hired a general contractor at this point in the home-building process. Your general contractor would be the one who contacts the excavation expert. He or she would bring in a subcontractor to do the excavation.

Note: Your builder should also make sure that the excavation contractor has both the experience and the necessary equipment (figure A) to do the job correctly. This means that if you're building a large home, the general contractor should make sure the excavator has the proper equipment needed for the larger lot.

The excavation contractor (E.C.) must be licensed and insured. This licensed contractor will be aware of all city codes and should be able to avoid potential problems before they occur.

Your excavation should take approximately one or two days, depending upon the size of the lot and the amount of trees and vegetation that need clearing. When removing trees, it's vital that the entire stump is removed. You want to leave enough of the stump so that the excavation machine can pull the stump out of the ground (figure B).

Tip: It's a good idea to plow the stump under, because the stump can become a home for pests such as termites and hornets.

When removing trees from your lot, there are two things to keep in mind:

1. The first is that some trees are protected. Prior to having your lot cleared you should talk with local code officials to see if certain "special" protection appropriate for your area. For example, this could be some particular storm-water management issues or trees or vegetation that needs to be protected because of local requirements.

2. The second thing is that you might want to keep some trees for aesthetic or practical purposes. For example, mature trees provide a great deal of shade in the summer, which will allow both the cooling loads and brightness of the home to be managed more effectively.

   In addition to trees, saving regional vegetation can add beauty and character to your finished home.

If there are trees that you want to save before the excavation process begins, identify them ahead of time and place them inside a temporary fence or boundary (figure C).

Be Aware! Many trees have shallow roots that can be damaged by excavation equipment.

In the next segment we find out the best kind of soil to build on.

GUESTS :

Greg Allen
Site Supervisor
Hendolhurst Homes
955 Markman Park Rd.
Baden, PA 15005
Phone: 724-935-5658
Fax: 724-935-0884
E-mail: gcrbs@adelphia.net

Jim Sperdute
Surveyor / Project Manager
Sperdute Land Surveyors
108 Deer Lane
Harmony, PA 16037
Phone: 724-452-4362
Fax: 724-452-9357
E-mail: pasurvey@zbzoomnet

Craig Hill
President
Earth Systems Southwest
79811 Country Club Dr.
Indio, CA 92203
E-mail: chill@earthsys.com

Dave Watson
Architect
E-mail: architalk@att.net
Website: www.watsonarchitect.com