DIY Network

Digging In the Dirt: Making the Grade From "Blueprint for Home Building" episode DBHB-102

In this episode of DIY's Blueprint for Home Building our host, Jeff Wilson, has looked at the excavation process. In the previous segments you've found out how important it is to have "buildable" soil, whether it's virgin or engineered, getting your property surveyed and having a qualified excavation contractor to do the work.

In this final segment our host finally checks to see if the excavation process has made the grade -- physically. This means to prepare your site for construction.

advertisement

	Figure A
	Figure B

What is Grading?

Grading refers to how you're dealing with the dirt and soil on your lot -- the finished heights of each in other words.

There are two reasons to have your lot graded:

1. The first is that if your lot is on uneven ground (figure A), you may need to level it before building can begin. You may have a certain amount of dirt you need to bring in to level the property or to at least it's a certain level for a back patio or the whole footprint of the home.

2. The second reason is that you want to ensure that your have proper drainage. You need to have positive drainage sloping "away" from your house. And you want to be able to control the water so it's not rushing off of your site onto someone else's property. This site drainage is another important part of the grading plan.

A "grading plan" will show local officials how your excavation contractor will need to modify the grade of your lot. He or she can do this by cutting, leveling or filling in the lot with dirt. A typical grading plan will show in five-foot increments the slope of the lot. And in some cities the plan may be required to show how much "cut" or "fill" you're doing.

Note: The cut is how much soil you're removing from the site, and the fill is how much soil you're bringing in.

The original survey will show the natural existing grade (figure B), and your grading plan would then show how you affected the grade -- how you changed it in other words. The city will want to compare the two and know what you're doing.

If you're worried about "making the grade" as far as your plan goes, relax! A civil engineer can design one for you.

Construction Advice -- Don't rush through your research when preparing to build your house. Every little thing, from the condition of the soil to position your house in terms of view, is crucial.

Tip: When you're siting a home, you'll want to walk the terrain and see where the views are so you can maximize the available solar energy and also ensure that the home fits into the lot in terms of drainage and in terms of excavation.

A grading plan is just "one" of many documents you'll need in order to begin construction. So remember, don't rush through the planning stages of construction. The excavation process if extremely complex and there are a lot of issues to be aware of. Keeping them in mind and addressing the concerns to your architect and build can help save time and money!

For more information on the "breaking ground" process, please click here for episode of DHIQ-102 of DIY's Home IQ series.

For more information on excavating and surveying your site, click here.

In the next episode of Blueprint for Home Building, host Jeff Wilson covers foundations in the construction process.

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